In this week's Parshah, we come across a mysterious story about the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man who fights in the camp and blasphemes. His punishment is stoning, and this becomes a precedent for how to punish a blasphemer. Today we will think about this story together. Who was this "blasphemer?" Why is his mother named? What do the rabbis derive from this story? What are we to learn from it for the present?
(י) וַיֵּצֵא֙ בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּנָּצוּ֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה בֶּ֚ן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְאִ֖ישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃ (יא) וַ֠יִּקֹּ֠ב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יד) הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כׇֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טו) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנׇקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃
(יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יד) הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כׇֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טו) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנׇקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃
(10) There came out among the Israelites a man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. And a fight broke out in the camp between that half-Israelite and a certain Israelite. (11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until the decision of יהוה should be made clear to them. (13) And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (14) Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands upon his head, and let the community leadership stone him. (15) And to the Israelite people speak thus: Anyone who blasphemes God shall bear the guilt; (16) and one who also pronounces the name יהוה shall be put to death. The community leadership shall stone that person; stranger or citizen—having thus pronounced the Name—shall be put to death.
רגם -- וירגמו -- and they stoned
-- נקבה -- נקב -- ויקוב -- and he blasphemed (a hole) -- a sign, a defamation
קלל -- ויקלל -- and he cursed
סקילה -- stoning
-- נקבה -- נקב -- ויקוב -- and he blasphemed (a hole) -- a sign, a defamation
קלל -- ויקלל -- and he cursed
סקילה -- stoning
(ו) וְהִגִּישׁ֤וֹ אֲדֹנָיו֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּישׁוֹ֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֔לֶת א֖וֹ אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה וְרָצַ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤יו אֶת־אׇזְנוֹ֙ בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ וַעֲבָד֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽם׃ {ס}
(6) his master shall take him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall then remain his master’s slave for life.
(יד) לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
(14) You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am יהוה.
(א) ויצא בן אשה ישראלית. מֵהֵיכָן יָצָא? רַבִּי לֵוִי אוֹמֵר מֵעוֹלָמוֹ יָצָא, רַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה אוֹמֵר מִפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה יָצָא, לִגְלֵג וְאָמַר "בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יַעַרְכֶנּוּ" דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ לֶאֱכֹל פַּת חַמָּה בְכָל יוֹם, שֶׁמָּא פַּת צוֹנֶנֶת שֶׁל תִּשְׁעָה יָמִים, בִּתְמִיהָ? וּמַתְנִיתָא אֲמַרָה מִבֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה יָצָא, מְחֻיָּב, בָּא לִטַּע אָהֳלוֹ בְתוֹךְ מַחֲנֵה דָן, אָמְרוּ לוֹ מַה טִּיבְךָ לְכָאן? אָמַר לָהֶם מִבְּנֵי דָּן אֲנִי, אָמְרוּ לוֹ "אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאֹתֹת לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם" כְּתִיב (במדבר ב'), נִכְנַס לְבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה וְיָצָא מְחֻיָּב, עָמַד וְגִדֵּף (ספרא, ויקרא ל"ב): (ב) בן איש מצרי. הוּא הַמִּצְרִי שֶׁהָרַג מֹשֶׁה (שם): (ג) בתוך בני ישראל. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתְגַיֵּר (ספרא): (ד) וינצו במחנה. עַל עִסְקֵי הַמַּחֲנֶה: (ה) ואיש הישראלי. זֶה שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ שֶׁמִּחָה בוֹ מִטַּע אָהֳלוֹ: (א) ויקב. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וּפָרֵשׁ", שֶׁנָּקַב שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד וְגִדֵּף, וְהוּא שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִסִּינַי (ספרא): (ב) ושם אמו שלמית בת דברי. שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל יִשְֹרָאֵל שֶׁפִּרְסְמָהּ הַכָּתוּב לְזוֹ, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִיא לְבַדָּהּ הָיְתָה זוֹנָה: (ג) שלמית. דַּהֲוָה פִּטְפְּטָה "שְׁלָם עֲלָךְ", "שְׁלָם עֲלֵיכוֹן", מְפַטְפֶּטֶת בִּדְבָרִים, שׁוֹאֶלֶת בִּשְׁלוֹם הַכֹּל: (ד) בת דברי. דַּבְּרָנִית הָיְתָה, מְדַבֶּרֶת עִם כָּל אָדָם, לְפִיכָךְ קִלְקְלָה: (ה) למטה דן. מַגִּיד שֶׁהָרָשָׁע גּוֹרֵם גְּנַאי לוֹ, גְּנַאי לְאָבִיו, גְּנַאי לְשִׁבְטוֹ; כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה דָן" (שמות ל"א), שֶׁבַח לוֹ, שֶׁבַח לְאָבִיו, שֶׁבַח לְשִׁבְטוֹ (ספרא): (א) ויניחהו. לְבַדּוֹ, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ עִמּוֹ — שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם הָיוּ בְּפֶרֶק אֶחָד — וְיוֹדְעִים הָיוּ שֶׁהַמְּקוֹשֵׁשׁ בְּמִיתָה, אֲבָל לֹא פֹרַשׁ לָהֶם בְּאֵיזוֹ מִיתָה לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (במדבר ט"ו), כִּי לֹא פֹרַשׁ מַה יֵּעָשֶֹה לוֹ; אֲבָל בַּמְּקַלֵּל הוּא אוֹמֵר לִפְרֹשׁ לָהֶם, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם חַיָּב מִיתָה אִם לָאו (ספרא; סנהדרין ע"ח): (א) השמעים. אֵלּוּ הָעֵדִים: (ב) כל. לְהָבִיא אֶת הַדַּיָּנִים (ספרא): (ג) את ידיהם. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ דָּמְךָ בְּרֹאשְׁךָ, וְאֵין אָנוּ נֶעֱנָשִׁים בְּמִיתָתְךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה גָרַמְתָּ לְךָ (שם): (ד) כל העדה. בְּמַעֲמַד כָּל הָעֵדָה, (מִכָּאן) שֶׁשְּׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כְּמוֹתוֹ (עי' שם): (א) ונשא חטאו. בְּכָרֵת כְּשֶׁאֵין הַתְרָאָה: (א) ונקב שם. אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיְּפָרֵשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׁם, וְלֹא הַמְקַלֵּל בְּכִנוּי (סנהדרין נ"ו): (ב) ונקב. לְשׁוֹן קְלָלָה כְּמוֹ (במדבר כ"ג) "מָה אֶקֹּב" (סנהדרין נ"ו):
(1) ויצא בן אשה ישראלית AND THE SON OF THE ISRAELITISH WOMAN WENT OUT — Whence did he go out? Surely not from the camp, since Scripture states “and they strove in the camp”! Rabbi Levi said, “He went out from (by his blasphemous utterance he lost) his eternal life (עולמו; R. Levi evidently connects ויצא with the last word of v. 8; “the everlasting covenant, ברית עולם”). R. Berachya said, “He set forth (יצא) (started his argument) from the above section. He said sneeringly: “Every Sabbath he shall set it in order!? Surely it is the way of a king to eat fresh (lit., warm) bread every day; is it perhaps his way to eat bread nine days old (lit., cold bread of nine days)?! (The Hebrew word בתמיה “Say this in the intonation of a question” means nothing other than our question mark) (Midrash Tanchuma 38 23). A Baraitha states that ויצא means, he came out of the judicial court of Moses where he had been pronounced to be in the wrong in the following matter: although his father was an Egyptian he had gone to pitch his tent in the camp of the tribe of Dan to whom his mother belonged (cf. v. 11). They (the men of Dan) said to him, “What have you to do here" (lit., what is your character that gives you the right to come here?). He replied. “I am one of the children of the tribe of Dan”. Thereupon they said to him, “Scripture states: (Numbers 2:2) “Every man [of the children of Israel shall encamp] by his own standard, that bears the signs of their father’s house”! He thereupon went in to the judicial court of Moses to have the matter decided and came forth (יצא) declared to be in the wrong. He then stood up and blasphemed (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 1; Leviticus Rabbah 32 3). (2) בן איש מצרי THE SON OF AN EGYPTIAN MAN — It was the Egyptian whom Moses had killed (Leviticus Rabbah 32 4; cf. Exodus 2:11 where Scripture also uses the expression “איש מצרי”; cf. also Rashi thereon). (3) בתוך בני ישראל AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — This teaches us that he had become a proselyte (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 1). (4) וינצו במחנה THEY QUARRELLED IN [or CONCERNING] THE CAMP, about matters connected with the camp (i. e. as to where was his proper place in the camp; Sifra, Emor, Section 14 1; cf. Rashi on יתישראל אשה ויצא בן). (5) הישראלי ואיש THE ISRAELITISH MAN — this was his opponent (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 1) who had prevented him from pitching his tent in the camp of Dan. (1) ויקב — Translate this as the Targum does: ופרש “and he pronounced”, thus ויקב … ויקלל means that he uttered the Tetragrammaton and by so doing blasphemed. It was the “Proper Name” which he had heard on Mount Sinai (cf. Sifra, Emor, Section 14 2 and Jeremiah Targ.). (2) ושם אמו שלמית בת דברי AND HIS MOTHER’S NAME WAS SHELOMITH, THE DAUGHTER OF DIBRI, [THE TRIBE OF DAN] — it is to tell how praiseworthy Israel was that Scripture publicly mentions her name (exposes her), telling us implicitly that of all the women of Israel she alone was a harlot (Leviticus Rabbah 32 5). (3) שלמית (connected with שלום “peace”) — she was so called because she was always babbling: “Peace be with thee”, “peace be with thee”, “peace be with you” — she used to continually babble with many words (she was a בת דברי) — she enquired after the health of everybody (Leviticus Rabbah 32 5). (4) בת דברי (from the root דבר “to speak”) — she was talkative — talking with any man, and in consequence of this she got into trouble. (5) למטה דן OF THE TRIBE OF DAN — This mention also of the parent and tribe of the woman teaches us that the wrong doer brings shame upon himself, shame upon his parent, shame upon his whole tribe. Similarly we find the name of the tribe Dan mentioned to express praise; (Exodus 31:6) “Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan”, where the details of Oholiab’s descent imply praise for him, praise for his father and praise for his tribe (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 4). (1) ויניחהו AND THEY PLACED HIM [IN WARD] — him by himself — and they did not place the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day with him (Numbers 15:34), because both of whom happened to be (i. e. to commit an offense) at the same period, but they knew that the stick-gatherer was to be punished with the death-penalty, only it had not been explained to them by what kind of death he was to be punished — it is for this reason that it is stated in his case (Numbers 15:33) “[and they placed him in ward] because it was not explained what should be done to him”. In the case of the blasphemer, however, it states “[and they placed him in ward] that [the proper penalty] might be shown to them”; this was because they did not know whether he is at all liable to the death-penalty or not (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 5; Sanhedrin 78b). (1) השמעים THEY THAT HEARD — This refers to the witnesses. (2) כל ALL [THOSE THAT HEARD] — 'all' serves to include the judges also (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 1). (3) את ידיהם [AND ALL THAT HEARD HIM SHALL LAY] THEIR HANDS [UPON HIS HEAD] — They said to him: your blood is upon your head; we do not deserve punishment on account of your death, for it was you yourself who brought it about (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 2). (4) כל העדה ALL THE CONGREGATION [SHALL CERTAINLY PELT HIM WITH STONES] — (This means: the witnesses shall stone him), all the congregation standing by (because it cannot possibly mean that all the 600,000 men comprising the whole of the congregation should stone him). From here, we may derive the legal principle that a man’s agent is as himself (i. e. that his actions are legally of the same effect as though they were carried out by those for whom he acts the order) (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 23). (1) ונשא חטאו [WHOSOEVER EXECRATETH HIS GOD] SHALL BEAR HIS SIN — i. e. shall be punished with excision if there was no legal warning preceding the offence (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 6; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 20:27). (1) ונקב שם AND HE THAT UTTERETH BLASPHEMOUSLY THE NAME [OF THE LORD SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] — He is not liable to the death-penalty at the hand of the judges unless he utters the Divine Tetragrammaton blasphemously, but not if he execrateth the Lord by only mention of one of the substitutes for the Divine name (e. g., רחום, חנון, אל etc.), (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 5; Sanhedrin 56a). (2) ונקב here is an expression denoting “cursing”, like (Numbers 23:8) “How shall I curse (אקב) [when God hath not cursed]” (Sanhedrin 56a).
(א) ויקב - הזכיר את השם ואח"כ בירכו.
(1) ויקוב, he mentioned the holy name of G’d before cursing same.
(ז) לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ {פ}
(7) You shall not swear falsely by the name of your God יהוה; for יהוה will not clear one who swears falsely by God’s name.
(א) לשוא. חִנָּם, לַהֶבֶל, וְאֵיזֶהוּ שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא? נִשְׁבַּע לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת הַיָּדוּעַ – עַל עַמּוּד שֶׁל אֶבֶן שֶׁהוּא שֶׁל זָהָב (שבועות כ"ט):
(1) לשוא IN VAIN — for no valid reason, idly. What is a שבועת שוא, an oath taken for no valid reason? If one takes an oath declaring something, the nature of which is evident, to be different from what it is: e. g., swearing about a stone pillar that it is of gold (Shevuot 29a).
(ה) דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיֵּצֵא בֶּן אִשָּׁה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ד, יב): גַּן נָעוּל אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס גַּל נָעוּל אֵלּוּ הַבְּתוּלוֹת, גַּן נָעוּל אֵלּוּ הַבְּעוּלוֹת, מַעְיָן חָתוּם אֵלּוּ הַזְּכָרִים. תָּנֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי נָתָן גַּן נָעוּל, גַּל נָעוּל, אֵלּוּ שְׁתֵּי בְּעִילוֹת כְּדַרְכָּהּ וְשֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא גַּן נָעוּל, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁגָּדְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם עַצְמָן מִן הָעֶרְוָה, נִגְאֲלוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (שיר השירים ד, יג): שְׁלָחַיִךְ, שְׁלוּחַיִךְ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות יג, יז): וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה, רַבִּי הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר שָׂרָה אִמֵּנוּ יָרְדָה לְמִצְרַיִם וְגָדְרָה עַצְמָהּ מִן הָעֶרְוָה, וְנִגְדְּרוּ כָּל הַנָּשִׁים בִּזְכוּתָהּ. יוֹסֵף יָרַד לְמִצְרַיִם וְגָדַר עַצְמוֹ מִן הָעֶרְוָה, וְנִגְדְּרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְכוּתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא כְּדַאי הָיָה גְּדוּר עֶרְוָה בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יָדוֹ. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר בְּשֵׁם בַּר קַפָּרָא בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים נִגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת שְׁמָם וְאֶת לְשׁוֹנָם וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְלֹא נִמְצָא בֵּינֵיהֶם אֶחָד מֵהֶן פָּרוּץ בְּעֶרְוָה. לֹא שִׁנּוּ אֶת שְׁמָן רְאוּבֵן וְשִׁמְעוֹן נָחֲתִין, רְאוּבֵן וְשִׁמְעוֹן סָלְקִין, לֹא הָיוּ קוֹרִין לִיהוּדָה רוּפָּא וְלֹא לִרְאוּבֵן לוּלְיָאנִי וְלֹא לְיוֹסֵף לֵיסְטֵיס וְלֹא לְבִנְיָמִין אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי. לֹא שִׁנּוּ אֶת לְשׁוֹנָם, לְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (בראשית יד, יג): וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְרָהָם הָעִבְרִי, וְכָאן (שמות ה, ג): וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים נִקְרָא עָלֵינוּ, וּכְתִיב (בראשית מה, יב): כִּי פִי הַמְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם, בְּלָשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יא, ב): דַּבֶּר נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר מוּפְקָד אֶצְלָן כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא הִלְשִׁין אֶחָד עַל חֲבֵירוֹ. וְלֹא נִמְצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶם פָּרוּץ בְּעֶרְוָה, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהָיָה כֵּן אַחַת הָיְתָה וּפִרְסְמָהּ הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד, יא): וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ שְׁלֹמִית בַּת דִּבְרִי לְמַטֵּה דָן, שְׁלֹמִית, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי דַּהֲוַת פַּטָּטָא בִּשְׁלָמָא, שְׁלָם לָךְ שְׁלָם לְכוֹן. בַּת דִּבְרִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק שֶׁהֵבִיאָה דֶּבֶר עַל בְּנָהּ. לְמַטֵּה דָן, גְּנַאי לְאִמּוֹ, גְּנַאי לוֹ, גְּנַאי לְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ, גְּנַאי לְשִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ.
(Rav Huna said, in the name of Bar Kappara: due to four things Israel was redeemed from Egypt: they did not change their names, nor their language, did not speak lashon hara and there was none that had committed sexual immorality... And you say that there was none who committed sexual immorality? There was one, and the Text announced her: "and the name of his mother was Shelomit bat Dibri of the tribe of Dan. Shelomit: as Rabbi Levi says, she would continuously say "Shalom" to all she encountered. Bat Dibri: Rabbi Itzchak says: she brought a plague [dever] on her son. Of the Tribe of Dan: this is a shame for his mother, a shame for him, a shame for his family, a shame for the tribe from which he came.
(א) ואיש כי יכה כל נפש אדם בהיות קללת אלהים אצל קצת האומות דבר נקל מאד כאמרו והתקצף וקלל במלכו ובאלהיו וכאמרם ז''ל (סנהדרין ס. א.) השומע אזכרה מפי גוי אינו חייב לקרוע שאם אין אתה אומר כן נתמלא כל הבגד כולו קרעים ועם זה נראה שיהיה דבור המקלל בזה דבור בטל בהיות כל קללה נמנעת במציאות האל יתברך באר הטעם ואמר כי אמנם הפועל הרע כאשר יהיה נעשה בנושאים מתחלפים אף על פי שהוא פועל אחד בעצמו יתחלף ענשו כפי חלוף אותם הנושאים עד שיהיה העונש בהיות החטא באיזה נושא עונש בגוף או עונש מיתה וכאשר יהיה בנושא אחר למטה ממנו יהיה העונש ממון. ועל זה נתן שלשה ראיות אחד בהורג שההורג נפש אדם חייב מיתה וההורג בהמת חבירו חייב ממון בלבד. שנית בחובל שהחובל אדם היה ראוי ליענש בגוף לולי חסרון יכולתנו לצמצם כמו שקבלו רכותינו ז''ל (קמא פרק החובל) והוצרך לענשו ממון ועם כל זה הנה הממון רב שחייב בחמשה דברים כמו שקבלו הם ז''ל ומכה בהמה יהיה ענשו ממון מועט. שלישית בחובל אדם שחובל באביו ובאמו חייב מיתה וחובל באדם אחר חייב ממון ואין צריך לומר מכה בהמה בזה האופן שיהיה ענשו מועט מאד. ולא הזכיר קללת אביו ואמו כי היא בלתי דומה לזאת הקללה שהוא דבור בטל לגמרי ולא כן קללת האב:
(1) ואיש כי יכה כל נפש אדם, seeing that among some nations cursing the deity is considered a very minor sin as we know from Isaiah 8,21 והתקצף וקלל במלכו ובאלוהיו, “and he shall rage against his king and his divinity, etc.;” we know from our sages in Sanhedrin 60 that when one hears a gentile blaspheme (even against our G’d) one need not rend one’s garment in mourning over having been a witness to such blasphemy, for if that were not the halachah our garments would consist of innumerable shreds.
Keeping this in mind, we might have assumed that the curse uttered by the blasphemer in our paragraph should have been treated as irrelevant. This is especially so since we are all aware that blaspheming against G’d does not harm Him in any way, is an exercise of man’s frustration, not something harmful to the object of his blasphemy. The Torah explains that the reason why this blasphemy is treated as if something of substance, G’d forbid, must be seen in a different context. We know from Torah legislation that each deliberate act of disobedience against G’d is basically an act of insurrection, mutiny, and we could expect it to be treated as such, i.e. as equivalent to forfeiting one’s life.
Nonetheless, the Torah has demonstrated that some deliberate sins rate quite different punishments than others. Basically, the Torah provides for financial penalties, physical punishment, and the death penalty. Clearly, this proves that G’d views different sins as differing in degree of insurrection, or due to different degrees of provocation experienced by the sinner. Killing a human being, basically deserves the death penalty, i.e. anything less would mean that the killer’s life is worth more than that of his victim. When someone kills an animal, this is not comparable, so that the penalty is financial, restitution to the owner for what he lost.
When someone causes injury (deliberately), if the injury was caused to a fellow human being, by rights, the offender should be punished by bodily punishment, unless he were physically too weak to endure such punishment. Seeing that it is impossible to impose an exact equivalent for the injury caused, the sages decided to substitute a financial penalty instead. We must not think that the offender thereby gets off lightly, as the financial compensation comprises five different categories of harm suffered by the injured party, including even his injured pride. (compare Baba Kamma 83)
When someone injures an animal the financial penalty is considerably milder. When someone causes injury to a human being we also distinguish between one human being and another. If he injured his father or mother, he is guilty of the death penalty, whereas an injury of similar severity to someone else draws only a financial penalty; when he injures an animal it is obvious that the penalty would only be financial. Cursing father or mother is not mentioned in the Torah here as it is in a different category altogether, seeing that this cannot be compared to blaspheming, words which by themselves have no effect, since what can man possibly do to harm G’d?. Parents may be harmed by their children’s curses though not necessarily visibly. [some of the wording is my own. Ed.]
Keeping this in mind, we might have assumed that the curse uttered by the blasphemer in our paragraph should have been treated as irrelevant. This is especially so since we are all aware that blaspheming against G’d does not harm Him in any way, is an exercise of man’s frustration, not something harmful to the object of his blasphemy. The Torah explains that the reason why this blasphemy is treated as if something of substance, G’d forbid, must be seen in a different context. We know from Torah legislation that each deliberate act of disobedience against G’d is basically an act of insurrection, mutiny, and we could expect it to be treated as such, i.e. as equivalent to forfeiting one’s life.
Nonetheless, the Torah has demonstrated that some deliberate sins rate quite different punishments than others. Basically, the Torah provides for financial penalties, physical punishment, and the death penalty. Clearly, this proves that G’d views different sins as differing in degree of insurrection, or due to different degrees of provocation experienced by the sinner. Killing a human being, basically deserves the death penalty, i.e. anything less would mean that the killer’s life is worth more than that of his victim. When someone kills an animal, this is not comparable, so that the penalty is financial, restitution to the owner for what he lost.
When someone causes injury (deliberately), if the injury was caused to a fellow human being, by rights, the offender should be punished by bodily punishment, unless he were physically too weak to endure such punishment. Seeing that it is impossible to impose an exact equivalent for the injury caused, the sages decided to substitute a financial penalty instead. We must not think that the offender thereby gets off lightly, as the financial compensation comprises five different categories of harm suffered by the injured party, including even his injured pride. (compare Baba Kamma 83)
When someone injures an animal the financial penalty is considerably milder. When someone causes injury to a human being we also distinguish between one human being and another. If he injured his father or mother, he is guilty of the death penalty, whereas an injury of similar severity to someone else draws only a financial penalty; when he injures an animal it is obvious that the penalty would only be financial. Cursing father or mother is not mentioned in the Torah here as it is in a different category altogether, seeing that this cannot be compared to blaspheming, words which by themselves have no effect, since what can man possibly do to harm G’d?. Parents may be harmed by their children’s curses though not necessarily visibly. [some of the wording is my own. Ed.]