וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל׃
Para tua-tua kota itu harus membawa sapi betina muda itu turun ke sebuah lembah yang keras, yang tidak boleh diolah dan tidak boleh ditaburi, lalu di sana, di lembah itu, mereka harus menebas tengkuk sapi betina itu.
Ramban
AND OPEN LAND — “a space [consisting of] open land outside and around the city, in order to make the city pleasant; and they [the Levites] are not permitted to build any building there or to plant a vineyard, or to sow any crop. 4. A THOUSAND CUBITS ROUND ABOUT. But afterwards [in Verse 5] it says [that it should be] two thousand cubits! How can we explain this? He assigned two thousand cubits for them around [the cities], of which the inner [area with a radius of a] thousand [cubits, as mentioned in Verse 4] was to be free [open] space, and the outer [area of a thousand cubits] was to be for fields and vineyards round about.” This is Rashi’s language taken from the words of our Rabbis.57Sotah 27b. Thus, according to Rashi, two thousand cubits were assigned for each of the four sides round about the Levite city. Of these, the innermost thousand served as the open space, and the outermost was for fields and vineyards. Thus the two verses are harmonized. It will be noted though that Rashi did not assign any dimensions for the city proper. This will be one of the major contentions of Ramban, from which will follow important conclusions (see Note 59).
The correct interpretation according to the plain meaning of Scripture seems to be that Scripture [in Verse 4] is stating that they should assign as open space a thousand cubits directly round about the city, meaning that [the combined open space of both sides of the city] should be a thousand cubits long, five hundred on each side, and similarly [the open space of both sides together] of the width, should be a thousand cubits, five hundred cubits on each side.58Thus, where Rashi assigned two thousand cubits for each of the four sides outside the city (as explained in the preceding note), Ramban allocates only five hundred for each side, totalling one thousand on the two opposite sides. After this He stated [in Verse 5] that they should make a square [the dimension of which to be] two thousand cubits by two thousand cubits, and the city should be situated in the center of the square. He thus added to them [the dimensions — in Verse 5] an open space not directly facing the city, equal to the measurement directly in front of the city, so that you find when leaving a thousand cubits as open space round about the city as He assigned at first [in Verse 4], the city, a thousand by a thousand cubits, will be in [the center of] the square.59Thus, while Rashi did not designate any dimensions for the Levite city proper, Ramban assigned it a thousand by a thousand cubits. [See in Erubin 56b where one of the Amoraim, Abaye, indeed proposes these measurements for the Levite city, and this may well be the source of Ramban’s interpretation at which many scholars have wondered.] By placing now this square-shaped city of a thousand by a thousand in the center of the larger outer-square of two thousand by two thousand, some important conclusions follow. Since, as has been clarified before, a migrash (open space) of five hundred by a thousand extends in each direction directly facing the city, there still remains a space of five hundred by five hundred above and below these migrashim, near the corners of the outer square. These remaining spaces, Ramban will suggest, were to be designated for fields and vineyards. [In a drawing of Ramban’s design of the Levite city, found in my Hebrew commentary, p. 336, there will be noticed a circle encompassing all these four migrashim directly facing the city up to the walls of the outer-square. The circle naturally cuts down somewhat on the space allotted for the fields and vineyards. I based this upon the Gemara in Erubin ibid., as interpreted by the commentators, especially the Ritba, in order to bring Ramban’s words into consonance with the text there. Ramban’s general concept though of the Levite city and its environs as presented here, according to the plain meaning of Scripture, is clear.] Thus the city given to the Levites was in the form of a square.
Know that the term pei’ah [in Verse 5] signifies “a whole side” [i.e., the whole length of the distance of any of the four sides of the outer square, and not merely any point along that side].60Thus, unlike Rashi who explained, for example, eth ‘pe’ath keidmah alpayim ba’amah (for the east ‘side’ two thousand cubits) as any point on that eastern side of the circle, located two thousand cubits away from the city (see Note 57), Ramban applies it to the whole length of that eastern side alongside the city [of which a thousand cubits were directly opposite the city, and five hundred were above and below the city, as explained]. Similarly the expression, a hundred cubits long ‘lapei’ah ha’echath’61Exodus 27:9. See also Verses 11-13 ibid. means “for the whole ‘one’ side,” and so also similar expressions mentioned there [with reference to the dimensions of the Tabernacle]. This is also true of the term pei’ah at the end of the Book of Ezekiel62Ezekiel Chapter 48. [with reference to the dimensions of the city of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary of the future]. Moreover, if the intent of the verse was to have been [as Rashi interpreted] that they were to assign two thousand cubits round about the city in each direction, He would have said, “And you shall measure without the city ‘l’pe’ath keidmah (‘to’ the east side — two thousand cubits) etc.;” but instead He says [in Verse 5] And you shall measure without the city ‘eth’ pe’ath keidmah, which means “the measure of that [whole] side” [i.e., the whole distance along the eastern side of the outer square area, and also on each of the other outer sides, as the verse continues]. Such a four-sided plane figure having all its sides equal [and all its angles, right angles] is indeed a pleasingly suitable appearance for cities to have, not that they should measure two thousand cubits around the city in all directions [as explained by Rashi], thus eliminating the corners. A similar case is the expression, It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about,63Ibid., Verse 35. which means that the city [of Jerusalem] will measure on all of its four sides together eighteen thousand reeds, since he [Ezekiel] assigned there for each of the four sides four thousand and five hundred [reeds]. Now it is correct to say that the thousand cubits which He assigned [in Verse 4] as open space directly round about the city that it is not to be planted, and the thousand cubits He added in the second verse at each of the outer sides [not directly opposite the city] be used for fields and vineyards, as our Rabbis have received by tradition. But the term migrash (open space) in Scriptural language applies to both, but in the one case [in the remote corners, not directly opposite the city] it may be cultivated and sown, whereas in the other case [in the migrash facing directly the city] it may neither be plowed nor sown.64Deuteronomy 21:4. That is why Scripture separated them from each other [by giving two commands, in Verse 4 and in Verse 5, and not commanding both of them together].65With this interpretation Ramban solves the apparent contradiction between Verse 4 which speaks of the migrash as consisting of a thousand cubits and Verse 5 which assigns it to be two thousand. Ramban’s answer is that the term migrash applies to both — open space, and land for planting. Thus Verse 4 addresses itself to that migrash which was for open space, while Verse 5 speaks of the overall concept of migrash which includes both the thousand cubits of open space directly opposite the city, and the five hundred cubits above and below the city for planting, which total altogether two thousand cubits.
The correct interpretation according to the plain meaning of Scripture seems to be that Scripture [in Verse 4] is stating that they should assign as open space a thousand cubits directly round about the city, meaning that [the combined open space of both sides of the city] should be a thousand cubits long, five hundred on each side, and similarly [the open space of both sides together] of the width, should be a thousand cubits, five hundred cubits on each side.58Thus, where Rashi assigned two thousand cubits for each of the four sides outside the city (as explained in the preceding note), Ramban allocates only five hundred for each side, totalling one thousand on the two opposite sides. After this He stated [in Verse 5] that they should make a square [the dimension of which to be] two thousand cubits by two thousand cubits, and the city should be situated in the center of the square. He thus added to them [the dimensions — in Verse 5] an open space not directly facing the city, equal to the measurement directly in front of the city, so that you find when leaving a thousand cubits as open space round about the city as He assigned at first [in Verse 4], the city, a thousand by a thousand cubits, will be in [the center of] the square.59Thus, while Rashi did not designate any dimensions for the Levite city proper, Ramban assigned it a thousand by a thousand cubits. [See in Erubin 56b where one of the Amoraim, Abaye, indeed proposes these measurements for the Levite city, and this may well be the source of Ramban’s interpretation at which many scholars have wondered.] By placing now this square-shaped city of a thousand by a thousand in the center of the larger outer-square of two thousand by two thousand, some important conclusions follow. Since, as has been clarified before, a migrash (open space) of five hundred by a thousand extends in each direction directly facing the city, there still remains a space of five hundred by five hundred above and below these migrashim, near the corners of the outer square. These remaining spaces, Ramban will suggest, were to be designated for fields and vineyards. [In a drawing of Ramban’s design of the Levite city, found in my Hebrew commentary, p. 336, there will be noticed a circle encompassing all these four migrashim directly facing the city up to the walls of the outer-square. The circle naturally cuts down somewhat on the space allotted for the fields and vineyards. I based this upon the Gemara in Erubin ibid., as interpreted by the commentators, especially the Ritba, in order to bring Ramban’s words into consonance with the text there. Ramban’s general concept though of the Levite city and its environs as presented here, according to the plain meaning of Scripture, is clear.] Thus the city given to the Levites was in the form of a square.
Know that the term pei’ah [in Verse 5] signifies “a whole side” [i.e., the whole length of the distance of any of the four sides of the outer square, and not merely any point along that side].60Thus, unlike Rashi who explained, for example, eth ‘pe’ath keidmah alpayim ba’amah (for the east ‘side’ two thousand cubits) as any point on that eastern side of the circle, located two thousand cubits away from the city (see Note 57), Ramban applies it to the whole length of that eastern side alongside the city [of which a thousand cubits were directly opposite the city, and five hundred were above and below the city, as explained]. Similarly the expression, a hundred cubits long ‘lapei’ah ha’echath’61Exodus 27:9. See also Verses 11-13 ibid. means “for the whole ‘one’ side,” and so also similar expressions mentioned there [with reference to the dimensions of the Tabernacle]. This is also true of the term pei’ah at the end of the Book of Ezekiel62Ezekiel Chapter 48. [with reference to the dimensions of the city of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary of the future]. Moreover, if the intent of the verse was to have been [as Rashi interpreted] that they were to assign two thousand cubits round about the city in each direction, He would have said, “And you shall measure without the city ‘l’pe’ath keidmah (‘to’ the east side — two thousand cubits) etc.;” but instead He says [in Verse 5] And you shall measure without the city ‘eth’ pe’ath keidmah, which means “the measure of that [whole] side” [i.e., the whole distance along the eastern side of the outer square area, and also on each of the other outer sides, as the verse continues]. Such a four-sided plane figure having all its sides equal [and all its angles, right angles] is indeed a pleasingly suitable appearance for cities to have, not that they should measure two thousand cubits around the city in all directions [as explained by Rashi], thus eliminating the corners. A similar case is the expression, It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about,63Ibid., Verse 35. which means that the city [of Jerusalem] will measure on all of its four sides together eighteen thousand reeds, since he [Ezekiel] assigned there for each of the four sides four thousand and five hundred [reeds]. Now it is correct to say that the thousand cubits which He assigned [in Verse 4] as open space directly round about the city that it is not to be planted, and the thousand cubits He added in the second verse at each of the outer sides [not directly opposite the city] be used for fields and vineyards, as our Rabbis have received by tradition. But the term migrash (open space) in Scriptural language applies to both, but in the one case [in the remote corners, not directly opposite the city] it may be cultivated and sown, whereas in the other case [in the migrash facing directly the city] it may neither be plowed nor sown.64Deuteronomy 21:4. That is why Scripture separated them from each other [by giving two commands, in Verse 4 and in Verse 5, and not commanding both of them together].65With this interpretation Ramban solves the apparent contradiction between Verse 4 which speaks of the migrash as consisting of a thousand cubits and Verse 5 which assigns it to be two thousand. Ramban’s answer is that the term migrash applies to both — open space, and land for planting. Thus Verse 4 addresses itself to that migrash which was for open space, while Verse 5 speaks of the overall concept of migrash which includes both the thousand cubits of open space directly opposite the city, and the five hundred cubits above and below the city for planting, which total altogether two thousand cubits.
Rashi
now they shall be desolate. That is the thing that shall demolish (וְעָרְפוּ) thier altars, i.e., it will destroy them. This is an expression similar to (Deut. 21:4) “and they shall dehead (יַעֲרֹף)”; (Ex. 13:13) “and you shall behead it (וְעֲרַפְתּוֹ).” He will break their neck. Another explanation according to Midrash Aggadah: Peace is great, for, even if Israel worships idols, but there is peace among them, Satan does not bring charges against them, as it is said: (above 4:17) “Ephraim is joined: although he worships idols, let him alone.” Strife, however, is hated, as it is said: “Their heart has parted; now they will be guilty.” Satan can open his mouth to bring charges. [from unknown Midrashic source]
Kli Yakar
And in this way these verses can be explained, according to the Midrash that concludes in Yalkut (Haazinu 32:942): “Look at the heavens, have they changed their ways, etc. And let the earth hear, look at the earth, has it changed its ways, etc.” The concept of changing one’s ways in a person is when one changes the will of his Creator and departs from the boundaries of Torah and commandments. Therefore, He said afterward that if you change your ways, then according to the understanding of prophecy and Torah, it’s impossible to be exempt from death — either for a person or for an animal. But the word of God is refined to exempt both person and animal from death, and the sinner shall return to God and be healed. This is what is meant by My teaching shall drop like rain.
Our Sages said (Taanit 7a): “The term dropping [yaarof] means killing, as it is said and they shall break the heifer’s neck there (Deuteronomy 21:4).” And my teaching [likchi] refers to Torah and prophecy, because the Torah is called good teaching [lekach tov], and likewise prophecy is taken [lekuchah] from Him, blessed be He. And Moses said that my teaching — that is, what I received from God, both Torah and prophecy — will drop, because from both of them emerges death for one of them, either for person or animal. And they are like this rain, which not everyone rejoices in. Similarly, there is never complete joy here — either for person or for animal.
However, my speech shall flow like dew — for the refined word of God brings joy to both person and animal, like this dew that everyone rejoices in. Similarly, God saves both person and animal, and everyone rejoices in God’s salvation, as it is written Return, O Israel… I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him. I will be like dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily, etc. (Hosea 14:2-5-6). And our Sages (Yoma 86b) learned from here that even if an individual repents, forgiveness is granted to him and to the entire world, as it is said, I will heal their backsliding in plural form, and it is written, for My anger has turned away from him.
Our Sages said (Taanit 7a): “The term dropping [yaarof] means killing, as it is said and they shall break the heifer’s neck there (Deuteronomy 21:4).” And my teaching [likchi] refers to Torah and prophecy, because the Torah is called good teaching [lekach tov], and likewise prophecy is taken [lekuchah] from Him, blessed be He. And Moses said that my teaching — that is, what I received from God, both Torah and prophecy — will drop, because from both of them emerges death for one of them, either for person or animal. And they are like this rain, which not everyone rejoices in. Similarly, there is never complete joy here — either for person or for animal.
However, my speech shall flow like dew — for the refined word of God brings joy to both person and animal, like this dew that everyone rejoices in. Similarly, God saves both person and animal, and everyone rejoices in God’s salvation, as it is written Return, O Israel… I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him. I will be like dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily, etc. (Hosea 14:2-5-6). And our Sages (Yoma 86b) learned from here that even if an individual repents, forgiveness is granted to him and to the entire world, as it is said, I will heal their backsliding in plural form, and it is written, for My anger has turned away from him.
Bartenura
Hanya tersedia untuk anggota PremiumRashi
And he fought in the valley. [Meaning the same as] וַיִלָּחֵם בַּנַּחַל [=and he fought in the valley]. Our Rabbis said, concerning the valley, he argued and concluded, that if for the sake of one life, the Torah said to decapitate a calf in the valley,7See Devarim 21:4. how much more for the sake of all these lives.8Shaul rationalized that he will spare the animals to use as sacrifices to atone for the Amoleikites that were killed. For additional arguments presented by Shaul and their consequences, see Maseches Yoma 22b. If man has sinned, what have the animals sinned?