Midrash su Deuteronomio 20:19

(Fol. 7) The Holy One, praised be He! does not cause an offense to be brought through the beast of the righteous; for R. Phineas b. Yair was going to ransom captives. While on his way he approached the rivulet Ginnay, so he said to the Ginnay, "Divide for me thy waters so that I should be able to cross over thee." The Ginnay replied: "Thou art going to do the will of thy Creator and I am going to do the will of my Creator; as far as thou art concerned there is a doubt whether you will accomplish or whether you will not accomplish [thee ransoming of the captives], but I am surely accomplishing [the will of my Creator, hence I cannot stop from performing my duty for thy sake]." R. Phineas thereupon said to the Ginnay: "If thou wilt not divide thyself then I shall issue a decree that no water shall pass through thee forever." Consequently the Ginnay divided its water. There was with him a certain man carrying wheat for the Passover. Phineas said to the Ginnay: "Divide thyself also for that man who is engaged in a meritorious act." The Ginnay divided itself. There was also an Arabian merchant who had joined them and R. Phineas said to the Ginnay: "Divide thyself also for the sake of him, so that he should not have to say, Is it proper thus to do to a fellow-traveler?" Thereupon the Ginnay divided itself [once more]. R. Joseph said: "Behold, that this man was even greater than Moses and the sixty Myriads [of Israelites]; for there (in connection with Moses and Israel) it happened only once, while here it was divided thrice." But perhaps here also it was divided only once and he merely prayed [to the Ginnay not to return his waters until the three had passed]? We must therefore say that he meant that he was equal to Moses and sixty Myriads [of Israelites]. R. Phineas happened to stop at a certain inn where they placed barley before his ass. The donkey, however, refused to eat. (Ib. b) They shook it apart; still the animal did not eat it. They then cleaned it and still the animal did not eat it. R. Phineas then said to them: "Perhaps it was not taken off the Levetical portion of the grain, hence how should she eat." He then added and said: "This poor creature is going to perform the will of her Creator and ye tried to feed her with Tebel?" Rabbi, having been informed [of his coming] went out to meet him. The former said to the latter: "May we get your consent to partake of a meal at my house." "Yes," came the reply. The face of Rabbi began to shine [because of joy]. R. Phineas then remarked to Rabbi: "It seems to me that you took me as one who made a vow not to enjoy anything from Israel [which does not belong to me]. The fact is that I hold Israel as a Holy Nation [one worthy to benefit others]; however, there are some who desire [to treat others] but cannot afford, and again there are others who could afford [to treat others] but who have no desire and the passage says (Pr. 23, 6) Eat though not the bread of him that hath an evil eye; neither desire thou his dainties. For as one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee. You, however, are willing that others should enjoy from your wealth and you have also the means. Nevertheless now I am in a hurry to fulfill a meritorious act but on my return I shall visit you. On his way back, when he came [to visit Rabbi] it happened so that he entered through a door from which he noticed white mules were standing [in Rabbi's stables]. He then said: "The angel of death is in the house of this man, and shall I partake of a meal with him?" Rabbi, having been informed that R. Phineas was coming, went out to greet him [and when he heard the reason of his refusal to enter Rabbi's house] he offered to sell the mules. But R. Phineas refused it quoting (Lev. 19, 14) Nor put a stumblingblock before the blind. Rabbi suggested that he should renunciate the ownership of the mules, but he again refused to give his consent because they might increase their damages [by being ownerless] . "I shall mutilate their hoofs [to render them harmless]," pleaded Rabbi. "This would cause pain to the animals," came the objection. "I shall then kill them," pleaded Rabbi. "This is prohibited (Deut. 20, 19) Thou shalt not destroy," came the objection. He begged him very persistently [to accept the invitation] when a mountain sprang up and separated them. Rabbi thereupon began to cry and said: "If the righteous are so great while alive how much the more are they great after their death; for R. Chama b. Chanina said: 'The righteous are great after their death even more so than during their lives, as it is said (II Kings 13, 21) And it came to pass as they were burying a man, that, behold, they saw the band; and they cast down the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and as the man came and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and rose up on his feet.' " R. Papa then said to Abaye: "Perhaps this happened in order to fulfill the blessing of Elijah, as it is written (Ib. 2, 9) I pray the, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me?" Whereupon he answered: "If this is the case then how will you explain the following Mishna which says that the above mentioned man only stood upon his feet but he did not go to his house [hence it was merely to have him removed from the sepulchre of Elisha]? But in what respect was the blessing of Elijah fulfilled? This is as R. Jochanan said: "In that which he cured the leprosy which is equal to death, as it is said (Num. 12, 12) Let her not, I pray, be as one dead." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "Why are the mules called Yemim? Because their terror is thrown upon man; for R. Chanina said: 'Never in my life did a man ask me concerning a wound caused by a white mule and he should remain alive.' " But do we not see that they do remain alive; we must therefore say that he meant they can never be cured. But again do we not see that such are cured? We must therefore say that he refers to such mules which have white legs.

R. Zera said to R. Jeremiah: "Let the master come and teach us." "My heart is Weak, and I cannot," replied R. Jeremiah. "Then let the master relate some things from the Hagada," begged R. Zera. Whereupon R. Jeremiah said: "Thus said R. Jochanan: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Deut. 20, 10) The man is a tree of the field. Is then man a tree of the field? We must, therefore, say that it means to compare man unto the tree, just as the passage says concerning trees: For thou mayst eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down; and further, it says (Ib. 20) Only the trees [of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food], then thou mayest destroy and cut down. In what respect as a man to be compared unto a tree? If the scholar is worthy, then thou mayest eat [learn] from him and thou shalt not cut it down; but if he is not worthy, then thou shouldst avoid him and cut off thy intercourse with him."

(Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” This text is related (to Prov. 3:17), “The ways [of wisdom] are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Whatever is written in the Torah is written to [establish] peace. Although wars are written about in the Torah, they are written about for the sake of peace. You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, cancelled the decree [of utter destruction (herem)] for the sake of peace. When? When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Deut. 20:19), “When you besiege a city a long time.” Now concerning that whole matter, the Holy One, blessed be He, had said that he should destroy them, as stated (above in vs. 17), “No, you shall utterly destroy them.” However, Moses did not do so. Rather he said, “Am I to go and smite who has sinned and who has not sinned? Instead, let me come against them in peace, as stated (in Deut. 2:26-27), “Then I sent messengers from the Desert of Kedemoth [unto King Sihon of Heshbon] with words of peace […]. I will traverse your land.” When he saw that he did not come in peace, he smote him, as stated (in Numb. 21:35), “So they smote him, his children, and all his people.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I Myself told you (in Deut. 20:17), ‘No, you shall utterly destroy them,’ but you did not do this. By your life, just as you have said, so will I do.” Thus it is stated (in Deut. 20:10), “When you draw near unto a city to fight against it, you shall offer terms of peace unto it.” Therefore, it is so stated (in Prov. 3:17), “The ways [of wisdom] are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”