(א) וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כָּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה' לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַה' כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה ב֛וֹ מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת׃ (ג) לֹא־תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ (פ) (ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה' לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ה) קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽה' כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת ה' זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ו) וּתְכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ וְעִזִּֽים׃ ... (כט) כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֣ב לִבָּם֮ אֹתָם֒ לְהָבִיא֙ לְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה ה' לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֑ה הֵבִ֧יאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל נְדָבָ֖ה לַה'׃ (פ)
(1) Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: (2) On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. (3) You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the sabbath day. (4) Moses said further to the whole community of Israelites: This is what the LORD has commanded: (5) Take from among you gifts to the LORD; everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them—gifts for the LORD: gold, silver, and copper; (6) ... (29) Thus the Israelites, all the men and women whose hearts moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD, through Moses, had commanded to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.
~ What are the works explicitly forbidden on Shabbat in the Torah?
~ What are the punishments for breaking Shabbat?
אמר ר' אבהו כתיב (דברי הימים א ב׳:נ״ה) ממשפחת סופרים יושבי יעבץ מה ת"ל סופרים אלא שעשו את התורה ספורות ספורות חמשה לא יתרומו תרומה ה' דברים חייבין בחלה חמש עשרה נשים פוטרות צרותיהן שלשים ושש כריתות בתורה שלשה עשר דבר נאמרו בנבלת העוף הטהור ד' אבות נזיקין אבות מלאכות ארבעים חסר אחת
Said Rabbi Abahu: it is written "from the families of the Soferim [~ 3rd century BCE], the ones dwelling in Yaavetz" (I Chron. 2:55) why does the text say "soferim" (counters)? Because they made the Torah into countings ... five cases do not give terumah; five things need to have challah [taken]; fifteen [cases of] women liberate their problems; thirty-six cases of soul cutting [from the people] in the Torah, thirteen signs [to be checked for kashrut] regarding the carcass of birds, four basic cases of damages, basic works [forbidden on Shabbat] forty minus one.
(ב) אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת. הַזּוֹרֵעַ. וְהַחוֹרֵשׁ. וְהַקּוֹצֵר. וְהַמְעַמֵּר. הַדָּשׁ. וְהַזּוֹרֶה. הַבּוֹרֵר. הַטּוֹחֵן. וְהַמְרַקֵּד. וְהַלָּשׁ. וְהָאוֹפֶה. הַגּוֹזֵז אֶת הַצֶּמֶר. הַמְלַבְּנוֹ. וְהַמְנַפְּצוֹ. וְהַצּוֹבְעוֹ. וְהַטּוֹוֶה. וְהַמֵּסֵךְ. וְהָעוֹשֶׂה שְׁנֵי בָתֵּי נִירִין. וְהָאוֹרֵג שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. וְהַפּוֹצֵעַ שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. הַקּוֹשֵׁר. וְהַמַּתִּיר. וְהַתּוֹפֵר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַקּוֹרֵעַ עַל מְנָת לִתְפֹּר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַצָּד צְבִי. הַשּׁוֹחֲטוֹ. וְהַמַּפְשִׁיטוֹ. הַמּוֹלְחוֹ, וְהַמְעַבֵּד אֶת עוֹרוֹ. וְהַמּוֹחֲקוֹ. וְהַמְחַתְּכוֹ. הַכּוֹתֵב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. וְהַמּוֹחֵק עַל מְנָת לִכְתֹּב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. הַבּוֹנֶה. וְהַסּוֹתֵר. הַמְכַבֶּה. וְהַמַּבְעִיר. הַמַּכֶּה בַפַּטִּישׁ. הַמּוֹצִיא מֵרְשׁוּת לִרְשׁוּת. הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת:
(2) The primary labors are forty less one:sowing, plowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, selecting, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, shearing wool, bleaching, hackling, dyeing, spinning, weaving, the making of two loops, weaving two threads, dividing two threads, tying and untying, sewing two stitches, tearing in order to sew two stitches, capturing a deer, slaughtering, or flaying, or salting it, curing its hide, scraping it [of its hair], cutting it up, writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters [over the erasure], building, tearing down, extinguishing, kindling, striking with a hammer, [and] carrying out from one domain to another, These are the forty primary labors less one.
~ The Maccabee revolt took place between 167-160 BCE.
~ What type of war was the war waged by the Maccabees? Does it fit neatly in the three types we studied previously? Why or why not?
~ What are the works that an army would have to do and it would inevitable break Shabbat?
~ What famous rule regarding life and Shabbat seems not to be clear for those writing I Maccabees?
~ What are the limitations that the Jews seem to have had regarding Shabbat, and how did that change in the Maccabees' time?
~ What do you think are the possible actions that being in war inevitably leads a person to do, that would make one break Shabbat?
~ What does the Book of Maccabees bring as in tension with war? What position regarding Shabbat did the first group take? How did it end?
(א) כי תצור אל עיר. במלחמת הרשות הכתוב מדבר.
(ב) אל עיר. ולא לכרך.
(ג) אל עיר. ולא לכפר.
(ד) ימים רבים. "ימים" שנים "רבים" שלשה. [מגיד שתובע שלום שנים ושלשה ימים, עד שלא נלחם בה. ואע”פ שאין ראיה לדבר, זכר לדבר, שנאמר ויבא דוד ואנשיו צקלג ביום השלישי. ד"א,] מכאן אמרו, (שבת יט) "אין צרים על עיר של עובדי כוכבים, פחות משלשה ימים קודם לשבת, [ואם התחילו אין מפסיקים. ואין מפליגים בספינה לים, אלא ג' ימים קודם לשבת". בד"א בדרך רחוקה, אבל בדרך קרובה מפליגים אותה.
(ה) להלחם עליה לתפשה. ולא לשבותה.
(ו) לא תשחית את עצה לנדוח עליו גרזן. אין לי אלא ברזל, מנין אף למשוך ממנה אמת המים? ת"ל לא תשחית את עצה, בכל דבר.
(ז) (ד"א, כי תצור אל עיר, מגיד שתובע שלום ב' ג' ימים עד שלא נלחם בה. וכה"א (ש"א ב) וישב דוד בצקלג ימים שנים. ואין צרים על עיר תחלה בשבת, אלא קודם לשבת ג' ימים. ואם הקיפוה ואירעה שבת להיות, אין השבת מפסקת מלחמתה. זו אחד מג' דברים שדרש שמאי הזקן, (שבת יט) אין מפליגין את הספינה לים הגדול, אלא ג' ימים קודם לשבת. בד"א - בדרך רחוקה, אבל בדרך קרובה מפליגים אותה).
(1) (Devarim 20:19) "If you besiege a city many days": Scripture here speaks of an optional war.
(2) "a city": and not a metropolis;
(3) "a city": and not a village.
(4) "many days": "days" — two; "many" — three. We are hereby taught that peace is offered for two days, and a third day for the battle. And even though there is no proof for this, there is an intimation of it in (I Samuel 30:1) "And David and his men came to Tziklag on the third day." Variantly: From here it is derived that gentile cities are not besieged fewer than three days before the Sabbath, (so that the siege not extend into the Sabbath); but if the siege began, it is not interrupted. And a sea voyage is not begun fewer than three days before the Sabbath. When is this so? For a long voyage, but for a short one, it is permissible.
(5) "to war upon it, to capture it": and not to destroy it.
(6) "You shall not cut down its tree by wielding an axe against it": This tells me only of iron (i.e., an axe blade). Whence do I derive (the same for destroying it by) diverting a water course from it? From "You shall not destroy its tree" — in any manner.
(7) (We are hereby taught that peace is offered for two days, and a third day before the battle. And so it states: (I Samuel 30:1) "And David Remained in Tziklag for two days." And gentile cities are not besieged fewer than three days before the Sabbath, (so that the siege not extend into the Sabbath); but if the siege began, it is not interrupted. This is one of three lessons taught by Shammai the Elder: A sea voyage is not begun fewer than three days before the Sabbath. When is this so? For a long voyage, but for a short one, it is permissible.)
~ What are the consequences of these laws?
~ What type(s) of war do you think this applies to?
~ Sifrei to Deuteronomy had its compilation finished by the Amoraim (the rabbis of the Talmud) but many sections, such as this one, are attributed to the school of Rabbi Akiva (50-135 CE).
"until it is subdued": even on the Sabbath.
The Sages taught in a Tosefta: One may not lay siege to cities of gentiles fewer than three days before Shabbat. And if they already began establishing the siege they need not stop all war-related actions even on Shabbat. And so Shammai would say: From that which is written: “And you should build a siege against the city that is waging war with you until it falls” (Deuteronomy 20:20), it is derived that the siege should be sustained “until it falls.” Consequently, the siege must continue even on Shabbat.
~ What is the basic idea in not starting a war, let's say, on Thursday? What basic idea about Shabbat we are dealing with?
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares - and if they were ornaments, they wouldn't be cancelled in the future [to come].
~ What is this Mishnah teaching regarding weapons and Shabbat? What case we must be dealing with here?
~ How does the Talmud understand the desecration of Shabbat for war? Are there limits?
~ Why does the Talmud affirm that King David had to consult the Urim veTumim regarding the war?
(א) דְחוּיָה הִיא שַׁבָּת אֵצֶל סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. לְפִיכָךְ חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה עוֹשִׂין לוֹ כָּל צְרָכָיו בְּשַׁבָּת עַל פִּי רוֹפֵא אֻמָּן שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם. סָפֵק שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְחַלֵּל עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת סָפֵק שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ. וְכֵן אִם אָמַר רוֹפֵא לְחַלֵּל עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְרוֹפֵא אַחֵר אוֹמֵר אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ מְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁסְּפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת:
(1) Like all the other commandments, Shabbat is overridden by danger to life. Hence we execute all of the needs of an ill person in mortal danger according to the word of an expert physician in that place on Shabbat. When there is a doubt whether there is a need to profane the Shabbat for him or there is not a need, and likewise if [one] physician said to profane the Shabbat for him but another physician said he does not need [it], we profane the Shabbat. For [even] a doubt about [danger to] life overrides the Shabbat....
(כג) עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת שֶׁצָּרוּ עַל עֲיָרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם בָּאוּ עַל עִסְקֵי מָמוֹן אֵין מְחַלְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין עִמָּהֶן מִלְחָמָה. וּבְעִיר הַסְּמוּכָה לַסְּפָר אֲפִלּוּ לֹא בָּאוּ אֶלָּא עַל עִסְקֵי תֶּבֶן וְקַשׁ יוֹצְאִין עֲלֵיהֶן בִּכְלֵי זַיִן וּמְחַלְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם אִם בָּאוּ עַל עִסְקֵי נְפָשׁוֹת אוֹ שֶׁעָרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה אוֹ שֶׁצָּרוּ סְתָם יוֹצְאִין עֲלֵיהֶן בִּכְלֵי זַיִן וּמְחַלְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וּמִצְוָה עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לָבוֹא וְלָצֵאת וְלַעֲזֹר לְאַחֵיהֶם שֶׁבַּמָּצוֹר וּלְהַצִּילָם מִיַּד הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת. וְאָסוּר לָהֶן לְהִתְמַהֲמֵהַּ לְמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת. וּכְשֶׁיַּצִּילוּ אֶת אֲחֵיהֶן מֻתָּר לָהֶן לַחֲזֹר בִּכְלֵי זַיִן שֶׁלָּהֶן לִמְקוֹמָם בְּשַׁבָּת כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַכְשִׁילָן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא:
(כד) וְכֵן סְפִינָה הַמְטֹרֶפֶת בַּיָּם אוֹ עִיר שֶׁהִקִּיפָהּ כַּרְקוֹם אוֹ נָהָר מִצְוָה לָצֵאת בְּשַׁבָּת לְהַצִּילָן בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַצִּילָן. וַאֲפִלּוּ יָחִיד הַנִּרְדָּף מִפְּנֵי הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אוֹ מִפְּנֵי נָחָשׁ אוֹ דֹּב שֶׁהוּא רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו לְהָרְגוֹ מִצְוָה לְהַצִּילוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּעֲשִׂיַּת כַּמָּה מְלָאכוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת וַאֲפִלּוּ לְתַקֵּן כְּלֵי זַיִן לְהַצִּילוֹ מֻתָּר. וְזוֹעֲקִים עֲלֵיהֶן וּמִתְחַנְּנִים בְּשַׁבָּת וּמַתְרִיעִין עֲלֵיהֶן לַעֲזֹר אוֹתָם. וְאֵין מִתְחַנְּנִים וְלֹא זוֹעֲקִין עַל הַדֶּבֶר בְּשַׁבָּת:
(כה) צָרִין עַל עֲיָרוֹת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים קֹדֶם לַשַּׁבָּת. וְעוֹשִׂין עִמָּהֶן מִלְחָמָה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת עַד שֶׁכּוֹבְשִׁין אוֹתָהּ וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא מִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ (דברים כ כ) "עַד רִדְתָּהּ" וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בְּמִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה. וְלֹא כָּבַשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יְרִיחוֹ אֶלָּא בְּשַׁבָּת:
(23) [If] idolaters besiege Jewish cities: If they came for monetary matters (i.e. to demand ransom, etc.), we do not profane the Shabbat on their account and we do not go out to war against them. But with a city near the border, we go out against them with weapons and profane the Shabbat on their account – even if they only came about matters of hay and straw. However if they came about matters of lives or they prepared for war or [the nature of the siege is unknown], we go out against them with our weapons and we profane the Shabbat on their account in every place. And it is commandment upon all Jews who are able, to come and go out and help their besieged brothers and save them from the idolaters on Shabbat. And it is forbidden for them to delay until the conclusion of Shabbat. And when they have saved their brothers, it is permitted for them to return with their weapons to their place, so as not to hinder them in the future.
(24) And likewise [in the case of] a mangled ship at sea or a city surrounded by troops or by [an overflowing] river, it is a commandment to go out and save them with anything with which he can save them. And it is even a commandment to save an individual that is being chased by idolaters or a snake or a bear that is chasing him to kill him. And it is even permissible to do several [types of] forbidden work and even to make weapons. And we cry out and supplicate for them on Shabbat and we blow horns to help them. But we do not supplicate or cry out about pestilence on Shabbat.
(25) We [begin] sieges against idolater cities [at least] three days before the Shabbat. But we make war against them each and every day, and even on Shabbat, until we conquer them – even if it is an optional war. They learned from the oral tradition (on Deut. 20:20), “until it be subjugated” – and even on Shabbat. And there is no need to say [this] regarding a commanded war. And Yehoshua only conquered Jericho on Shabbat.
(ו) עכו"ם שצרו על עיירות ישראל אם באו על עסק ממון אין מחללין עליהם את השבת באו על עסק נפשות ואפי' סתם יוצאים עליהם בכלי זיין ומחללים עליהם את השבת ובעיר הסמוכה לספר אפילו לא באו אלא על עסקי תבן וקש מחללין עליהם את השבת: הגה ואפילו לא באו עדיין אלא רוצים לבא [א"ז]:
(ז) יש מי שאומר שבזמן הזה אפי' באו על עסקי ממון מחללין שאם לא יניחנו ישראל לשלול ולבוז ממונו יהרגנו והוי עסקי נפשות [ומ"מ הכל לפי הענין] (פסקי מהרי"א סי' ק"כ):
(ח) הרואה ספינה שיש בה ישראל המטורפת בים וכן נהר שוטף וכן יחיד הנרדף מפני עכו"ם מצוה על כל אדם לחלל עליהם שבת כדי להצילם: [וע"ל סוף סימן ש"ז מי שרוצים לאנסו אם מחללים עליו שבת]:
(ט) כל היוצאים להציל חוזרים בכלי זיינם למקומם:
(6) 6. Regarding non-Jews who besiege Jewish cities: if they come for money, we do not desecrate the Shabbat [to protect ourselves], but if they came to kill or come with no presented reason, we go out with weapons and desecrate the Shabbat. In a city that is near the border, even if they just come for straw or hay, we desecrate the Shabbat. Rem"a: Even if they haven't come but they want to come (Or Zarua).
(7) 7. There is one who says that in our times, even if they come for money, we desecrate the Shabbat, because if the non-Jew does not allow them to plunder his money, it will become deadly. (In any event, everything is according to the situation(Piskei Mahara'i Chapter 156).)
(8) 8. One who sees a boat with Jews that is endangered at sea or in a flowing river, or an individual being chased by idolaters, it is a commandment to desecrate Shabbat to save them. (And see above at the end of chapter 306 regarding whether one desecrates Shabbat if someone wants to rape him.)
(9) 9. All who go out to save may return with their weapons.
~ Is there a distinction between personal ethics and national ethics in these sources?
~ A bystander, that could save the girl, does nothing. Is this permitted?
(16) Do not deal basely with your countrymen. Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellow: I am Ad-nai.
(1) If the thief is found in the tunnel, and he is beaten to death, there is no blood[guilt] in his case. (2) If the sun has risen on him, there is blood[guilt] in that case.—He must make restitution; if he lacks the means, he shall be sold for his theft.
~ The license to kill the burglar is not from a standpoint of pikuach nefesh, but a rodef. How do we expand this to a national level?
~ How does the rabbinic imagination of King David understand the processes of going to an optional war in his time?
~ Is David a war centered king?
~ What are the requirements for the war, here? Are they still existing?