Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 182/ספרי דברים קפ״ב
א(דברים יט ה) וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא אֶת רֵעֵהוּ בַּיַּעַר, מָה יַּעַר, רְשׁוּת לַנִּזָּק וְלַמַּזִּיק לִכָּנֵס שָׁם – אַף כָּל שֶׁהוּא רְשׁוּת לַנִּזָּק וְלַמַּזִּיק לִכָּנֵס לְשָׁם. יָצָאת חֲצַר שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁאֵין רְשׁוּת לַנִּזָּק וְלַמַּזִּיק לִכָּנֵס שָׁם.
1Pisqa’ 1822241. “When he goes into the forest with his kinsman” (Dt. 19:5)[and an accidental death results,]—just as a forest affords boththe injured and the injurerequally free access,[where each party is responsiblefor his own safety,]so, too, any placewhich affords to the injured and the injurerequally free access[imposes upon each party responsibilityfor his own safety].This precludes application of the rule[of the unwitting killer]to [an accidental death in] a householder’s courtyard,for it does not afford to the injured and the injurerequally free access.225
בלַחְטֹב עֵצִים, אַבָּה שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר: מַה חֲטִיבַת עֵצִים רְשׁוּת – אַף כָּל שֶׁהוּא רְשׁוּת, יָצָא הָאָב הַמַּכֶּה אֶת בְּנוֹ, וְהָרַב הָרוֹדֶה אֶת תַּלְמִידוֹ, וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין.
22. “To chop wood” (Dt. 19:5).Abba Saul says:Just as wood-chopping, is an optional act[that may result in an accidental death],so, too, any optional act[resulting in an accidental deathreleases the injuring party from the charge of murder].This excludes from our rulethe father who [inadvertently]beats his son to death[since disciplining the son is not optional],the master who [inadvertently]whips his disciple to death[while disciplining him],or an agent of the court[who accidentally kills a prisonerwhile administering lashes].226, 4. In each case, the death was caused by a well-intentioned, but misapplied, desire to fulfill the commandment to administer corporal punishment.