Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 194/ספרי דברים קצ״ד
א(דברים כ ה) מִי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בָּנָה. יָרַשׁ, לָקַח, נִתַּן לוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: מִי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה.
1Pisqa’ 1943031. “Who is the man who has built a new house” (Dt. 20:5)?I might infer only that[this exemption applies to]one who built a house!
בבַּיִת, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בַּיִת. מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת בּוֹנֶה בֵּית הַתֶּבֶן, וּבֵית הַבָּקָר, וּבֵית הָעֵצִים, וּבֵית הָאוֹצָרוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה. יָכוֹל אַף הַבּוֹנֶה בֵּית שַׁעַר, אַכְסַדְרָה וּמִרְפֶּסֶת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בַּיִת – מָה בַּיִת מְיֻחָד, שֶׁהוּא בֵּית דִּירָה – יָצְאוּ אֵלּוּ, שֶׁאֵינָם בֵּית דִּירָה.
2On what basis do I know to includeone who inherited a house,one who purchased a house,or one who received it as a gift?The Teaching states:“Who is the man who has built” (Dt. 20:5)—[building includes any mode of acquisition].“A house” (Dt. 20:5)—I might infer only that[this exemption] applies to a house (bayit)!On what basis do I know to includea storage shed for straw (beit304 is the construct state of bayit (Heb: “house”). The point of the exegesis is to include in the rule items designated for shelter of any kind. hateven),a cattle-barn (beit habaqar),a wood-shed (beit ha`eitzim),or a silo (beit ha-‘otzarot)?The Teaching states:“Who has built” (Dt. 20:5)—[a house includes any form of permanent shelter].305If so, is it possible to say that[this exemption] applies even tothe builder of a gate-house (beit sha`ar),a portico, or a balcony?The Teaching states:“A house” (Dt. 20:5)—Since a house is distinctivein serving as a dwelling-place (beit dirah),these structures,which do not primarily serve as a dwelling-place,must be excluded from the exemption.306
גוְלֹא חֲנָכוֹ – פְּרָט לְגַזְלָן.
3“And who hasn’t yet dedicated it” (Dt. 20:5)—this prevents a robber [from claiming an exemption].
דיֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ – יֵלֵךְ וְיִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי כֹהֵן מֵעֶרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה וְיַחֲזֹר.
42. “He shall go and return to his home” (Dt. 20:5)—that is, he shall go and heedthe instructions of the Warrior Priest to return.
הפֶּן יָמוּת בַּמִּלְחָמָה, אִם אֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ לְדִבְרֵי כֹהֵן – לְסוֹף הוּא מֵת בַּמִּלְחָמָה.
5“Lest he die in battle” (Dt. 20:5)—failing to heed the instructions of the Warrior Priest,he will eventually die in battle.307 195.2.
ווְאִישׁ אַחֵר יַחְנְכֶנּוּ, יָכוֹל דּוֹדוֹ וּבֶן דּוֹדוֹ? נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״אַחֵר״ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים כ ז) ״אַחֵר״, מָה אַחֵר הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן נָכְרִי, אַף אַחֵר הָאָמוּר כָּאן נָכְרִי.
6“And another man will consecrate it” (Dt. 20:5)—is it possible to say thathis uncle or cousin might take the house? Here it is stated:“Another man will consecrate it” (Dt. 20:5),and elsewhere it is stated:“Another man will take her” (Dt. 20:7; cf. Dt. 28:30)—just as the other man discussed elsewhereimplies a stranger,308 commonly denotes a gentile. Here, it refers to an Israelite who has no kinship ties to a particular Israelite family.so, too, the other man discussed hereimplies a stranger.309