Midrash · Halachah

Sifrei Devarim 230/ספרי דברים ר״ל

א(דברים כב ט) לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם, מָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא יט יט) ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם״! מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַמְקַיֵּם כִּלְאַיִם בַּכֶּרֶם עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִים.

1Pisqa’ 230¹²⁸1. “You may not sow your vineyard with incompatible specieslest you prohibit¹²⁹ In this context, the root q-d-sh has the sense of “taboo” and refers to produce the use of which is forbidden until it is deconsecrated. the whole” (Dt. 22:9).Do I need to know this?Isn’t it already stated:“Your field you may not sowwith incompatible species” (Lv. 19:19)?[The redundancy] teaches thatwhoever maintains a vineyardwith incompatible speciestransgresses two proscriptions:[One concerning a vineyard (Dt. 22:9)and one concerning a field (Lv. 19:19)].¹³⁰ per. 4:16

באֵין לִי אֶלָּא כֶּרֶם שָׁלֵם. מִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ גֶּפֶן יְחִידִי וְעוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כֶּרֶם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

22. Now, I might infer only thatthis rule applies when the entire vineyard is sownwith incompatible species!But, how do I know that[the prohibition applies to]even a single fruit-bearing vine[sown, say, in a wheat field]?The Teaching states:“A vineyard” (Dt. 22:9)—[containing] any number [of vines].¹³¹

גמִנַּיִן לְכִלְאֵי הַכֶּרֶם שֶׁאֲסוּרִים בַּהֲנָיָה? נֶאֱמַר כָּאן תִּקְדַּשׁ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (ויקרא ה טו) ״קֹדֶשׁ״ – מָה קֹדֶשׁ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה, אַף קֹדֶשׁ הָאָמוּר כָּאן אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה.

3How, furthermore, do I know thatgrapes of a vineyard sown with incompatible speciesare prohibited for benefit?The term, prohibited, appears here (Dt. 22:9),and the term, prohibited, appears elsewhere (Lv. 5:15).Just as [the grapes] prohibited elsewhereare forbidden for benefit,do, too, [the grapes] prohibited hereare [prohibited] for benefit.

דפֶּן תִּקְדַּשׁ הַמְלֵאָה הַזֶּרַע, מֵאֵימָתַי הַמְלֵאָה הַזֶּרַע מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת? – מִשֶּׁתַּשְׁרִישׁ, וַעֲנָבִים? – מִשֶּׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כְּפוֹל לָבָן.

43. “Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9).At what point [in its growth] isthe whole of the seed prohibited? When it strikes root.[This criterion holds for grain or greens,]but as for grapes—when they are the size of white beans.¹³²

ההַזֶּרַע – פְּרָט לְזֶרַע שֶׁיָּצָא עִם הַזְּבָלִים אוֹ עִם הַמַּיִם, הַזּוֹרֵעַ וְהָרוּחַ מְסַעַרְתּוֹ. יָכוֹל שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצִיא הַזּוֹרֵעַ וְהָרוּחַ מְסַיַּעְתּוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אֲשֶׁר תִּזְרָע.

5“Of the seed” (Dt. 22:9)—excluding from the rule seed [sown inadvertently]in manure or by watering the field.If one was sowing seed [in one field],and it was blown down-wind [to another]—[what is the application of the rule]? ¹³³Is it possible for me to exempt from the rulethe case of one who was sowing seed,and it was blown down-wind?The Teaching states:“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—[The rule is limited to fields intentionally sownin violation of the rule].

והַמְקַיֵּם קוֹצִים בַּכֶּרֶם, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: קָדַשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר תִּזְרָע, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: זֶרַע פְּרָט לַמְקַיֵּם קוֹצִים בַּכֶּרֶם.

6As for one who maintains thorns in a vineyard—R. Eliezer says:He has placed it under prohibition,for it is said:“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—[and maintaining the thorns is like sowing them].But sages say:“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—this excludes the case ofone who maintains thorns in a vineyard[since the thorns are neither seed nor are they sown]. ¹³⁴

זוּתְבוּאַת הַכָּרֶם, מֵאֵימָתַי הַתְּבוּאָה מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת? מִשֶּׁתַּשְׁרִישׁ, וַעֲנָבִים מִשֶּׁיַּעֲלוּ כְּפוֹל לָבָן.

74. “Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown, and the yield” (Dt. 22:9).At what point in its growth is the yield prohibited? When it strikes root.[This holds for grain and greens,]But as for grapes—When they are the size of white beans.¹³⁵ 230.3.

חאֵין לִי אֶלָּא כֶּרֶם שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת, כֶּרֶם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כֶּרֶם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא כֶּרֶם שֶׁלְּךָ, כֶּרֶם שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

8I might infer thatthe rule only applies to a vineyard that is actually productive.How do I know that it may also applyto a vineyard that is barren?The Teaching states:“A vineyard” (Dt. 22:9)—of any sort.I might infer thatthe rule only applies to your own [Israelite] field.How do I know that it may also applyto fields owned by [gentile] others?The Teaching states:“You may not sow . . . with incompatible species’ (Dt. 22:9)—in any [field, owned by anyone].

טהַמּוֹתֵחַ זְמוֹרָה שֶׁל גֶּפֶן עַל גַּבֵּי זְרָעִים, אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה אַמָּה – הַגֶּפֶן אֲסוּרָה וּפֵירוֹתֶיהָ.

9One who extends the tendril of a grape vineover seed of an incompatible species—even [if the extension covers] a distance of a hundred cubits—the vine and its fruit are prohibited under the rule.¹³⁶

י[(דברים כב י) לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמֹר –] יָכוֹל לֹא יַחֲרֹשׁ עַל זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, וְעַל זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: יַחְדָּו. אֲבָל זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְזֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ – מֻתָּר.

105. “You may not plow with an ox and an ass as one” (Dt. 22:10)—is it possible to say thatyou can’t plow with this one on its own,and then with that one on its own?The Teaching states:“As one” (Dt. 22:10)—however, plowing with this one on its own,and then with that one on its own is permitted.

יאדָּבָר אַחֵר: ״כִּלְאַיִם״ – לְחַיֵּב מִשּׁוּם כֶּרֶם וּמִשּׁוּם שָׂדֶה.

11Another word:“Incompatible species” (Dt. 22:9)—[species implies a minimum of two].This places a vineyard under the ruleas well as a field [of wheat or greens].

יבדָּבָר אַחֵר: ״פֶּן תִּקְדַּשׁ הַמְלֵאָה״ – פֶּן תֵּאָסֵר הַמְלֵאָה, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה.

12Another word:“Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—lest you impose a prohibition upon all of it:As was explained by R. Josiah.

יגאֲשֶׁר תִּזְרַע, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שֶׁזָּרַע הוּא. זָרַע חֲבֵירוֹ וְרָצָה לְקַיְּמוֹ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: תִּזְרַע, מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

136. “Of the seed you have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—I might assume that the rule only appliesto seed sown by him.How do I know thatthe rule applies as well where his companion has done the sowing,but the owner of the field desires to maintain it?The Teaching states:“You have sown” (Dt. 22:9)—by anyone, [acceptable to both parties].¹³⁷