Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 238/ספרי דברים רל״ח
א(דברים כב יח) וְלָקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא אֶת הָאִישׁ – וְלֹא אֶת הַקָּטָן.
1Pisqa’ 238179 238, well-attested in other versions, is missing in F:270.1. “Then the elders of that city shall take the man” (Dt. 22:18)—but not a minor.
בוְיִסְּרוּ אֹתוֹ – בְּמַכּוֹת.
2“And they shall discipline him” (Dt. 22:18)—[by administering] judicial lashings.
ג(דברים כב יט) וְעָנְשׁוּ אֹתוֹ – מָמוֹן.
3And punish him” (Dt. 22:19)—[by levying] a monetary fine.
דמֵאָה כֶסֶף – כֶּסֶף צוֹרִי.
4“One hundred silver coins” (Dt. 22:19)—in Tyrian silver.
הוְנָתְנוּ לַאֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה – שֶׁיְּהוּ שֶׁלּוֹ.
5“Which they must give to the young lady’s father” (Dt. 22:19)—the coins shall be his [as compensation fordamage to the reputation of his household].
ווְנָתְנוּ לַאֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה – וְלֹא לַאֲבִי הַבּוֹגֶרֶת. וְנָתְנוּ לַאֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה – פְּרָט לְגִיּוֹרֶת שֶׁהָיְתָה הוֹרָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְלֵידָתָהּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁאֵין לָהּ מֵאָה כֶסֶף.
6“Which they must give to the young lady’s father” (Dt. 22:19)—but not to the father of an adult woman180 literally, “having reached maturity.” The na`arah becomes a bogeret from thirteen and a half years of age.[who is no longer part of her father’s household].“Which they must give to the young lady’s father” (Dt. 22:19)—this excludes [the father of] a female proselyte,whose conception was not consecrated[by her mother’s conversion],but whose birth was consecrated[by her mother’s conversion].181For, [when slandered by her husband], she is not entitledto [compensation of] one hundred silver sel`as182 (Latin: tetradrachma) is the equivalent of two sheqels.[and neither, therefore, is her father].183
זכִּי הוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, לֹא עַל זוֹ בִּלְבַד הוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, אֶלָּא עַל כָּל בְּתוּלוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
7“For he brought her into disrepute” (Dt. 22:14)—he didn’t merely bring this one into disrepute;in fact, he [cast doubt upon] every maiden in Israel!
חוְלוֹ תִהְיֶה לְאִשָּׁה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשּׁוֹתֶה בַּעֲצִיצוֹ; וַאֲפִלּוּ הִיא חִגֶּרֶת, וַאֲפִלּוּ הִיא סוּמָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ הִיא מֻכַּת שְׁחִין! נִמְצָא בָהּ דְּבַר זִמָּה, אוֹ שֶׁאֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה לָבוֹא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, יָכוֹל יְהֵא רַשַּׁי לְקַיְּמָהּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְלוֹ תִהְיֶה לְאִשָּׁה, אִשָּׁה הָרְאוּיָה לוֹ.
82. “And she shall be his wife” (Dt. 22:19)—this teaches thathe drinks from his own urinal!For, even if she is lame,or even if she is blind,and, even if she’s covered with sores,[she remains his wife till he dies].However—if he found in her a trace of lewdness,or if she was not suitable[by circumstances of birth]to enter the Community of Israel,is it possible to say that he has the rightto maintain her in the marriage?The Teaching states:“She shall be his wife” (Dt. 22:19)—she’ll be a wife truly worthy of him!184 245.1
טלֹא יוּכַל לְשַׁלְּחָהּ כָּל יָמָיו – וַאֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר זְמַן.
9“He’ll be unable to send her off for the remainder of his days” (Dt. 22:19)—that is, even after the passage of time.
י[כָּל יָמָיו] – מְשַׁלְּחָהּ הוּא לְיָבָם.
10“For the remainder of his days” (Dt. 22:19)—[but if the marriage is childless,]he can send her to her brother-in-law[who may release her under the rule of the levir (see Dt. 25:5-10)].