Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 243/ספרי דברים רמ״ג
א(דברים כב כו) וְלַנַּעֲרָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה דָבָר – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁפְּטָרָהּ הַכָּתוּב מִן הַמִּיתָה. מִנַּיִן אַף מִן הַקׇּרְבָּן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: חֵטְא. מִנַּיִן אַף מִן הַמַּכּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: חֵטְא מָוֶת.
1Pisqa’ 2432081. “But, do nothing to the young lady” (Dt. 22:26)—This teaches thatthe verse releases her from [the penalty of] execution.How do I know thatit also [releases her from the obligation] to bring a sacrifice?209The Teaching states:“The young lady has committed no sin worthy of the death sentence” (Dt. 22:26)—[therefore, she has no obligation to make an offeringin absolution of such a sin].How do I know thatthe verse releases her as well fromthe option of a judicial lashing?The Teaching states:“No sin worthy of the death sentence” (Dt. 22:26).
בכִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָקוּם אִישׁ עַל רֵעֵהוּ וּרְצָחוֹ נֶפֶשׁ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל אֲנוּסִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה פְּטוּרִים וּמַצִּילִים אוֹתָם בְּנַפְשָׁם. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא זֶה, מִנַּיִן אַף הָרוֹדֵף אַחַר חֲבֵרוֹ לְהָרְגוֹ וְאַחַר הַזָּכוּר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה. יָכוֹל אַף הָרוֹדֵף אַחַר הַבְּהֵמָה וְהַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְהָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: הַזֶּה – זֶה בִּסְקִילָה וְאֵין כָּל אֵלּוּ בִּסְקִילָה.
22. “For that matter, should a man rise up intending only to strike his kinsman,but he delivers instead a fatal wound” (Dt. 22:26)—this teaches thatany transgression of the Torah,committed accidentally,is released from penalty.But one may save a victim[from a murderous attack]at the cost of [the attacker’s] life.I might infer only that the ruleapplies to this case [of the murderer].On what basis do I know that it also appliesto someone pursuing his companion [intending] to kill him?Or to someone pursuing a male [in order to sodomize him]? 210The Teaching states:“This is a comparable case” (Dt. 22:26)—[in which the victim is saved at the cost of the assailant’s life].3. Is it possible to say that the same rule applieseven to someone chasing a beast [for sexual gratification],or to one rushing off to desecrate the Sabbath,or to another rushing off to engage in the rites of a foreign cult?211The Teaching states:“This is a comparable case” (Dt. 22:26)—this refers to transgressionsthat involve stoning.But these others do not involve stoning.
ג(דברים כב כז) כִּי בַשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ, יָכוֹל בָּעִיר חַיֶּבֶת, בַּשָּׂדֶה תְּהֵא פְטוּרָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: צָעֲקָה הַנַּעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָשָׂה וְאֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ לָהּ. הָא אִם יֵשׁ לָהּ מוֹשִׁיעַ, בֵּין בָּעִיר בֵּין בַּשָּׂדֶה חַיֶּבֶת, וְאִם אֵין לָהּ מוֹשִׁיעַ, בֵּין בָּעִיר בֵּין בַּשָּׂדֶה פְּטוּרָה.
34. “For he found her in the countryside” (Dt. 22:27)—is it possible to say thatshe would be under liabilityif the assault occurred in town,but in the field, she has no liability?The Teaching states:“The betrothed young lady did, indeed, cry out, but there was none to save her” (Dt. 22:27)—Consider this:if someone can, indeed, save her[and she fails to cry out]—whether in town or in the countryside—she is held liable [for provoking the attack];but if there is, in fact, none to save her[and she failed to cry out]—whether in town or in the countryside—she has no liability.212 13.
דצָעֲקָה, פְּרָט לְשֶׁאָמְרָה הַנַּח לוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה.
4“She did . . . cry out” (Dt. 22:27)—this excludes the victim who says to witnesses—leave him be:Words of R. Judah.213