Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 280/ספרי דברים ר״פ
א(דברים כד טז) לֹא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים, וְכִי מָה בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְלַמְּדֵנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל יְדֵי בָנִים וְלֹא בָנִים עַל יְדֵי אָבוֹת, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר אִישׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹ יוּמָתוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת בְּעֵדוּת בָּנִים וְלֹא בָנִים בְּעֵדוּת אָבוֹת.
1Pisqa’ 2803951. “Fathers shall not be put to death by reason of the sons” (Dt. 24:16).Now, what is the verse trying to teach us—that father’s shall not be put to deathbecause of the [deeds of their] sons,nor sons because of their fathers?But isn’t it already stated [in this very verse]:“A person shall die for his own sin” (Dt. 24:16)?Actually, [the point us that]fathers shall not be put to deathon the testimony of their sons,nor sons on the testimony of their fathers.
בכְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וּבָנִים לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַקְּרוֹבִים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם הַקְּרוֹבִים: אָחִיו וַאֲחִי אָבִיו וַאֲחִי אִמּוֹ וּבַעַל אֲחוֹתוֹ וּבַעַל אֲחוֹת אָבִיו וּבַעַל אֲחוֹת אִמּוֹ וּבַעַל אִמּוֹ וְחָמִיו וְגִיסוֹ.
2When He states:“Nor sons” (Dt. 24:16)—this is to excuse close relatives[from testifying against each other].Now, who are considered close relatives?His brother, and his paternal uncle,and his maternal uncle,and his paternal brother-in-lawand his maternal brother-in-law,and his aunt’s husband,and his mother’s husband,and his father-in-law,and his brother-in-law.396
גאִישׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹ יוּמָתוּ, אָבוֹת מֵתִים בַּעֲוֹן עַצְמָם וּבָנִים מֵתִים בַּעֲוֹן עַצְמָם.
3“A person shall die for his own sin” (Dt. 24:26)—fathers shall die for their own transgression,and sons shall die for their own transgression.