Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 92/ספרי דברים צ״ב
א(דברים יג יג) כִּי תִשְׁמַע – וְלֹא הַחוֹזֵר וְהַמְּצַתֵּת.
1Pisqa’ 921791. “Should you hear” (Dt. 13:13)—[even indirectly,] and not by active interrogation.
ביָכוֹל יְהֵא רָטוּשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְחָקַרְתָּ וְשָׁאַלְתָּ הֵיטֵב״, ״וְדָרַשְׁתָּ״ – מִן הַתּוֹרָה, ״וְחָקַרְתָּ״ – מִן הָעֵדִים, ״וְשָׁאַלְתָּ״ – מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים.
2Is it possible to suppose that[in this circumstance,] the report should be suppressed?The Teaching states:“Then you shall seek out, and investigate, and inquire diligently” (Dt. 13:15)—“you shall seek out” –in the Torah,“and investigate”—testimony from eye-witnesses,“and inquire”—from disciples[trained in judicial procedings].180
גבְּאַחַת עָרֶיךָ, עִיר אַחַת עוֹשִׂים עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת, וְאֵין עוֹשִׂים שָׁלֹשׁ עֲיָרוֹת נִדָּחוֹת. יָכוֹל אַף לֹא שְׁתַּיִם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בְּאַחַת עָרֶיךָ.
32. “That in one of your cities” (Dt. 13:13)—they declare one city a condemned city,but they do not declare three cities[simultaneously] to be condemned.Is it possible to say thatnot even two cities can becondemned simultaneously?The Teaching states:“In one of your cities” (Dt. 13:13)—this teaches that only one citycan be condemned at a time.181
דאֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לְךָ – בְּכָל מָקוֹם.
4“Which HASHEM your God is giving you” (Dt. 13:13)—that is, anywhere [in the Land of Israel].
הלָשֶׁבֶת שָׁם – פְּרָט לִירוּשָׁלִַם, שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה לְבֵית דִּירָה.
5“To dwell there” (Dt. 13: 13)—this exempts Jerusalem[from being declared a condemned city],because it was not given [to any tribe]as a patrimony.