That the court not administer a death sentence on the Shabbat: That the judges not administer sentences on Shabbat, meaning to say that they not kill on the Shabbat one who has been made liable for the death penalty by the court, as it is stated (Exodus 35:3), “You shall not kindle fire throughout your settlements on the Shabbat day.” And the explanation comes about this (Yevamot 6b) that the court should not burn someone who has become liable for burning. And the same is true for the other death penalties. And it is [correct] for us to expound this thing from [this verse]; as behold, it is not necessary for itself, as behold, it is already written in another place, “you shall not do work” (Exodus 20:10) — and kindling is for the sake of work. Rather, it is written to teach [another] matter. And they explained about it that it came to teach us this [matter] that we said. And this is the language of Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 35:3:2 (at the beginning of Parashat Vayakhel): “‘You shall not kindle fire’ — burning was in the general category [of forbidden work], yet it was [specified, in order] to teach that just like burning is particular in that it is one of the death penalties of the court and [we see here] that it does not push off the Shabbat, so too all of the other death penalties do not push off the Shabbat.” And even with all that we have learned in this verse, it should also be expounded [for] that which they also expounded on it (Yevamot 6b), “Kindling was [specified] to separate” — meaning to say that one who does many principal categories of work at one time in one forgetful spell would be liable a sin-offering for each and every [type of] work by itself. And in the Gemara of the Westerners they said (Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 4:6), “‘In all of your settlements’ — Rabbi Ila said in the name of Rabbi Yannai, ‘From here [we learn] about courts, that they should not judge on Shabbat.’”
It is from the roots of the commandment that God, may He be blessed, wanted to honor this day, that everyone find rest on it — even sinners and guilty ones. [There is a relevant] parable about a great king who called the people of his state to a feast, such that he does not prevent [its] entryway to any man. And after the day of the feast, he will administer justice. So [too] is this thing, as God, may He be blessed commanded us to sanctify and honor the Shabbat day for our good and for our merit, as I have written above (Sefer HaChinukh 31, 32) — and this is also from the honor of this day.
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by males, as they are the ones in charge of justice. And they are obligated to be careful that they not administer a sentence on the Shabbat. And if they transgressed and commanded to burn a creature on the Shabbat, they have violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. And if they did do an act with it, such as burning him with their hands — if there are witnesses and a warning, they are stoned; [and if] accidental, they bring a sin-offering for atonement.
4
פָּרָשַׁת אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי אֵין בָּהּ מִצְוָה
Parashat Eleh Pekudei does not have a commandment in it.
שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ בֵּית דִּין מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת בַּשַּׁבָּת – שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ הַדַּיָּנִין דִּינִים בְּשַׁבָּת, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה בְּבֵית דִּין לֹא יְמִיתוּהוּ בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לה ג) לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ עָלָיו בָּזֶה (יבמות ו ב) שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׂרְפוּ בֵּית דִּין בַּשַּׁבָּת מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב שְׂרֵפָה, וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר מִיתוֹת. וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ לִדְרֹשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ דָּבָר זֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְגוּפֵהּ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּבָר כְּתִיב בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שמות כ י) לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה, וְהַבְעָרָה לְצֹרֶךְ מְלָאכָה הִיא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עִנְיָן בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ נִכְתַּב, וּפֵרְשׁוּ בּוֹ שֶׁבָּא לְלַמֵּד אֶת זֶה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן הַמְּכִילְתָּא (ר"פ ויקהל) לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ שְׂרֵפָה בִּכְלָל הָיְתָה וְיָצָאת לְלַמֵּד מָה שְׂרֵפָה מְיֻחֶדֶת, שֶׁהִיא אַחַת מִמִּיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין, וְאֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אַף כָּל שְׁאָר מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין לֹא יִדְחוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וְעִם כָּל זֶה שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ בְּפָסוּק זֶה, יֵשׁ לִדְרֹשׁ בּוֹ מָה שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בּוֹ עוֹד גַּם כֵּן הַבְעָרָה (יבמות ו ב) לְחַלֵּק יָצָאת. כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁהָעוֹשֶׂה בְּשַׁבָּת הַרְבֵּה אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת בְּבַת אַחַת בְּהֶעְלֵם אֶחָד, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה חַיָּב חַטָּאת עַל כָּל מְלָאכָה וּמְלָאכָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. וּבַגְּמָרָא דִּבְנֵי מַעֲרָבָא אָמְרוּ (ירושלמי סנהדרין פ"ד ה"ו) בְּכָל מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם רַבִּי אִילָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יַנַּאי מִכָּאן לְבָתֵּי דִּינִין שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ דָּנִין בְּשַׁבָּת.
That the court not administer a death sentence on the Shabbat: That the judges not administer sentences on Shabbat, meaning to say that they not kill on the Shabbat one who has been made liable for the death penalty by the court, as it is stated (Exodus 35:3), “You shall not kindle fire throughout your settlements on the Shabbat day.” And the explanation comes about this (Yevamot 6b) that the court should not burn someone who has become liable for burning. And the same is true for the other death penalties. And it is [correct] for us to expound this thing from [this verse]; as behold, it is not necessary for itself, as behold, it is already written in another place, “you shall not do work” (Exodus 20:10) — and kindling is for the sake of work. Rather, it is written to teach [another] matter. And they explained about it that it came to teach us this [matter] that we said. And this is the language of Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 35:3:2 (at the beginning of Parashat Vayakhel): “‘You shall not kindle fire’ — burning was in the general category [of forbidden work], yet it was [specified, in order] to teach that just like burning is particular in that it is one of the death penalties of the court and [we see here] that it does not push off the Shabbat, so too all of the other death penalties do not push off the Shabbat.” And even with all that we have learned in this verse, it should also be expounded [for] that which they also expounded on it (Yevamot 6b), “Kindling was [specified] to separate” — meaning to say that one who does many principal categories of work at one time in one forgetful spell would be liable a sin-offering for each and every [type of] work by itself. And in the Gemara of the Westerners they said (Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 4:6), “‘In all of your settlements’ — Rabbi Ila said in the name of Rabbi Yannai, ‘From here [we learn] about courts, that they should not judge on Shabbat.’”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. שֶׁרָצָה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְכַבֵּד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה שֶׁיִּמְצְאוּ בּוֹ מְנוּחָה הַכֹּל, גַּם הַחוֹטְאִים וְהַחַיָּבִים. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל שֶׁקָּרָא בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה יוֹם אֶחָד לַסְּעֻדָּה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹנֵעַ הַפֶּתַח מִכָּל אָדָם, וְאַחַר יוֹם הַסְּעֻדָּה יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט. כֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה שֶׁהַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא צִוָּנוּ לְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְכַבֵּד יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְטוֹבָתֵנוּ וּלְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה (מצוה לא, לב). וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן מִכְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם הוּא.
It is from the roots of the commandment that God, may He be blessed, wanted to honor this day, that everyone find rest on it — even sinners and guilty ones. [There is a relevant] parable about a great king who called the people of his state to a feast, such that he does not prevent [its] entryway to any man. And after the day of the feast, he will administer justice. So [too] is this thing, as God, may He be blessed commanded us to sanctify and honor the Shabbat day for our good and for our merit, as I have written above (Sefer HaChinukh 31, 32) — and this is also from the honor of this day.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בִּזְכָרִים, שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט. וְחַיָּבִים לְהִזָּהֵר לְבַל יַעֲשׂוּ דִּין בְּשַׁבָּת. וְאִם עָבְרוּ וְצִוּוּ לִשְׂרֹף בְּרִיָּה בְּשַׁבָּת עָבְרוּ עַל לָאו זֶה, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו אִם לֹא עָשׂוּ בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. וְאִם עָשׂוּ בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁשְּׂרָפוּהוּ הֵם בִּידֵיהֶם, אִם יֵשׁ עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה נִסְקָלִין, בְּשׁוֹגֵג מְבִיאִים חַטָּאת לְכַפָּרָה.
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by males, as they are the ones in charge of justice. And they are obligated to be careful that they not administer a sentence on the Shabbat. And if they transgressed and commanded to burn a creature on the Shabbat, they have violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. And if they did do an act with it, such as burning him with their hands — if there are witnesses and a warning, they are stoned; [and if] accidental, they bring a sin-offering for atonement.
פָּרָשַׁת אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי אֵין בָּהּ מִצְוָה
Parashat Eleh Pekudei does not have a commandment in it.