To not remove a landmark: That we not remove a landmark. And the content is that we not change a landmark that is between us and someone else to the point that it is possible for the liar to say that the land of another’s is his; and likewise if he changes the indicators of the landmark (border) and sets them firm into the land of his fellow, and say that he did not change it and that the land is his until the landmark. About all of this is it stated (Deuteronomy 19:14), “You shall not remove the landmark of your neighbor, etc.” And they said in Sifrei Devarim 188, “‘You shall not remove the landmark’ — has it not already been said, ‘you shall not rob?’ [Hence it] teaches that anyone who removes the perimeter of his fellow transgresses two negative commandments. It is possible also outside of the Land. [Hence] we learn to say, ‘in the inheritance that you inherit’ — in the Land of Israel, he transgresses two negative commandments; outside the Land of Israel, he transgresses one negative commandment.” The matter comes out like this: One who removes the landmark of his fellow, even a fingerbreadth — if it is by force, he has transgressed, “you shall not rob”; if secretly, he has transgressed, “you shall not steal.” And this is outside of the Land, but in the Land of Israel, he transgresses two negative commandments.
The root of the commandment about every matter of theft is well-known — as it is something about which the intellect testifies, and it is beneficial for all.
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דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. קְצָרִים [ח"מ סימן שעו].
The laws of the commandment are short. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 376.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses this has violated a negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, because of the well-known principle that we do not administer lashes for a negative commandment that is given to repayment.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהַסִּיג גְּבוּל – שֶׁלֹּא נַסִּיג גְּבוּל. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא נְשַׁנֶּה גְּבוּל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵין זוּלָתֵנוּ עַד שֶׁיִּתָּכֵן לַמְּשַׁקֵּר שֶׁיֹּאמַר שֶׁאֶרֶץ זוּלָתוֹ הִיא שֶׁלּוֹ, וְכֵן אִם שִׁנָּה סִימָנֵי הַגְּבוּל וּקְבָעָם בְּתוֹךְ קַרְקַע שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ וְיֹאמַר שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנָּהוּ וְשֶׁהַקַּרְקַע הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ עַד הַגְּבוּל, עַל כָּל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יט יד) לֹא תַסִּיג גְּבוּל רֵעֲךָ וְגוֹ', וְאָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי לֹא תַסִּיג גְּבוּל וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא תִגְזֹל. וּמָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תַסִּיג? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹקֵר תְּחוּמוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין, יָכוֹל אַף בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר בְּנַחֲלָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּנְחַל, בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין, בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו אֶחָד. נִמְצָא הָעִנְיָן כֵּן, הַמַּסִּיג גְּבוּל אֲפִילּוּ מְלוֹא אֶצְבַּע, אִם בְּחָזְקָה עָשָׂה עָבַר עַל לֹא תִגְזֹל, וְאִם בַּסֵּתֶר עוֹבֵר עַל לֹא תִּגְנֹב, וְזֶה יִהְיֶה בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וּבְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין.
To not remove a landmark: That we not remove a landmark. And the content is that we not change a landmark that is between us and someone else to the point that it is possible for the liar to say that the land of another’s is his; and likewise if he changes the indicators of the landmark (border) and sets them firm into the land of his fellow, and say that he did not change it and that the land is his until the landmark. About all of this is it stated (Deuteronomy 19:14), “You shall not remove the landmark of your neighbor, etc.” And they said in Sifrei Devarim 188, “‘You shall not remove the landmark’ — has it not already been said, ‘you shall not rob?’ [Hence it] teaches that anyone who removes the perimeter of his fellow transgresses two negative commandments. It is possible also outside of the Land. [Hence] we learn to say, ‘in the inheritance that you inherit’ — in the Land of Israel, he transgresses two negative commandments; outside the Land of Israel, he transgresses one negative commandment.” The matter comes out like this: One who removes the landmark of his fellow, even a fingerbreadth — if it is by force, he has transgressed, “you shall not rob”; if secretly, he has transgressed, “you shall not steal.” And this is outside of the Land, but in the Land of Israel, he transgresses two negative commandments.
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה בְּכָל עִנְיַן גֶּזֶל יָדוּעַ הוּא, כִּי הוּא דָּבָר שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מֵעִיד עָלָיו, וְתוֹעֶלֶת הַכֹּל הוּא.
The root of the commandment about every matter of theft is well-known — as it is something about which the intellect testifies, and it is beneficial for all.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. קְצָרִים [ח"מ סימן שעו].
The laws of the commandment are short. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 376.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה עָבַר עַל לָאו, אֲבָל אֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו, מִן הַכְּלָל הַיָּדוּעַ לָנוּ, שֶׁלָּאו הַנִּתָּן לְתַשְׁלוּמִין אֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses this has violated a negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, because of the well-known principle that we do not administer lashes for a negative commandment that is given to repayment.