Pisqa’ 2011
1
“This is how you must treat all the distant cities” (Dt.20:15)—
the distant cities fall under this Teaching,
but nearby cities do not fall under this Teaching.
“Which are not among the cities of those peoples” (Dt.20:15)—
the cities of those [Canaanite] gentiles
do not fall under this Teaching.
“But—in the cities of those peoples, you must not leave a soul alive” (Dt.20:16)—
they shall die by the sword.2
2
“You must utterly annihilate them” (Dt.20:17)—
is it possible to say that
their booty should be forbidden to you?
The Teaching states:
“And houses filled with every good thing” (Dt.6:11)—
[the booty of these cities is permitted].
“The Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite,
the Hivite and the Jebusite” (Dt.20:17)—
when He states:
“As HASHEM your God has commanded you” (Dt.20:17)—
this clause includes the Girgashites under the Teaching.