Pisqa’ 207¹

1

“Now, the elders of that city shall bring the calf down” (Dt.21:4)—

this is the obligation of the elders of that city.

“To a river-bed of rapids” (Dt.21:4)—

in the sense that it is difficult [to navigate].  

But even if it is not a rapids,

the rite is fit.

 

They behead the calf

from the back of its neck

with a cleaver.

And the spot [at which it is killed]

is forbidden from being sown or

from being worked in any way. ²

Is it possible to say that

it is forbidden as well to comb flax there

or to chisel stones there?

The Teaching states:

“Which had never been worked and had never been sown” (Dt.21:4)—

sowing [should be conceived] as an aspect of working.

Why, then, is it singled out for special mention?

To facilitate comparative inquiry:

Just as sowing is distinctive,

as work connected to the soil,

this excludes from the rule these,

which are not connected to the soil.

2

“And they shall behead it there” (Dt.21:4)—

Here, beheading is mentioned, and

elsewhere [in connection with the Firstling of an ass] (Ex13:13) beheading is mentioned.
Just as the beheading mentioned here (Dt.21:4)

requires beheading at the neck,

and requires beheading with a cleaver,

and requires beheading from behind,

and requires burial of the carcass,

and is forbidden for any benefit—

So, too, the beheading mentioned elsewhere,

requires beheading at the neck,

and requires beheading with a cleaver,

and requires beheading from behind,

and requires burial of the carcass,

and is forbidden for any benefit.

“In the river-bed” (Dt.21:4)—

even if it is not a rapids.

1. H:221-222; JN2:101-102.
2. =M. Sotah9:5.