Pisqa’ 91¹

1

“And all Israel shall hear and feel dread” (Dt.13:12).

They imprison him until the next Pilgrimage Festival,

and they execute him during [the intermediate days of ] the Festival,

for it is stated:

“And all Israel shall hear and feel dread” (Dt.13:12):

words of R. Akiva.

R. Judah says:

The court permits no delay [once the death sentence is delivered]. ²

2

I might infer that [stoning] applies only to this case

[in which the tempter summons the name of a god].

On what basis do I know that

[the punishment applies as well] to one who says:

I will serve this; [or] I will go and serve;

[or] let’s go and serve;

I will sacrifice to this; [or] I will go and sacrifice;

[or] let’s go and sacrifice;

I will offer incense to this; [or] I will go and offer incense;

[or] let’s go and offer incense;

I will pour a libation to this ; [or] I will go and pour;

[or]let’s go and pour;

I will prostrate myself; [or] I will go and prostrate myself;

[or] let’s go and prostrate ourselves.

The Teaching states:

“And they shall never repeat any evil thing like this” (Dt.13:12)—

neither like the thing, nor like its evil, and nothing like this!

Is it possible that

[these other acts are also punished by death?]:

one who embraces [an image of a god]; or one who kisses it;

one who sprinkles upon it; or one who bathes it;

one who anoints it with oil; or one who clothes it;

one who shoes it; or one who wraps it?

The Teaching states:

“Like this” (Dt.13:12)—

this one [who utters the god’s name suffers] stoning,

but none of these others [is punished by] stoning.³

1. H:140-141; JN1:244.
2. =M. San.11:4; //T. San.11:7. Despite the presence of this material in nearly all texts of Sifre, F:153, n. 6 regards it as a marginal insertion.
3. //M. San.7:6; cf. T. San.10:3.