Pisqa’ 254¹

1

“When you go off to encamp upon your enemies” (Dt.23:10)—

if you must go to battle, go with a full camp.

“Upon your enemies” (Dt.23:10)—

upon requires you

to battle against your enemies,

[and not to make alliances with them].

2

“You must carefully guard yourself against any harmful thing”² (Dt.23:10)—

shall I understand this verse as requiring

separation of clean things from unclean things,

or separation of Tithes from [untithed] produce?
The Teaching states:

“A lewd thing”³(Dt.23:15; 24:1)—

[implying some sexual impropriety].⁴

I might infer only that

lewd suggests [sexual] license.

How do I know that it might include

participation in a foreign cult,

shedding innocent blood,

or cursing the Name?

The Teachings states:

“You must carefully guard yourself against any harmful thing” (Dt.23:10)—

[certainly including idolatry, bloodshed, and blasphemy]!

3

Well, if you must carefully guard yourself,

isn’t it possible to say that the verse concerns

separation of clean things from unclean things,

or the separation of Tithes from [untithed] produce?
The Teaching states:

“A lewd thing” (Dt.23:15; 24:1)—

just as lewdness is distinctive,

causing the expulsion of the Canaanites,

as well as the repulsion of the Presence,

so, too, lewdness [describes] any act that

causes the expulsion of the Canaanites,

or the repulsion of the Presence.⁵

So when He states:

“A thing” ⁶ (Dt.23:10),

this includes slanderous speech.

Another word:

“Carefully guard yourself” (Dt.23:10)—

be careful that fantasies of sexual transgression

don’t lead you into the clutches of ejaculation!⁷

1. H:255;JN2:181-182.
2. Heb: davar r`a; literally, “a bad thing.”
3. Heb: `ervat davar; literally, “an indecent thing.”
4. Cf. Pisqa’ 269.1-6.
5. Cf. Pisqa’ 258.3
6. The primary meaning of davar is “word.” This meaning, and its various linguistic overtones, accounts for the prominence of davar in midrashic word-play. In the present instance, it is unclear whether the citation of davar is intended to include the phrase, `ervat davar (Dt. 25:15: “lewd thing”) or davar r`a (Dt.25:10: “harmful thing”). The concluding reference to leshon har`a (“slanderous speech”) argues that davar r`a is the target phrase.
7. This brief addition appears in only a few versions. See F:280, n.9.