Wenn jemand einen Stein in die Öffentlichkeit wirft und jemanden tötet, wird er ins Exil geschickt. [Auch wenn dies fast "witzig" klingt, denn man sollte berücksichtigen, dass es immer Menschen im öffentlichen Bereich gibt, sprechen wir hier von einem Müllhaufen im öffentlichen Bereich, in dem sich die Menschen nachts normalerweise nicht erleichtern selten tagsüber (als er den Stein warf). Aus diesem Grund wird er ins Exil geschickt; denn er ist weder ein vorsätzlicher Täter noch völlig tadellos.] Wenn der Stein, nachdem er seine Hand verlassen hatte, den anderen aus dem Kopf streckte und von ihm getroffen (und getötet) wurde, haftet er nicht [es wird geschrieben (5. Mose 19: 5): "... und es findet seinen Nachbarn"—um seine Präsentation auszuschließen.] Wenn er den Stein in seine eigene Domäne warf und jemanden tötete, wenn dieser die Erlaubnis [vom Eigentümer] hatte, dort einzutreten, wird er ins Exil geschickt; wenn nicht, wird er nicht ins Exil geschickt, wie geschrieben steht (5. Mose 19: 5): "Und einer, der auf seinen Nachbarn im Wald kommt, um Holz usw. zu hacken": So wie ein Wald ein Ort ist, an dem der Jäger und der Erschlagene sind durften eintreten (so sind alle diese Orte in dieser Halacha zusammengefasst)—den Hof des Jägers auszuschließen, in dem beide nicht das Recht hatten einzutreten (sondern nur der Besitzer). Abba Shaul sagt: So wie das Hacken von Holz eine (lediglich) erlaubte Tätigkeit ist, [dh wenn er es wünscht, geht er zum Hacken; wenn nicht, nicht], also alle (lediglich erlaubte Aktivitäten werden in der Halacha zusammengefasst)— einen Vater auszuschließen, der seinen Sohn schlägt, [den Vater, der eine Mizwa macht], einen Lehrer, der seinen Schüler züchtigt, und einen Gerichtsvollzieher von Beth-Din (jemanden auf Bet-Din-Geheiß schlagen).
Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
זרק את האבן לרשות הרבים – and even though it is close to acting with premeditation, for he should have thought that people would always be found in the public domain. Here we are dealing with a dunghill that was made in the public domain to be removed from there during the daytime and occasionally, it happens that he sits thee, and because of this, he is exiled, but it is not negligence nor is it totally unavoidably preventable (i.e., victim of an accident).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Introduction
Mishnah two continues to define what killing is considered accidental such that it allows a killer to escape to a city of refuge.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
והוציא הלה את ראשו וקבלה פטור – As it is written (Deuteronomy 19:5): “[…the ax-head flies off the handle] and strikes the other [so that he dies. That man shall flee to one of these cities and live].”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
If a man threw a stone into the public domain and killed a person, he goes into banishment. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: “If after the stone had left his hand another person put out his head and caught it, the thrower is exempt [from banishment].” One who throws a stone into the public domain has thereby committed a negligent act and is exiled if the stone kills. According to Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob the stone must be thrown at the place where a person is standing, before the stone is thrown. If after the stone is thrown a person moves into its way he is not liable to be exiled. This is probably because he is less negligent, having thrown a stone to a place where no one was standing. However, according to the first opinion in the mishnah, merely throwing a stone to a place that might kill is enough to cause the thrower to be exiled.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
אם יש רשות לניזק – if the owner gave him permission to enter
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
If a man threw a stone into his [own] court and killed a person, then, if the victim had a right of entry there, the thrower goes into banishment, and if not, he does not go into banishment, as it says, “As when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor” (Deut. 19:5): the forest is a domain accessible to the victim and to the slayer and it therefore excludes the court of the householder where the victim has no right of entry. If a person throws a stone into his own courtyard and it kills a trespasser the thrower is not liable to be exiled. This is learned from the example of accidental killing mentioned in Deuteronomy 19:5, that of an accidental killing taking place in the forest. Just as the forest is a place where anyone may enter, so too any accidental killing can only occur in a place where the victim had permission to enter. An accidental killing which takes place on private property when the victim had not been given permission to enter will not make the killer liable for exile.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
מה חטיבת עצים רשות – if he wants to go up to chop [wood], and if he does not want to, he does not go up.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Abba Shaul says: “Hewing of wood is an optional act and it therefore excludes a father beating his son, or a master disciplining his pupil, or an agent of the court [administering lashes].” Abba Shaul learns another law from the example given in the Torah, that of a person chopping wood. Chopping wood is a voluntary activity and therefore any accidental killing which will force the killer to go into exile must also entail voluntary activities. If however the striking was mandatory such as a father disciplining his son, a master his student or a court agent administering lashes, the accidental killer is exempt. When reading this mishnah, as harsh as it sounds we must remember that corporal discipline was an accepted part of all ancient societies.
