Sein Griff [dh der Griff, an dem der Tanga befestigt ist] ist eine Handbreite [lang], und seine Breite (die des Kalbsstrings) ist eine Handbreite und seine Spitze (die des Tangas) erreicht seinen Nabel. [Aus diesem Grund muss im Griff ein Loch vorhanden sein, durch das die Perle den Tanga nach Bedarf verlängern oder verkürzen kann. denn einer wird nur mit einem Tanga geschlagen, dessen Spitze seinen Nabel erreicht.] Und er wird geschlagen, ein Drittel vorne und zwei Drittel hinten [es steht geschrieben (5. Mose 25: 2): "Und er wird ihn vor sich schlagen nach seiner Bosheit. " "Vor ihm" nach einer Bosheit (dh ein Drittel) und hinter ihm ein Drittel auf einer Schulter und ein Drittel auf der anderen.] Und er schlägt ihn weder stehend noch sitzend, sondern beugt sich vor, es wird geschrieben (Ebd.): "Dann wird der Richter ihn bücken." Und derjenige, der schlägt, tut dies mit einer Hand [(aber wenn er den Tanga hebt, tut er dies mit beiden Händen)], mit all seiner Kraft, [es wird geschrieben (ebd. 3): "ein großer Schlag."]
Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ידה טפח – the handle that the strap is hanging from, is the length of a hand-breadth.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Introduction
Mishnah thirteen continues to describe the whip and how the lashes are to be administered.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ורחבה – of the strap of the calf is a hand-breadth.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
The handle is a handbreadth long and a handbreadth wide, its tip reaching to the edge of the [offender’s] abdomen. Our mishnah continues to describe the whip used for lashing. Its handle was one handbreadth by one handbreadth. The tip of the whip, meaning the extra straps, should be long enough to reach the offender’s abdomen when the minister strikes him. The offender will be struck by the tip and not by the body of the whip, made of the cowhide.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
וראשה מגעת על פי כריסו – for that reason, there must be in the handle of the strap a hole, that the sexton who flogs can lengthen or shorten the strap as he wishes, for we do not flog a person other than with a strap whose head reaches the belly which is his navel.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
He administers one-third [of the lashes] in front and two-thirds behind. He lashes him not in a standing or sitting position but stooping, as it says, “And the judge shall cause him to fall [stoop] down” (Deut. 25:2). He who administers the lashes lashes with his one hand and with his whole force. As we learned previously, one-third of the lashes are on his front and two-thirds on his back. The offender, when he is being lashed, is not to stand nor to sit but to lean over. This is learned from the verse which states that the judge should cause him to fall over. The verse is understood not to mean that the judge should cause him to fall all the way down but to stoop down. The person lashing can use only one hand but he should use all of his force.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
שליש מלפניו – as it is written (Deuteronomy 25:2): “and be given lashes in his presence, [by count] as his guilt warrants” – “in his presence (i.e., in his front) as his guilt warrants” – one, and from his back – two. מלפניו – on his heart. מאחריו – one-third on this shoulder and one-third on the other shoulder.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Questions for Further Thought: • Why do you think that two-thirds of the lashes are given on the back and one-third on the front?
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
מכה בידו אחת – but when he lifts the strap, he lifts it with his two hands.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
כבל כחו – as it is written (Deuteronomy 25:3): “to excess, [your brother be degraded before your eyes].”
