How is he smitten? His two hands are tied on either side to a post [stuck standing in the ground and high enough to lean upon], and the beadle of the congregation [the deputy of beth-din] takes hold of his garments. If they are torn, they are torn; and if they are rent [at the seam], they are rent — until he exposes his heart. And the stone is placed behind him [the one to be smitten.] The beadle of the congregation stands upon it with the thong of a calf in his hand, [it being written (Deuteronomy 25:3): "Forty shall he smite him," followed by (4): "You shall not muzzle an ox in its threshing."], doubled, one to two and two to four, [i.e., four thongs sewn one atop the other], and two [thin] thongs of an ass, running up and down through it [as a saddle band. The rationale: It is written (Isaiah 1:3): "The ox knows its owner, and the ass, its master's crib." The Holy One Blessed be He said: "Let that (the ass) which recognizes its master's crib come and exact punishment of him who did not recognize his Master's crib."]
Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
על העמוד – which is stuck in the ground upright and tall in order to lean upon it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Introduction
Mishnayoth twelve describes where and how the one being lashed and the one lashing should stand. It also describes the whip itself.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
וחזן – the sexton who is the agent of the Jewish court.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
How do they lash him? His two hands are tied to a pillar on either side of it and the minister of the synagogue grabs his clothing, if they are torn, they are torn; if they are ripped open, they are ripped open, until he exposes the offender’s chest. And a stone is placed behind the offender, the minister of the synagogue stands on it, a strap of cowhide in his hands, doubled over into two, and redoubled, and two straps that rise and fall attached to it. While being lashed the victim is tied to a post with his hands spread apart. The “minister of the synagogue”, who was responsible for most of the administrative duties, would open the offender’s garments, even if this would cause them to rip. The minister would then stand upon a stone and hold a whip in his hand. The whip was made of cowhide folded twice to make it thicker, and thereby stronger. From the central piece came out two other straps. According to the Talmud these two other straps were made of donkey’s hide, which was not as thick as the cowhide.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
נפרמו – the threads of the seam were torn.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
מאחוריו – of the person being flogged.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ורצועה של עגל – as it states (Deuteronomy 25:3): “He may be given up to forty lashes” and near it (Deuteronomy 25:4): “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing.”
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
כפולה לשנים ושנים לארבעה – four straps sewed on one top of the other.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ושתי רצועות – thin of a donkey
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
עולות ויורדות בה – like the horse-cover of a saddle, and the reason is because it is written (Isaiah 1:2): “An ox knows its master, an ass its master’s crib; [Israel does not know, My people takes no thought].” God said (Makkot 23a) that a person who recognizes his master’s crib should settle with him who does not recognize his master’s crib.”
