Si quelqu'un jette une pierre dans le domaine public et tue quelqu'un, il est exilé. [Même si cela semble proche de «l'esprit», car il faut tenir compte du fait qu'il y a toujours des gens dans le domaine public, nous parlons ici d'un tas de déchets dans le domaine public où les gens ont l'habitude de se soulager la nuit, mais rarement dans la journée (quand il a jeté la pierre). Pour cette raison, il est exilé; car il n'est ni un délinquant volontaire ni complètement irréprochable.] Si, après que la pierre a quitté sa main, l'autre a sorti la tête et a été frappé par elle (et tué), il n'est pas responsable, [il est écrit (Deutéronome 19: 5): "… et il trouve son voisin"—pour exclure sa présentation.] S'il a jeté la pierre dans son propre domaine et tué quelqu'un, si ce dernier avait la permission [du propriétaire] d'y entrer, il est exilé; sinon, il n'est pas exilé, il est écrit (Deutéronome 19, 5): "Et celui qui vient sur son voisin dans la forêt pour couper du bois, etc.": Tout comme la forêt est un lieu où le meurtrier et le tué ont été autorisés à entrer, (donc tous ces endroits sont subsumés dans cette halakha)—pour exclure la cour de la tueuse où les deux n'avaient pas le droit d'entrer (mais seulement le propriétaire). Abba Shaul dit: Tout comme la coupe du bois est une activité (simplement) autorisée, [c'est-à-dire, s'il le souhaite, il va couper; sinon, non], donc tous (les activités simplement autorisées sont subsumées dans la halakha)— pour exclure un père battant son fils, [le père faisant une mitsva], un enseignant châtiant son élève et un bailli de Beth-Din (battant quelqu'un à la demande de Beth-Din.)
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.
