(Deutéronome 13:16): "Tu frapperas, tu frapperas, etc." Une caravane d'ânes ou de chameaux passant d'un endroit à l'autre le sauve. [(Les membres d'une) caravane d'ânes ou de chameaux qui restent dans une ville trente jours sont comptés parmi les habitants de la ville. [("ils la sauvent" :) Si la majorité de la ville a été incitée à l'idolâtrie, et une minorité non, et que les membres de la caravane qui n'ont pas été incités font de la minorité une majorité, ils "sauvent" la ville de la perte de propriété , les amenant à être jugés en tant qu'individus. Ils peuvent, de même, faire juger la ville comme condamnée s'ils étaient incités avec eux à former une majorité, mais le tanna «recherche le mérite». En outre, il est plus probable que les membres de la caravane auraient tendance à ne pas être si proches des habitants de la ville qu'ils seraient incités avec eux.] (Ibid.): «Débarrassez-vous, et tout ce qui s'y trouve, etc. . ": De là, il est dérivé que la propriété du juste en son sein est détruite; (la propriété des justes) à l'extérieur, elle s'échappe. Et (la propriété) des méchants, que ce soit en lui ou en dehors, est détruite.
Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
החמרת והגמלת – a caravan of donkeys and of camels that were delayed in the city for thirty days, they are included in those who are the dwellers of their city.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Introduction
Mishnah five (and mishnah six) contain midrashim, exegeses, on the verses in Deuteronomy that discuss the city seduced into idol worship. The structure of these mishnayoth is to quote a verse and then bring a law that is derived from that verse.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
הרי אלו מצילין – If most of the people of the city were led astray and a minority were not led astray, and [a caravan of] ass- and camel-drivers which were not led astray overturned the minority to become a majority, they save [the city] – thus the property is spared, and [the sinners] are judged as individuals. And the same is true that [a caravan] may cause [a city] to be rendered as an Apostate City if they were subverted with them to form a majority, however, the tanna is searching for [scenarios of] acquittal. Furthermore, [the tanna considered] this [scenario] more decisive, as typically, a caravan of ass- and camel-drivers is not well disposed towards the people of the city to be led astray with them.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
“You shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword” (Deut. 13:16): a company of donkey-drivers or camel-drivers passing from place to place saves the city. The verse states that you must smite the inhabitants of the city. If, however, there are people living in the city who are not permanent inhabitants, such as donkey or camel drivers, they are not counted as part of the city in order to add up to the majority needed for the city to be declared a “seduced city”. Occasionally they may save the city from being doomed.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
“Doom it and all that is in it” (ibid.): From here they said that the property of the righteous, which is within [the city] is destroyed, but that which is outside of the city is saved, while that of the wicked, whether in or outside of the city, is destroyed. From the words “and all that is in it” the Rabbis learn that even the property of the righteous is to be destroyed. However, from the words “doom it”, the Rabbis understand that the Torah is limiting that which is destroyed. The property which belongs to the righteous that is outside of the city is therefore not destroyed. However, the property of the wicked is destroyed whether or not it is in the city itself.
