Reeh 13:17 · unit 4

TT #169 · Parashas Reeh · Third Aliyah · Passuk 13:17

The Complete Passuk

וְאֶת־כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֗הּ תִּקְבֹּץ֮ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ רְחֹבָהּ֒ וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֨ בָאֵ֜שׁ אֶת־הָעִ֤יר וְאֶת־כָּל־שְׁלָלָהּ֙ כָּלִ֔יל לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיְתָה֙ תֵּ֣ל עוֹלָ֔ם לֹ֥א תִבָּנֶ֖ה עֽוֹד׃

And all its spoil you shall gather into the midst of its open square and burn with fire the city and all its spoil completely for Hashem your God, and it shall be a mound forever; it shall not be rebuilt.

Chabad.org — 13:17

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Sanhedrin.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תִּקְבֹּץ וגו׳ וְשָׂרַפְתָּ – שֵׂעָר הָרֹאשׁ מֻתָּר, דִּכְתִיב תִּקְבֹּץ וְשָׂרַפְתָּ, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחֻסָּר אֶלָּא קְבִיצָה וּשְׂרֵיפָה. יָצָא זֶה שֶׁמְּחֻסָּר תְּלִישָׁה וּקְבִיצָה וּשְׂרֵיפָה.

English: “You shall gather… and burn” — Hair of the head is permitted, because it is written “you shall gather and burn” — that which requires only gathering and burning. This excludes that which requires plucking, gathering, and burning.

On the daf / in context: Items that require an extra preparatory step (such as plucking hair) before they can be gathered and burned are excluded from the prohibition.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — excluding hair and similar items from the spoil.

What Is Learned

Hair of the head (and similarly attached fruit) is not subject to the prohibition of the spoil of the wayward city.