Shoftim 17:15 · unit 11
TT #94 · Parashas Shoftim · Second Aliyah · Passuk 17:15
The Complete Passuk
שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב אַחֶ֗יךָ תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א תוּכַ֗ל לָתֵ֤ת עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ נׇכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אָחִ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃
You shall surely set over yourself a king whom the Eternal your God will choose; from among your brethren you shall set a king over yourself; you may not place over yourself a foreigner who is not your brother.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 21b .
TT lemma: מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ .
Sefaria — Sanhedrin 21b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כׇּל מִשְׂרָה וּמִשְׂרָה שֶׁאַתָּה מֵשִׂים – לֹא יִהְיוּ אֶלָּא מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ.
English: Rav Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: Every office that you appoint – they shall be only from among your brethren.
On the daf / in context: The requirement is applied broadly to all positions of public authority.
Type of Learning
Derash expanding ‘from among your brethren’ (Bavli) — the limitation covers every public office.
What Is Learned
Every appointment of public authority in Yisrael must be filled by someone from among the people, not by a foreigner.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.