Shoftim 17:15 · unit 2

TT #85 · 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 Sifrei Devarim 157.

TT lemma: שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 157

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים? לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם מֵת יְמַנֶּה אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו.

English: What does the Torah teach by saying ‘som tasim’? To say that if he dies, they shall appoint another in his place.

On the daf / in context: Sifrei reads the doubled language as teaching continuity of the institution of kingship: the mitzvah is not exhausted by one appointment.

Type of Learning

Derash on the doubled verb (Sifrei) — the repetition teaches that the obligation continues after the first king’s death.

What Is Learned

The mitzvah of kingship is ongoing. When a king dies, the people must appoint a successor so that the throne is never left vacant.