Shoftim 17:15 · unit 3

TT #86 · 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 21a / Yevamos 102a.

TT lemma: מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 21a / Yevamos 102a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רָבָא: גֵּר דָּן אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ הַגֵּר דְּבַר תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ – עָלֶיךָ הוּא דְּבָעֵינַן מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ, אֲבָל גֵּר דָּן אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ הַגֵּר.

English: Rava said: A convert may judge his fellow convert by Torah law, as it is said ‘from among your brethren you shall set a king over yourself’ – it is only over you that we require ‘from among your brethren,’ but a convert may judge his fellow convert.

On the daf / in context: The phrase ‘from among your brethren’ is used to limit who may hold positions of authority over Yisrael, while allowing certain judicial roles among converts themselves.

Type of Learning

Derash on the phrase ‘from among your brethren’ (Bavli) — the limitation applies to authority over native Yisrael, not necessarily among converts.

What Is Learned

Positions of coercive authority over Yisrael must be filled by someone from ‘your brethren.’ A convert may still judge another convert.