Shoftim 17:15 · unit 4

TT #87 · 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: מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 157

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ – כׇּל מִשִּׂימוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה מֵשִׂים לֹא יִהְיוּ אֶלָּא מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ.

English: ‘From among your brethren you shall set a king over yourself’ – all appointments that you make shall be only from among your brethren.

On the daf / in context: Sifrei expands the requirement beyond the king himself to all positions of authority (seraros).

Type of Learning

Derash expanding the scope (Sifrei) — the limitation ‘from among your brethren’ applies to every public appointment, not only the king.

What Is Learned

No public office of authority in Yisrael may be given to a foreigner. The rule that applies to the king applies to all appointments of power.