Shoftim 17:15 · unit 8

TT #91 · 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 Yevamos 45b / related.

TT lemma: אֲשֶׁר לֹא אָחִיךָ הוּא.

Sefaria — Yevamos 45b / related

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
גֵּר שֶׁבָּא מִן הַגּוֹיִם – אֵינוֹ כָּשֵׁר לְמַלְכוּת עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אִמּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.

English: A convert who comes from the nations is not fit for kingship until his mother is from Yisrael.

On the daf / in context: The phrase ‘who is not your brother’ is used in discussion of the status of converts and the maternal requirement for certain high offices.

Type of Learning

Derash on lineage requirements (Bavli) — high office requires full membership in the people through maternal lineage.

What Is Learned

Kingship (and certain parallel offices) requires that the candidate be from ‘your brethren’ in the full sense, including maternal Yisrael status.