Shoftim 17:16 · unit 1

TT #97 · Parashas Shoftim · Second Aliyah · Passuk 17:16

The Complete Passuk

רַק֮ לֹא־יַרְבֶּה־לּ֣וֹ סוּסִים֒ וְלֹֽא־יָשִׁ֤יב אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה לְמַ֖עַן הַרְבּ֣וֹת ס֑וּס וַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר לָכֶ֔ם לֹ֣א תֹסִפ֗וּן לָשׁ֛וּב בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ הַזֶּ֖ה עֽוֹד׃

Only he must not multiply horses for himself, or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to multiply horses, since the Eternal has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 21b.

TT lemma: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ סוּסִים.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 21b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

רַק לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ סוּסִים – יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ כְּדֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ וּפָרָשָׁיו? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה.

English: ‘Only he shall not multiply horses for himself’ – one might have thought even for his chariot and horsemen; therefore the Torah says ‘and he shall not cause the people to return to Egypt.’

On the daf / in context: The sugya limits the prohibition: the king may maintain necessary military horses, but may not amass them in a way that leads to sending people back to Egypt.

Type of Learning

Derash limiting the scope (Bavli) — the prohibition is not absolute against any horses; it targets excess that leads to returning to Egypt.

What Is Learned

The king may keep horses needed for his military needs, but he is forbidden to multiply them in a manner that would send Yisrael back to Egypt.

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