Shoftim 17:16 · unit 2
TT #98 · 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: וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה .
Sefaria — Sanhedrin 21b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה – שֶׁאֵין לָךְ מִתְיַשֵּׁב בְּמִצְרַיִם אֶלָּא לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים.
English: ‘And he shall not cause the people to return to Egypt’ – for there is no settling in Egypt except for idolatry.
On the daf / in context: Returning to Egypt is associated with spiritual danger; the prohibition protects against that path.
Type of Learning
Derash on the spiritual danger of Egypt (Bavli) — the ban on return is linked to the risk of idolatry.
What Is Learned
Sending the people back to Egypt endangers them spiritually. The Torah forbids the king from creating conditions that lead to that return.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.