Shoftim 17:17 · unit 3

TT #103 · Parashas Shoftim · Second Aliyah · Passuk 17:17

The Complete Passuk

וְלֹ֤א יַרְבֶּה־לּוֹ֙ נָשִׁ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָס֖וּר לְבָב֑וֹ וְכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א יַרְבֶּה־לּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃

And he must not multiply wives for himself, so that his heart not turn away; and he must not greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 21b.

TT lemma: וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ מְאֹד.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 21b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ מְאֹד – יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ כְּדֵי לִתֵּן אַפְּסַנְיָא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מְאֹד.

English: ‘And silver and gold he shall not multiply for himself greatly’ – one might have thought even enough to pay the soldiers’ wages; therefore the Torah says ‘greatly.’

On the daf / in context: The king may maintain a treasury sufficient for the needs of the kingdom, but not amass personal excess.

Type of Learning

Derash limiting excess wealth (Bavli) — the word ‘me’od’ (greatly) permits necessary royal funds while forbidding personal hoarding.

What Is Learned

The king may accumulate the silver and gold needed for the functioning of the kingdom, but is forbidden to multiply personal wealth to excess.