Ki Seitzei 21:14 · unit 4

TT #27 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · First aliya · Passuk 21:14

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־לֹ֧א חָפַ֣צְתָּ בָּ֗הּ וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ֙ לְנַפְשָׁ֔הּ וּמָכֹ֥ר לֹא־תִמְכְּרֶ֖נָּה בַּכָּ֑סֶף לֹא־תִתְעַמֵּ֣ר בָּ֔הּ תַּ֖חַת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִנִּיתָֽהּ׃

And it shall be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away for herself; you shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her as a slave, because you have afflicted her.

Chabad.org — 21:14

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לְנַפְשָׁהּ – לְנַפְשָׁהּ וְלֹא לְבֵית אָבִיהָ.

English: “For herself” — for herself, and not to her father’s house.

On the daf / in context: Because she has already become a full Jewess, she may not be returned to a household of idolatry. Some textual variants read “not to the house of her gods.” The practical point is the same: she must be free to live as a Jewess.

Type of Learning

Mi’ut from the word “le-nafshah.”

What Is Learned

When the former captive is released she must be free to live on her own; she may not be sent back to her father’s (idolatrous) household.