משנה: כֵּיצַד תּוֹלִין אוֹתוֹ. מְשַׁקְּעִין אֶת הַקּוֹרָה בָאָרֶץ וְהָעֵץ יוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ. וּמַקִּיף שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו זוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי זוֹ וְתוֹלֶה אוֹתוֹ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר הַקּוֹרָה מֻטָּה עַל הַכֹּתֶל וְתוֹלֶה אוֹתוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַטַּבָּחִין עוֹשִׂין. תּוֹלִין וּמַתִּירִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד וְאִם לָן עוֹבֵר עָלָיו בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹֽא־תָלִ֨ין נִבְלָת֜וֹ עַל־הָעֵ֗ץ כִּֽי־קָב֤וֹר תִּקְבְּרֶ֨נּוּ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּֽי־קִלְלַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים תָּל֑וּי כְּלוֹמַר מִפְּנֵי מַה זֶה תָּלוּי. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֶת הַשֵּׁם וְנִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל׃ MISHNAH: How does one hang him? One sinks a stake into the ground, wood is sticking out from there. One binds both hands, one on top of the other, and hangs him. Rebbi Yose says, the beam is leaning on the wall66He rejects a form which might resemble a Roman cross. He requires the corpse to he hung from a horizontal beam like an animal carcass.; one hangs him in the way butchers do. One hangs him and takes him down immediately; if he were left overnight, one would transgress a prohibition, as it is said67Deut. 21:23.: Do not leave his corpse on the wood overnight, but certainly bury him on the same day, for a hanged person is blasphemy. This means, why was he hanged? Because he blasphemed; it turns out that the name of Heaven would be desecrated68This is the rabbis’ reason to restrict hanging to the blasphemer and those guilty of related crimes (Mishnah 7, Halakhah 9, Sifry Deut. 221). The verse is read following the Roman custom of noting the condemned person’s crime on his cross, restricting hanging to crimes having an element of blasphemy..
הלכה: תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר. זֶה חוֹמֶר בִּמְחַלֵּל מִבִּמְגַדֵּף וְזֶה חוֹמֶר בִּמְגַדֵּף מִבִּמְחַלֵּל. בִּמְגַדֵּף כְּתִיב לֹֽא־תָלִ֨ין נִבְלָת֜וֹ עַל־הָעֵ֗ץ. וּבִמְחַלֵּל כְּתִיב וַתִּקַּ֣ח רִצְפָּה֩ בַת־אַיָּ֙ה אֶת־הַשַּׂ֜ק וַתַּטֵּ֨הוּ עַל הַצּוּר֙ מִתְּחִילַּת קָצִ֔יר עַ֛ד נִתַּךְ־מַ֥יִם עֲלֵיהֶם֭. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ תְלוּיִין מִי״ו בְּנִיסָן עַד י״ז בְּמַרחֶשְׁוָן. HALAKHAH: 97Here starts the discussion of the duty to see to the immediate burial of a corpse, and the difficulty of reconciling this biblical duty with king David’s conduct in the matter of the Gibeonites and king Saul’s sons (2S. 21). The argument in the following text is a shortened and partially elliptic rewriting of Qiddušin 4:1. The commentary for the full text of Qiddušin 4:1 (Notes 46–85) may serve here also. Other parallels are Babli Yebamot 78b–79a, Num. rabba 8(4), Midrash Samuel 28(5). It was stated: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob said, this is worse for the desecrator98The person who desecrates the Name of God; he committed the one sin which in Judaism can only be atoned for by death (Babli Yoma 87a). than for the blasphemer and worse for the blasphemer than the desecrator. About the blasphemer it is written67Deut. 21:23.: Do not leave his corpse on the gallows overnight. But about the desecrator it is written992S.20:10.: Riṣpa bat Aya took sackcloth and spread it on the rock from the start of harvest until waterwas poured on them. This teaches that they were hanging from the sixteenth of Nisan to the seventeenth of Marḥeshwan.
כְּתִיב וַיִּתְּנֵ֙ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִ֛ים וְשׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִ֭ם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה. נִיחָא לָעֵדָה. וּלְמִזְבַּ֤ח יְי. אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּלָייָן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בריפן. אָמַר. אֲנִי [לֹא] מַרְחִיקָן וְלֹא מְקָֽרְבָן. אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִבְנוֹת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה דְּאֶתדַּעְתּוֹ לְקָרֵב יְקָרֵב וְאֶת דַּעְתּוֹ לְרַחֵק יְרַחֵק. וּבָא דָוִד וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵי֧ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה. וְלָמָּה רִיחֲקָן. עַל שֵׁם וַיְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד שָׁל֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים וגו׳. אָמַר דָּוִד. בָּעֲוֹן שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים גְּשָׁמִים נֶעֱצָרִין. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּכְתִיב פֶּן־יִפְתֶּה֭ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְעָצַ֤ר אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙. גִּילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת דִּכְתִיב וַיִּמָּֽנְע֣וּ רְבִיבִים וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ לֹא הָיָ֑ה וּמֵ֨צַח אִשָּׁ֤ה זוֹנָה֙ הָ֣יָה לָ֔ךְ. שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּ֣י הַדָּ֔ם ה֥וּא יַֽחֲנִי֭ף אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. אַף פּוֹסְקֵי צְדָקָה בָּרַבִּים וְאֵינָן נוֹתְנִין. דִּכְתִיב נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָיִין אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ בָּדַק דָּוִד בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וְלֹא מָצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶן. הִתְחִיל שׁוֹאֵל בְּאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְי. אָמַר רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר. כְּתִיב בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ יְי כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י אָרֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ פָּעָ֑לוּ וגו׳. וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְי עַל שָׁאוּל֙ וְעַל בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַל־אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעוֹנִים׃ עַל שָׁאוּל. שֶׁלֹּא עֲשִׂיתֶם עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד. וְעַל בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַל־אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעוֹנִים׃ שָׁלַח דָּוִד וּקְרָאָן. אָמַר לָהֶם. מַה לָכֶם וּלְבֵית שָׁאוּל. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵמִית מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְעָה אֲנָשִׁים שְׁנֵי חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וּשְׁנֵי שׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם וְסוֹפֵר וַחַזָּן וְשַׁמָּשׁ. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמַה תּוּן בְּעוּן. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. יוּתַּן לָ֜נוּ שִׁבְעָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙… וְהוֹקַֽעֲנוּם֙ לַֽיי בְּגִבְעוֹן. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמָה הֲנָייָה יֵשׁ לְכוֹן אִין אִינּוּן מִתְקַטְּלִין. סְבוּ לְכוֹן כְּסַף וּדְהַב. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אֵֽין־לָ֜נוּ כֶּ֤סֶף וְזָהָב֙ עִם־שָׁא֣וּל וְעִם־בֵּית֔וֹ. אָמַר. דִּילְמָא בְּהַתִּין אִילֵּין מִן אִילֵּין. הֲוָה נְסִיב כָּל־חַד וְחַד מִינּוֹן וּמְפַייֵס לֵיהּ קוֹמֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְהוּא לָא מְקַבֵּל עֲלוֹי. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵֽין־[לָ֜נוּ] כֶּ֤סֶף וְזָהָב֙. אֵין לִי כְתִיב. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר דָּוִד. שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. בּוֹייְשָׁנִין וְרַחֲמָנִין וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. בּוֹייְשָׁנִין דִּכְתִיב לְבַֽעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶ֧ה יִרְאָת֛וֹ עַל־פְּנֵיכֶם֭ וגו׳. רַחֲמָנִין דִּכְתִיב וְנָֽתַן־לְךָ֤ רַֽחֲמִים֙ וְרִֽחַמְךָ֣ וְהִרְבֶּ֔ךָ. גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים דִּכְתִיב וְשָׁמַר֩ יְי אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד. וְאֵילּוּ אֵין בָּהֶן אַחַת מֵהֶן וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵי֧ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה. וְאַף עֶזְרָא בָא וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַ֨נְּתִינִ֔ים הָי֥וּ יוֹשְׁבִין בָּעוֹפֶל וְצִיחָ֥ה וְגִישְׁפָּה מִן הַנְּתִינִֽים. וְאף לְעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַחֲקָן. דִּכְתִיב וְהָֽעוֹבֵד הָעִ֑יר יַעַֽבְד֕וּהוּ מִכֹּ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ יַאֲבִידוּהוּ מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. It is written102Jos. 9:27.: At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation. One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall [neither]103Added from the Qiddušin text. exclude nor include them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include he may include, if he wants to exclude he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said1042S. 21:1–2.: But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel. Why did he exclude them? Because there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year. David said, for three sins the rains are locked away: Foreign worship, incest and adultery, and murder. Foreign worship, as it is written105Deut. 11:16–17.: Beware, lest you be seduced and next to it, He locks the sky up. Incest and adultery, as it is written106Jer. 3:2–3. Rain-showers were withheld, there was no late rain, for you had the forehead of a whoring woman. Murder, as it is written107Num. 35:33.: Because blood will distort the Land. Some say, also those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay, as it is written108Prov. 25:14.: Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who boasts with lying gifts. David checked on all his ways and did not find any of them. He turned to ask the Urim and Tummim. That is what is written1042S. 21:1–2.: David asked before the Eternal. Rebbi Eleazar said, it is written109Zeph. 2:3.: Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law, etc. 1042S. 21:1–2.The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. Because of Saul, whom you did not grant the last favor, and because of the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. David sent and called them. He asked them, what is between you and the House of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a scribe, a religious leader, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him, May there be given to us seven men … and we shall hang them before the Eternal in Gibeon1102S. 21:6.. He said to them, what use is it to you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, there is no silver or gold for us from Saul and his house1112S. 21:6.. He said, maybe they are afraid one of the other; he dealt which each of them separately, trying to mollify him by himself, but nobody accepted it. That is what is written, there is no silver or gold for us, it is written for me. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are decent, merciful, and charitable. Decent, for it is written112Ex. 20:20.: that His fear be on your faces. Merciful, for it is written113Deut. 13:18,: He gave you mercy, had mercy on you and increased you. Charitable, for it is written114Deut. 7:12.: The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity. But these, nothing of this is found in them; he excluded them: But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel1042S. 21:1–2.. And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said:115Neh. 3:26, 11:21. And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa were of the dedicated ones. Also in the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written116Ez. 48:19.: The city worker will cultivate it, from all tribes of Israel. He will eliminate them from all tribes of Israel.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲנִ֥י אֶתֵּֽן׃ וַיִּקַּ֣ח הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־שְׁ֠נֵי בְּנֵ֨י רִצְפָּ֤ה. וּלְמִיכַל֙ בַּת־שָׁא֔וּל לֹֽא־הָ֥יָה לָהּ֖ ווָלֶד. וְתֵימַר אָכֵן. אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה. בְּנֵי מֵירַב הָיוּ וְגִידַּלְתָּם מִיכַל וְנִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמָהּ. וַיִּתְּנֵ֞ם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּיַ֣ד הַגִּבְעוֹנִים וַיּוֹקִיעוּם בָּהָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְי וַיִּפְּל֥וּ שְׁבַעְתָּם֭ יָחַ֑ד. שְׁבַעְתָּי֭ם כְּתִיב חָסֵר חָד. זֶה מְפִיבוֹשֶׁת שֶׁנִּתְפַּלֵּל עָלָיו דָּוִד וּקְלָטוֹ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָמַר לָהֶן. הֲרֵינִי מַעֲבִירָן לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. כָּל־שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קוֹלְטוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ. מִפְּנֵי מְפִיבוֹשֶׁת שֶׁהָיָה גָדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה. וְהֶעֱבִירוֹ לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְקָלְטוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבִין. אֶ֭קְרָא לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים עֶלְי֑וֹן לָ֝אֵ֗ל גּוֹמֵר עָלָֽי׃ שֶׁהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם דָּוִד. וְהֵ֨מָּה הוּמְתוּ בִּימֵ֤י קָצִיר֙ בִּתְחִילַּת קְצִ֥יר שְׂעֹרִֽים. וַתִּקַּ֣ח רִצְפָּה֩ בַת־אַיָּ֙ה אֶת הַבֶּגֶד וַתַּטֵּ֨הוּ לָהּ֚ עַל הַצּוּר֙. מָהוּ עַל הַצּוּר. אָמַר רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. שֶׁהָֽיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּֽעֳל֔וֹ. רִבִּי בָּא בַּר זְמִינָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. גָּדוֹל הוּא קִידּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם מֵחִילּוּל הַשֵׁם. בְּקִידּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם כָּתוּב לֹֽא־תָלִ֨ין נִבְלָת֜וֹ. וּבְחִילּוּל הַשֵׁם כָּתוּב וַיִּהְיוּ תְלוּיִים עַ֛ד נִתַּךְ־מַ֥יִם עֲלֵיהֶם֭. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ תְלוּיִין מִי״ו בְּנִיסָן עַד י״ז בְּמַרחֶשְׁוָן. וְהָיוּ עוֹבְרִין וְשָׁבִין אוֹמְרִים. מַה חָֽטְאוּ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶן מִידַּת הַדִּין. וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָהֶן. עַל שֶׁפָּֽשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶן בְּגֵירִים אֲרוּרִים. וַהֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמָה אֵילּוּ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּייְרוּ לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם תָּבַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דָּמָן. הַמִּתְגַּייְרִין לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם לֹא כָּל־שֶׁכֵּן. הַרְבֵּה גֵרִים נִתְגַּייְרוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְסַפֵּר שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אֶת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הַגֵּרִים֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ מֵהֶ֗ם שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֨לֶף֙ נוֹשֵׂא סַבָּ֔ל וגו׳. 117Several passages in this paragraph are truncated; refer to the Qiddušin text.The king said, I shall give1102S. 21:6.. The king took the two sons of Riṣpah bat Ayah1182S. 21:8.. Michal, Saul’s daughter, did not have a child1192S. 6:23., and you say so? Say now that they were sons of Merab but Michal raised them, so they were named after her. The king gave them into the hand of the Gibeonites who hanged them on the mountain before the Eternal1202S. 21:9.. All seven is written defective of one letter. That refers to Mephiboshet, for whom David prayed and whom the altar received. He told them, I let them pass by the altar and anyone whom the altar receives will be his, because of Mephiboshet who was great in Torah. He let him pass by the altar, which received him. Rebbi Avin said, I shall call to the Most High God, to the Power Who has the ultimate decision over me121Ps. 57:3.. For the Holy One, praise to Him, agreed with David. They were killed on the day of harvest …at the start of the barley harvest1202S. 21:9.. Riṣpah bat Ayah took a garment and laid it out on the rock1222S. 21:10.. What means on the rock? Rebbi Hoshaia said, she was reciting: The rock, perfect is His action123Deut. 32:4.. Rebbi Abba bar Zamina in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: Sanctification of the Name is greater than desecration of the Name. Referring to sanctification of the Name it is written: Do not leave his corpse overnight67Deut. 21:23.. But referring to desecration of the Name it is written that they were left hanging until water was poured on them1202S. 21:9.. This teaches that they were hanging from the sixteenth of Nisan to the seventeenth of Marḥeshwan. The passers-by were saying: How did these people sin that the rules of justice were changed for them? They were answered: Because these had attacked cursed proselytes. Is that not an argument de minore ad majus? Since even for those who did not convert for the sake of Heaven, the Eternal avenged their blood; if one would convert for the sake of Heaven not so much more? Many converts were converted at that time; that is what is written1242Chr. 2:16–17.: Solomon counted all proselytes … and appointed from them 70’000 carriers, etc.