Kings and Wars Chapter 3

בְּעֵת שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ כּוֹתֵב לוֹ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לְעַצְמוֹ יֶתֶר עַל הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁהִנִּיחוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו. וּמַגִּיהוֹ מִסֵּפֶר הָעֲזָרָה עַל פִּי בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד. אִם לֹא הִנִּיחוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו אוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱבַד כּוֹתֵב שְׁנֵי סִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה. אֶחָד מַנִּיחוֹ בְּבֵית גְּנָזָיו שֶׁהוּא מְצֻוֶּה בּוֹ כְּכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַשֵּׁנִי לֹא יָזוּז מִלְּפָנָיו אֶלָּא בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא. אוֹ לְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ. אוֹ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לִקְרִיאָה. יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה וְהוּא עִמּוֹ. נִכְנָס וְהוּא עִמּוֹ. יוֹשֵׁב בַּדִּין וְהוּא עִמּוֹ. מֵסֵב וְהוּא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יט) "וְהָיְתָה עִמּוֹ וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו":

During a king's reign, he must write a Torah scroll for himself in addition to the scroll which was left to him by his ancestors. A court of 71 elders should check this scroll by comparing it to the Torah scroll kept in the Temple Courtyard. If his ancestors did not leave him a Torah scroll or that scroll was lost, he must write two Torah scrolls: one, in whose writing, he is obligated as is every individual Israelite, and which he places in his treasury; the second, which should not move from his presence except when he enters a lavatory, the baths, or other places in which it is not fit to read the words of Torah. When he goes to war, this scroll should accompany him. When he returns, it should accompany him. When he sits in judgement, it should be with him. When he dines, it should be opposite him, as Deuteronomy 17:19 states: 'It should accompany him and he should read it all the days of his life.'

לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ נָשִׁים. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ עַד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה נָשִׁים בֵּין הַנָּשִׁים וּפִלַּגְשִׁים הַכּל שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. וְאִם הוֹסִיף אַחַת וּבְעָלָהּ לוֹקֶה. וְיֵשׁ לוֹ לְגָרֵשׁ וְלִשָּׂא אַחֶרֶת תַּחַת זוֹ שֶׁגֵּרֵשׁ:

'He should not amass many wives' Deuteronomy 17:17. The Oral Tradition states that he may take no more than eighteen wives. The figure eighteen includes both wives and concubines. If he takes an additional wife and has relations with her, he is punished with lashes. He may divorce one of his wives and marry another instead of the one he divorced.

וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ סוּסִים אֶלָּא כְּדֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ סוּס אֶחָד פָּנוּי לִהְיוֹת רָץ לְפָנָיו כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין שְׁאָר הַמְּלָכִים אָסוּר. וְאִם הוֹסִיף לוֹקֶה:

He may not accumulate many horses, only what is necessary for his cavalry. It is even forbidden for him to have one additional horse to run before him as is customarily done by other kings. If he adds an additional horse, he is to be lashed.

וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב לְהַנִּיחַ בִּגְנָזָיו וּלְהִתְגָּאוֹת בּוֹ אוֹ לְהִתְנָאוֹת בּוֹ. אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לְחֵילוֹתָיו וְלַעֲבָדָיו וּלְשַׁמָּשָׁיו. וְכָל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה לְאוֹצַר בֵּית ה' וְלִהְיוֹת שָׁם מוּכָן לְצָרְכֵי הַצִּבּוּר וּלְמִלְחֲמוֹתָם הֲרֵי זֶה מִצְוָה לְהַרְבּוֹתוֹ. וְאֵין אָסוּר אֶלָּא לְהַרְבּוֹת לְעַצְמוֹ בְּבֵית גְּנָזָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יז) "וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ". וְאִם הִרְבָּה לוֹקֶה:

He should not amass silver and gold for the sake of depositing in his treasuries and boasting of them or of adorning himself with them. Rather [he may amass silver and gold] in order to pay his soldiers, courtiers, and servants. As for any silver and gold that he amasses for the treasury of the house of the Name or to prepare for public needs and wars, it is the fulfillment of a precept to do so. It is only forbidden [for him] to amass for himself in his own treasuries, as it is written "He shall not amass for himself" (Deuteronomy 17:17). If he does so amass, he is lashed.

הַמֶּלֶךְ אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת דֶּרֶךְ שִׁכְרוּת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי לא ד) "אַל לַמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ יָיִן". אֶלָּא יִהְיֶה עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְצָרְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יט) "וְהָיְתָה עִמּוֹ וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו":

The king is forbidden to drink wine to the point of intoxication, as Proverbs 31:4 states: 'It is not for kings to drink wine....' Rather, he should be involved with Torah study and the needs of Israel by day and by night, as Deuteronomy, loc. cit. states: 'It should accompany him and he should read it all the days of his life.'

וְכֵן לֹא יִהְיֶה שָׁטוּף בְּנָשִׁים. אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה לוֹ אֶלָּא אַחַת לֹא יִהְיֶה מָצוּי אֶצְלָהּ תָּמִיד כִּשְׁאָר הַטִּפְּשִׁים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי לא ג) "אַל תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ". עַל הֲסָרַת לִבּוֹ הִקְפִּידָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יז) "וְלֹא יָסוּר לְבָבוֹ". שֶׁלִּבּוֹ הוּא לֵב כָּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִיכָךְ דִּבְּקוֹ הַכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה יֶתֶר מִשְּׁאָר הָעָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יט) "כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו":

Similarly, he should not be licentious with women. Even if he has only one wife, he may not consort with her at all times as fools do, as it is written, "Do not give your strength to women" (Proverbs 31:3). The Torah shows concern to avoid his becoming distracted, as it is written, "He shall not turn aside his mind [lit. heart]" (Deuteronomy 17:17). For his mind is the mind of the entire congregation of Israel. Therefore, Scripture bids him cleave to the Torah more than [it does] the rest of the people, as it is written, "all the days of his life" (Deuteronomy 17:19).

כְּבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ שֶׁמַּלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד דָּנִין אוֹתָן וּמְעִידִין עֲלֵיהֶן. אֲבָל מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּזְרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁלֹּא יָדוּן וְלֹא דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ. וְלֹא מֵעִיד וְלֹא מְעִידִין עָלָיו. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלִּבָּן גַּס בָּהֶן וְיָבוֹא מִן הַדָּבָר תַּקָּלָה וְהֶפְסֵד עַל הַדָּת:

We have already explained that kings of the Davidic dynasty may be judged and testimony may be given against them. However, in regard to the other kings of Israel, the Sages decreed that they neither sit in judgement or be judged. They may not give testimony, nor is testimony given against them. This is because they are arrogant and the matter may cause a tragedy and loss to the faith.

כָּל הַמּוֹרֵד בְּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ רְשׁוּת לְהָרְגוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ גָּזַר עַל אֶחָד מִשְּׁאָר הָעָם שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ לְמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי וְלֹא הָלַךְ אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא מִבֵּיתוֹ וְיָצָא חַיָּב מִיתָה. וְאִם רָצָה לְהָרְגוֹ יֵהָרֵג. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע א יח) "כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַמְרֶה אֶת פִּיךָ". וְכֵן כָּל הַמְבַזֶּה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ הַמְחָרְפוֹ יֵשׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ רְשׁוּת לְהָרְגוֹ. כְּשִׁמְעִי בֶּן גֵּרָא. וְאֵין לַמֶּלֶךְ רְשׁוּת לַהֲרֹג אֶלָּא בְּסַיִף בִּלְבַד. וְיֵשׁ לוֹ לֶאֱסֹר וּלְהַכּוֹת בְּשׁוֹטִין לִכְבוֹדוֹ. אֲבָל לֹא יַפְקִיר מָמוֹן וְאִם הִפְקִיר הֲרֵי זֶה גֵּזֶל:

Anyone who rebels against a king of Israel may be executed by the king. Even if the king orders one of the people to go to a particular place and the latter refuses, or he orders him not to leave his house and he goes out, the offender is liable to be put to death. The king may execute him if he desires, as Joshua 1:18 states: 'Whoever rebels against your command ... shall be put to death." Similarly, anyone who embarrasses or shames the king may be executed by the king as was Shim'i ben Gera. The king may only execute people by decapitation. He may also imprison offenders and have them beaten with rods to protect his honor. However, he may not confiscate property. If he does, it is considered theft.

הַמְבַטֵּל גְּזֵרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בְּמִצְוֹת. אֲפִלּוּ בְּמִצְוָה קַלָּה הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר. דִּבְרֵי הָרַב וְדִבְרֵי הָעֶבֶד דִּבְרֵי הָרַב קוֹדְמִין. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם גָּזַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַטֵּל מִצְוָה שֶׁאֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ:

A person who negates a king's command because he was occupied with a mitzvah, even a minor one, is not liable. Whose words should have precedence in case of conflict, the words of the Master or the words of the subject? Needless to say, if a king decrees that a mitzvah should be negated, his words should not be heeded.

כָּל הַהוֹרֵג נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְאָיָה בְּרוּרָה. אוֹ בְּלֹא הַתְרָאָה. אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵד אֶחָד. אוֹ שׂוֹנֵא שֶׁהָרַג בִּשְׁגָגָה. יֵשׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ רְשׁוּת לְהָרְגוֹ וּלְתַקֵּן הָעוֹלָם כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁהַשָּׁעָה צְרִיכָה. וְהוֹרֵג רַבִּים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד וְתוֹלֶה וּמַנִּיחָן תְּלוּיִים יָמִים רַבִּים לְהָטִיל אֵימָה וּלְשַׁבֵּר יַד רִשְׁעֵי הָעוֹלָם:

A murderer against whom the evidence is not totally conclusive, or who was not warned before he slew his victim, or even one who was observed by only one witness, and similarly, an enemy who inadvertently killed one of his foes - the king is granted license to execute them and to improve society according to the needs of the time. He may execute many on one day, hang them, and leave them hanging for many days in order to cast fear into the hearts and destroy the power of the wicked of the earth.