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Friday

י"ט אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Friday
י"ט אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

Mitzvah 412) Not to take redemption money for the soul of a murderer

Parshas Mas’ei

“And you may not take redemption money for the soul of a murderer who is wicked and sentenced to death!” (Bamidbar 35:31)

It is a negative commandment that one may not take redemption money, even if it consists of all the money in the world, to save the soul of a murderer from being put to death, as it says “And you may not take redemption money for the soul of a murderer who is wicked and sentenced to death!”.

The root of this commandment is well-known as if it would be permitted to take redemption money from a murderer the result would be that any rich man would kill people and then redeem himself which would destroy civilization.

This commandment applies when the temple was standing both to men and to women. Even though women do not judge, they are also instructed in this commandment, so that if a woman would have the ability to save a murderer for money she is warned not to do so. One who transgresses this commandment and takes a bribe to save a murderer receives a very severe punishment as it will cause the destruction of many Jewish souls.