Mitzvot in Parashat Ki Teitzei

(כי תצא, נשים הלכות נערה בתולה):

And the laws of this commandment have already been explained in the third and fourth [chapters] of Ketubot. (See Parashat Ki Tetzei; Mishneh Torah, Virgin Maiden.)

היא שצונו להשיב האבדה לבעליה. והוא אמרו יתעלה השב תשיבם לאחיך ובבאור אמרו השבת אבדה עשה היא ואמרו גם כן באבדה נמצינו למדין שהוא עובר על עשה ועל לא תעשה.

שֶׁלֹּא לְהַעֲבִידָהּ אַחַר שֶׁבְּעָלָהּ – שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲבֹד בְּאֵשֶׁת יְפַת תֹּאַר אַחַר בִּיאָה עָלֶיהָ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כא יד) לֹא תִתְעַמֵּר בָּהּ תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר עִנִּיתָהּ. פֵּרוּשׁ תִתְעַמֵּר לְשׁוֹן שִׁמּוּשׁ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי לֹא תִתְעַמֵּר בָּהּ, לֹא תִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲמִידָהּ כְּפִלֶגֶשׁ אוֹ שִׁפְחָה לְעַבְדוּת, וְאֵין עִנְיָן הַכָּתוּב שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ בְּכָל שִׁמּוּשׁ שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים עוֹשׂוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן, אֲבָל הַכָּתוּב יֶאֱסֹר מִלַּעֲשׂוֹתָהּ שִׁפְחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָסוּר מִלְּמָכְרָהּ גַּם כֵּן לְשִׁפְחָה, וְהַכַּוָּנָה אַחַת. וּכְמוֹ כֵן בְּגוֹנֵב נֶפֶשׁ מֵאֶחָיו, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (שם כד ז) וְהִתְעַמֶּר בּוֹ, פֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין פה, ב) שֶׁיַּכְנִיסֶנּוּ לִרְשׁוּתוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ. בְּשֹׁרֶשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ, יַגִּיד עָלָיו רֵעוֹ הַסָּמוּךְ (מצוה תקלג). וּשְׁאָר הָעִנְיָן כָּתוּב בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁלּוֹ (מצוה תקלב).

Not to make her serve after he has intercourse with her: That we should not make a [captured] “woman of beautiful form” serve, after intercourse with her. And about this it is stated (Deuteronomy 21:14), “you shall not abuse (titaamer) her, since you afflicted her.” The explanation of “abuse” is that it is an expression of service. And so did they say in Sifrei, “‘You shall not abuse her’ — you shall not take service from her.” And the matter is that we should not set her up as a concubine or as maidservant in bondage. And the matter of the verse is not that we should not have her serve any service that women do for their husbands. [Rather] Scripture prohibits making her into a maidservant, [just] like it is also forbidden to sell her as a maidservant, and the intention is one. And so too with the stealing of a soul from his brothers (kidnapping), about which it is written (Deuteronomy 24:7), “and he abused (hitaamer) him” — they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sanhedrin 85b), that [it means that] he brought him into his domain and made him serve. Its neighbor that is adjacent (Sefer HaChinukh 533) speaks about the root of this commandment. And the rest of the matter is written in its [corresponding] positive commandment (Sefer HaChinukh 532).

שֶׁלֹּא לְהַנִּיחַ בֶּהֱמַת חֲבֵרוֹ נוֹפֶלֶת תַּחַת מַשָּׂאָהּ – שֶׁהֻזְהַרְנוּ שֶׁאִם נִרְאֶה אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנָּפַל לוֹ חֲמוֹרוֹ אוֹ בְּהֵמָה אַחֶרֶת מִכֹּבֶד הַמַּשָּׂא אוֹ בְּסִבָּה אַחֶרֶת, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ רוֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ (עי' רמב"ם בסהמ"צ לאוין ער) שֶׁלֹּא לְהַנִּיחוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְנֵלֵךְ, אֲבָל נַעַזְרֵהוּ וְנָקִים עִמּוֹ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ וְנַעֲמֹד שָׁם עַד שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן מַשָּׂאוֹ אוֹ עַל גַּבּוֹ אוֹ עַל בְּהֶמְתּוֹ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כב ד) לֹא תִרְאֶה אֶת חֲמוֹר אָחִיךָ וְגוֹ'. וְאָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (כאן) לֹא תִרְאֶה אֶת חֲמוֹר וְגוֹ', מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וְהִנֵּה הָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא סִיַּע חֲבֵרוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ עוֹבֵר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה זֶה, וְעַל עֲשֵׂה הַנִּזְכָּר בְּפָרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים (מצוה פ) בְּמִצְוַת הֲסָרַת הַמַּשָּׂא מֵעַל הַבְּהֵמָה. וְשָׁם בֵּאַרְנוּ שֹׁרֶשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ וְכָל עִנְיָנָהּ כְּמִנְהָגֵנוּ בְּסֵפֶר זֶה, תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם [יו"ד סימן רע"ב].

To not leave the beast of his fellow falling under its load: That we have been warned that if we see a Jew whose donkey or other beast fell from the weight of its load or from another reason, or if he, himself, is crouching under his load (see Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 270), that we should not leave him on the way and walk [away]; but [rather], we help him and lift up his beast with him, and we stay there until he has set up his load — either on his back or on his beast. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 22:4), “You shall not see the donkey of your brother, etc.” — and they said in the Sifrei here [that], “‘You shall not see the donkey, etc.’ is a negative commandment.” And behold, one who transgresses this, and does not aid his fellow on the way, violates this negative commandment and the positive commandment mentioned in Parashat Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 90), about the commandment of removing the load from upon the beast. And there, we elucidated the root of this commandment and all of its matter, as is our custom in this book — see it there. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 272.)

שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכֹּר יְפַת תֹּאַר – שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכֹּר יְפַת תֹּאַר אַחַר שֶׁיָּבוֹא עָלֶיהָ הַחוֹשֵׁק בָּהּ בִּיאָה אַחַת, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כא יד) וְהָיָה אִם לֹא חָפַצְתָּ בָּהּ וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ לְנַפְשָׁהּ וּמָכֹר לֹא תִמְכְּרֶנָּה בַּכָּסֶף. מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְלַמֵּד נַפְשֵׁנוּ מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וִיקָרוֹת, וּכְבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּהַרְבֵּה מְקוֹמוֹת כִּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַיְּקָרָה, רְאוּיָה לְקַבֵּל הַטּוֹבוֹת וְעָלֶיהָ יָחוּלוּ הַבְּרָכוֹת לְעוֹלָם, וְכִי חָפֵץ הָאֵל בְּטוֹב עַמּוֹ הִכְתִּירָם בְּכָל מִדָּה חֲמוּדָה וּמְהֻדֶּרֶת, וְאֵין סָפֵק כִּי מִמִּדַּת הַנְּבָלִים הַפְּחוּתִים בְּתַכְלִית לִמְכֹּר הָאִשָּׁה אַחַר שֶׁהִשְׁכִּיבוּהָ בְּחֵיקָם, יָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר, אֵין לְהַאֲרִיךְ בּוֹ. וְעִנְיַן יְפַת תֹּאַר וּקְצָת דִּינֶיהָ וּמְקוֹם בֵּאוּרָן בַּגְּמָרָא, וְהַזְּמַן שֶׁדִּין יְפַת תֹּאַר נוֹהֵג הַכֹּל כָּתוּב בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁלּוֹ בְּסֵדֶר זֶה (מצוה תקלב).

To not sell one of beautiful of form: To not sell one of beautiful form after the one who desired her had intercourse once with her. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 21:14), “And it shall be if he does not want her, he shall send her away for herself, and he shall certainly not sell her for money.” It is from the roots of the commandment to teach ourselves good and precious traits. And I have already written in many places that a precious soul is fit to receive goods and upon it will blessing always descend, and that the good God desired to crown His people with every lovely and refined trait. And there is no doubt that to sell the woman after they lay with her in their laps is from the traits of the wanton and most lowly. The matter is well-known and it is not to be elaborated. And the content of the one of beautiful form, some of its laws and the place of their elucidation in the Gemara and the time that the law of the one of beautiful form was practiced — all of it is written in its positive commandment in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 532).

שֶׁלֹּא תִּלְבַּשׁ אִשָּׁה עֲדִי אִישׁ – שֶׁלֹּא יִלְבְּשׁוּ הַנָּשִׁים מַלְבּוּשֵׁי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְלֹא יִזְדַּיְּנוּ בְּזִיּוּנָם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כב ה) לֹא יִהְיֶה כְלִי גֶבֶר עַל אִשָּׁה. וְתִרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס לֹא יְהֵא תִּקּוּן זֵין דִּגְבַר עַל אִתְּתָא (עי' נזיר נט א). וּמִן הַדּוֹמֶה כִּי מִפְּנֵי כֵן פֵּרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב בִּכְלֵי זַיִן, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם הַכֵּלִים הַמְּיֻחָדִים לְגַמְרֵי לָאֲנָשִׁים, שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ אִשָּׁה בָּעוֹלָם לָצֵאת בִּכְלֵי זַיִן, אֲבָל הוּא הַדִּין שֶׁאָסוּר לָהֶם מִדְּאוֹרַיְתָא לָצֵאת בְּמַלְבּוּשִׁים שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּאוֹתוֹ הַמָּקוֹם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, כְּגוֹן שֶׁתָּשִׂים בְּרֹאשָׁהּ מִצְנֶפֶת אוֹ שְׁאָר כֵּלִים הַמְּיֻחָדִים לָאִישׁ (עי"ש בתרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל). מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְהַרְחִיק מֵאֻמָּתֵנוּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה דְּבַר עֶרְוָה וְכָל עִנְיָן וְכָל צַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכִּשָּׁלוֹן בְּאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר מָצוּי מִתּוֹכוֹ, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל (סנהדרין קו א) שֶׁאֱלֹהֵינוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלְּאַהֲבָתֵנוּ הִרְחִיקָנוּ מִן הַזִּמָּה, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר מְכֹעָר בְּיוֹתֵר, וְיִקַּח לֵב הָאָדָם, וּמַדִּיחוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה וּמַחְשָׁבָה רְצוּיָה לְדֶרֶךְ רָעָה וּמַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל שְׁטוּת, וְאֵין סָפֵק כִּי אִם יִהְיוּ מַלְבּוּשֵׁי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים שָׁוִים יִתְעָרְבוּ אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ תָּמִיד, וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ זִמָּה. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ בְּטַעַם מִצְוָה זוֹ, שֶׁהִיא לְהַרְחִיק כָּל עִנְיַן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁדַּרְכָּן שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיָה בְּכָךְ. וְאֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי הַטְּעָמִים מְצָאתִים בְּסִפְרֵי הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (בסהמ"צ לאוין מ, מורה נבוכים ג, לז) אַחַר כָּתְבִי אוֹתָם.

That a woman should not wear the adornments of a man: That women should not wear the clothing of men and not arm themselves with their weapons. And about this it states (Deuteronomy 22:5), “There shall not be the vessel of a man upon a woman.” And Onkelos translated [it], “There shall not be a weapon of a man upon a woman.” (See Nazir 59a.) And that which is similar [is also prohibited]; since this is the reason that [Onkelos] explained Scripture as regarding weapons — because they are vessels that are completely unique to men, as it is not the way of a woman in the world to go out with weapons. But the same is true, that it is forbidden from the Torah, for them to go out with clothes that it is the custom of the men of that place to use — for example, that she should place a turban on her head or other vessels that are unique to a man. (See Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy 22:5.) It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] to distance our holy nation from matters of sexual immorality and any matter and any angle whatsoever that contains a stumbling block towards it — as the matter that they, may their memory be blessed, said metaphorically (Sanhedrin 106a) that our God hates promiscuity. [This] means to say, that in His love for us, He distanced us from promiscuity, which is an exceedingly ugly thing, [and which] takes the heart of a man and pushes it off from the good path and from desirable thoughts, to a bad path and thoughts of stupidity. And there is no doubt that if the clothes of men and women were the same, they would constantly mix — these with those — “and the world would be filled with promiscuity.” And they also said in explaining this commandment that it is to distance all matters of idolatry, as the way of the worshipers of idolatry was with this. And I found these two reasons in the books of Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 40; Guide for the Perplexed 3:37) after I wrote them.

לְהָשִׁיב אֲבֵדָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל – לְהָשִׁיב אֲבֵדָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב א) הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם לְאָחִיךָ. וּבְבֵאוּר אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"מ ל, א) הֲשָׁבַת אֲבֵדָה עֲשֵׂה הוּא, וְנִכְפְּלָה הַמִּצְוָה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי תִפְגַּע שׁוֹר אָחִיךָ וְגוֹ' הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם לְאָחִיךָ. שֹׁרֶשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ יָדוּעַ, כִּי יֵשׁ בָּזֶה תּוֹעֶלֶת הַכֹּל וְיִשּׁוּב הַמְּדִינָה, שֶׁהַשִּׁכְחָה בַּכֹּל הִיא מְצוּיָה, גַּם בְּהֶמְתָּם וְכָל חַיָּתָם בּוֹרְחִים תָּמִיד הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה, וְעִם הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהִיא בְּעַמֵּנוּ, יִהְיוּ נִשְׁמָרוֹת הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַכֵּלִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּאַרְצֵנוּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, כְּאִלּוּ הֵן תַּחַת יַד הַבְּעָלִים, וְכָל פִּקּוּדֵי יְיָ יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב (תהלים יט, ט).

To return a lost item to an Israelite: To return a lost item to its owners, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 22:1), “you shall surely return them to your brother.” And in the explanation, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Metzia 30a) [that] returning a lost item is a positive commandment. And this commandment is repeated in another place in the Torah, as it is stated (Exodus 23:4), “When you encounter your [enemy’s] ox, etc., you shall surely return it to (your brother).” The root of this commandment is known — as there is in it a benefit to all, and to the ordering of the state; as forgetfulness exists with all [people, and] also their beasts and all of their animals flee here and there. And with this commandment that is among our people, beasts and vessels will be safe in every place that they may be in our holy Land as if they were under the hand of their owners. “And all of the directives of the Lord are straight, they rejoice the heart.”

לְקָבְרוֹ בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם וְכֵן כָּל הַמֵּתִים – לִקְבֹּר מִי שֶׁנִּתְלָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כא כג) כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְגוֹ'. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרֵי (כאן) כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין שם, א) שֶׁאֵין מִצְוָה זוֹ בַּנִּתְלֶה לְבַד, אֶלָּא אַף כָּל הֲרוּגֵי בֵּית דִּין מִצְוָה לְקָבְרָם בְּיוֹם הֲרִיגָתָם. גַּם בִּכְלַל הַמִּצְוָה לִקְבֹּר כָּל מֵת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ, וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן יִקְרְאוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מִי שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק בִּקְבוּרָתוֹ מֵת מִצְוָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁמִּצְוָה עַל הַכֹּל לְקָבְרוֹ מִצַּד הַצִּוּוּי הַזֶּה. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בַּמִּשְׁנָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת (שם) שֶׁשְּׁנֵי קְבָרוֹת הָיוּ נִתְקָנִין לְבֵית דִּין, אֶחָד לַנִּסְקָלִין וְלַנִּשְׂרָפִין, שֶׁדִּינָם חָמוּר, וְאֶחָד לַנֶּהֱרָגִים וְלַנֶּחְנָקִים, שֶׁדִּינָם קַל, וְאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְעַכֵּל בְּשַׂר הַנִּדּוֹן לְשָׁם מְלַקְּטִין אֶת הָעֲצָמוֹת וְקוֹבְרִין אוֹתָן בְּקִבְרוֹת אֲבוֹתֵיהֶן. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בַּפֶּרֶק הַנִּזְכָּר [יו"ד סי' שפ"ב].

To bury him on the same day, and so [too] all the dead: To bury the one that was hung on that [same] day, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 21:23), “rather you shall surely bury him on that day, etc.” And the language of Sifrei here is “‘Rather you shall surely bury him on that day’ is a positive commandment.” From the laws of this commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 46a) that this commandment is not only with one who is hung, but rather even with all those killed by the court — it is a commandment to bury them on the day of their killing. Also included in this commandment is to bury all Jewish dead on the day of their death. And because of this, they, may their memory be blessed, called a dead body that has no one to be involved in his burial, “a dead body of the commandment (met mitsvah),” which is to say that it is a commandment upon all to bury him due to this command. And they, may their memory be blessed, said in the Mishnah mentioned (Sanhedrin 46a) that two gravesites were set up for the courts, one for those stoned and burnt — whose punishment is more severe — and one for those who are killed (decapitated) and asphyxiated — whose punishment is more lenient. And after the flesh has decomposed, we collect the bones of the one convicted to be there and bury them in their fathers’ gravesites. And more details are in the mentioned chapter. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 382.)

שֶׁלֹּא לִקַּח אֵם עַל בָּנִים – שֶׁלֹּא נִקַּח קַן צִפּוֹר הָאֵם וְהָאֶפְרוֹחִים אוֹ הַבֵּיצִים בִּכְלָלוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁנְּשַׁלֵּחַ הָאֵם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כב ו) לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים. מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. וּקְצָת דִּינֶיהָ וְכָל עִנְיָנָהּ כָּתַבְתִּי בַּעֲשֵׂה שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁבְּסֵדֶר זֶה (מצוה תקמה), תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם, וְשָׁם דִּבַּרְנוּ גַּם כֵּן עַל הַלָּאו הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא נִתָּק לַעֲשֵׂה דְּשַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם. וּכְבָר לִמְּדוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַסֶּכֶת מַכּוֹת פֶּרֶק אֵלּוּ הֵן הַלּוֹקִין (מכות טו, ב) שֶׁכָּל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ קוּם עֲשֵׂה, קִיֵּם עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבָּהּ פָּטוּר, לֹא קִיֵּם עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבָּהּ וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְקַיְּמוֹ עוֹד חַיָּב מַלְקוּת, וְכִדְאִתְּמַר הָתָם, דַּאֲמַר לֵהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְתַנָּא, תְּנִי קִיְּמוֹ וְלֹא קִיְּמוֹ, וְזוֹ הִיא הַגִּרְסָא הַנְּכוֹנָה (כגרסת הרי"ף והרמב"ן שם). וּמִן הַדַּעַת הַזּוֹ לָמַדְנוּ, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁמֵּתָה הָאֵם אוֹ שִׁלְּחָהּ אָדָם אַחֵר, שֶׁחַיָּב, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעַכְשָׁו לֹא בִּטֵּל הוּא הָעֲשֵׂה בְּיָדָיו, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא הֱמִיתָהּ הוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁמֵּתָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הֱמִיתָהּ הוּא בְּיָדָיו שֶׁחַיָּב לְכֻלֵּי עָלְמָא. אֲבָל כָּל זְמַן שֶׁשִּׁלְּחָהּ קֹדֶם שֶׁתָּמוּת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא שִׁלְּחָהּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁלְּקָחָהּ מִן הַקֵּן לֹא בִּטֵּל הַלָּאו וְלֹא הָעֲשֵׂה, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִתְּקוֹ לַעֲשֵׂה, וַהֲרֵי קִיְּמוֹ. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, דְּשֶׁמָּא תָּמוּת הָאֵם אוֹ הַמְּשַׁלֵּחַ קֹדֶם שִׁלּוּחַ וְלֹא יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן, וְעוֹד שֶׁהַזְּרִיזִין מַקְדִּימִין לְמִצְוֹת, וְדָבָר בְּעִתּוֹ מַה טּוֹב (משלי טו, כג).

To not take the mother upon the young: That we should not take a bird’s nest — the mother and the chicks or the eggs together — but rather that we should send away the mother. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 22:6), “do not take the mother upon the young.” I have written about the roots of the commandment and a few of its laws and all of its matter in its positive commandment in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 545) — see there. And there we also spoke about this negative commandment; that it is rectified by the positive commandment of “you shall surely send away the mother.” And they, may their memory be blessed, have already taught us in Tractate Makkot 15a in the chapter [entitled] Elu Hen HaLokin [about] all negative commandments that have a positive commandment (that reverses the result of transgressing the negative commandment) — that if he fulfilled its positive commandment, he is exempt [from punishment]; [but] if he did not fulfill the positive commandment and it is [now] impossible to fulfill it, he is liable for lashes. And as it is stated over there, “As Rabbi Yochanan said to the teacher, ‘It is taught, “He fulfilled it and he did not fulfill it.”’” And that is the correct textual variant (like the variant of Rif and Ramban). And from this opinion we learned that any time the mother dies or another man has sent it away — and even though he has now not negated the positive commandment with his [own] hands, as behold, he did not kill it, but rather it died on its own; and there is no need to say if he killed the mother with his [own] hands — that he is liable for lashes according to everyone. But any time that he sent it before it died — even though he did not send it when he took it [with] the nest — he has not violated the negative commandment nor the positive commandment, since the Torah rectified it with the positive commandment; and behold, he [now] fulfilled it. And [this is so] even though it is not fitting to do so — as maybe the mother will die or the sender [will die] before the sending and he will not be able to fix [it]; and also since “enthusiasts are prompt with commandments,” and “how good is a thing in its time.”

שֶׁלֹּא לִלְבֹּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז – שֶׁלֹּא נִלְבַּשׁ בֶּגֶד הַמְחֻבָּר מִצֶּמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים, וְזֶהוּ נִקְרָא שַׁעַטְנֵז, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כב יא) לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים יַחְדָּו. רֶמֶז מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. כָּתַבְתִּי בְּסֵדֶר מִשְׁפָּטִים בְּעִנְיַן מְכַשֵּׁפָה לֹא תְחַיֶּה (מצוה סב). וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב (בסהמ"צ ל"ת מב ובמורה נבוכים ח"ג פל"ז) בְּטַעַם הָאִסּוּר, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ כּוּמָרֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לוֹבְשִׁין בַּזְּמַן הַהוּא כֵּן, וְהוּא כָּתַב עוֹד כִּי הַיּוֹם עֲדַיִן מְפֻרְסָם הַדָּבָר אֵצֶל כּוּמָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּמִצְרַיִם.

To not wear shaatnez: To not wear clothing that is composed of wool and flax (linen), and that is what is called, shaatnez. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 22:11), “You shall not wear shaatnez, wool and flax together.” I wrote a hint about the roots of the commandment in the Order of Mishpatim about the matter of “do not keep a witch alive” (Sefer HaChinukh 62). And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote about the explanation of the prohibition (in Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 42 and in Guide for the Perplexed 3:37), [that] it is because the priests of idolatry would dress like this at that time. And he wrote further that this matter is still known with the priests that are in Egypt.