Ki Tetse

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21:10
21:11


21:12

21:10	First Reading When you wage war against your enemies, God will give you victory over them, so that you will take captives. Ki-tetse lamilchamah al-oyveycha unetano Adonay Eloheycha beyadecha veshavita shivyo.
21:11	If you see a beautiful woman among the prisoners and desire her, you may take her as a wife. Vera'ita bashivyah eshet yefat-toar vechashakta vah velakachta lecha le'ishah.
21:12	In such a case, when you bring her home, she must shave off her head and let her fingernails grow. Vahavetah el-toch beytecha vegilechah et-roshah ve'asetah et-tsiporneyha.

Commentary:

as a wife
He can marry her immediately if she agrees to convert to Judaism (Yevamoth 47b; Yad, Melakhim 8:5). However, some maintain that he must still wait three months before being intimate with her (Kesef Mishneh ad loc.). See note on Deuteronomy 21:13.

In such a case
That is, if she does not immediately wish to convert (Yad, ibid.).

shave off her head
To make her less attractive (Ibn Ezra). Also as a sign of purification and new status; see Leviticus 14:8, Numbers 8:7 (Chizzkuni).

let her fingernails grow
(Targum; Rashi; Yad, Melakhim 8:5). Literally, 'make her nails.' Or, 'cut her fingernails' (Chizzkuni; Septuagint). Both opinions are found in the Talmud (Yevamoth 48a; Sifri; cf. HaKethav VeHaKabbalah).

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