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teach these things to the priest, or the one entrusted with the leadership of the people at that time, and fulfill what is commanded. If indeed someone, acting with arrogance, should speak against the things said by the high priest or the judge, let him be punished by death, and become a prime example of benefit for others. XVIII Why indeed does it command the ruler not to multiply horses? It wants them to trust in God alone. For this very reason the blessed David also cried out: "a king is not saved by a great host, and a giant will not be saved by the greatness of his strength. A horse is a false hope for salvation, and in the abundance of its power he will not be saved." XIX Why does it command the captive woman to mourn her family for a specified number of days and then to be joined to the one who enslaved her? It does not want mourning to be mixed with gladness, nor a tear with a smile. For this reason it commanded her to take a time for mourning of thirty days, and then thus, having been released from her mourning, to share in marital intercourse. And in addition to this, it also curbs his desire, commanding that not the passion of pleasure, but the reason of fellowship should lead. But if after the intercourse he should refuse the marriage, it commanded that she be set free, having received her freedom as payment for the intercourse. XX Why does it want the accusation of the parents made against a child to be joint? Because the agreement of the accusers testifies to the truth of the accusation. For it often happens that, while the father is accusing in vain, the mother contradicts, or while the mother is accusing, the father contradicts. However, when both are accusing of the same things, it will be clear that the accusation is true. For which very reason it commands the one thus accused to be put to death. XXI Why indeed, for one who has found young birds, does it command him to take these, but to let go those who gave them birth? 246 It teaches humanity. For if one should take the parents and leave the young, they will certainly perish, since there is no one to feed them. But if one should hunt both these and those, the species of birds will evidently be destroyed, if all were to do the same things. XXII For what reason did it command that there be a parapet on the roof? It taught what follows. For it said, "and you shall not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it." For having honored us with reason, he wants us to use this as is necessary, and to take forethought for all things, and not foolishly concede all things to God; but contributing our own part, to await the help from there. Thus when we sow, we do not trust in the earth, but we await the divine benevolence; and when using doctors, we know that it is of God to heal through them. For the art is capable of only so much as the one who has given it wishes. XXIII What is, "You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds, lest the produce be consecrated, and the seed which you sow along with the produce of your vineyard." It both cuts off greed and provides for the farmers themselves. For the earth, receiving more seeds, yields faded fruits. It commands, therefore, neither to cast down mixed seeds, nor indeed to sow the vineyards. Then it gives a penalty to the one who transgresses, punishing the desire for profit. For it commanded such things to be offered. For this it said: "lest the produce be consecrated." 247 XXIV Why does it command the one who violates a woman betrothed to another to be punished similarly to an adulterer? Because the tokens of betrothal have joined them; whence it also called her a wife. "For," it says, "he has humbled the wife of his neighbor." Thus also the holy virgin was called the wife of Joseph. "For," it says, "do not be afraid to take Mary your wife." XXV Why does it forbid one whose testicles are crushed and one who is castrated to enter the assembly? Through these it signifies the barrenness of the soul. For the fruitlessness of good things is alien from God. Moreover, it forbids doing such things not only in the case of humans, but also in the case of animals; for the reproductive parts were created for the increase of the species. And just as it forbids fruitlessness, so also it casts out evil fruit. "not

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δίδαξον αὐτὰ τὸν ἱερέα, ἢ τὸν κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν τὴν δημαγωγίαν πεπιστευμένον, καὶ τὸ κελευόμενον πλήρωσον. εἰ δή τις τύφῳ χρώμενος τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ἢ τοῦ κριτοῦ λεγομένοις ἀντείποι, θανάτῳ ζη μιούσθω, καὶ γινέσθω τοῖς ἄλλοις ὠφελείας ἀρχέτυπον. XVIII Τί δήποτε κελεύει τὸν ἄρχοντα ἵππους μὴ πληθύνειν; Βούλεται αὐτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ μόνῳ θαρρεῖν. διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ∆αβὶδ ὁ μα 245 κάριος ἐβόα· " οὐ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύ ναμιν, καὶ γίγας οὐ σωθήσεται ἐν πλήθει ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται ". XIX ∆ιὰ τί τὴν αἰχμάλωτον θρηνεῖν τοὺς οἰκείους κελεύει ῥητὸν ἡμερῶν ἀριθ μὸν εἶθ' οὕτω συναφθῆναι τῷ ταύτην ἀνδραποδίσαντι; Οὐ βούλεται ἀναμιγῆναι θρῆνον εὐφροσύνῃ, οὐδὲ μειδιάματι δάκρυον. τούτου χάριν προσέταξε καιρὸν αὐτὴν τοῦ πένθους λαβεῖν τριάκοντα ἡμέρας, εἶθ' οὕτω τοῦ πένθους ἀπαλλαγεῖσαν, μεταλαχεῖν τῆς γαμικῆς ὁμιλίας. πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν ἐκείνου κολάζει, κελεύων μὴ τῆς ἡδονῆς τὸ πάθος, ἀλλὰ τὸν λογισμὸν τῆς κοινωνίας ἡγήσασθαι. ἐὰν δὲ μετὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν παραιτήσαιτο τὸν γάμον, ἀπολυθῆναι προσ έταξε, μισθὸν τῆς κοινωνίας τὴν ἐλευθερίαν λαβοῦσαν. XX ∆ιὰ τί κοινὴν εἶναι βούλεται τὴν τῶν γονέων κατηγορίαν κατὰ παιδὸς γιγνομένην; Ἐπειδὴ μαρτυρεῖ τῇ τῆς κατηγορίας ἀληθείᾳ τῶν κατηγορούντων ἡ συμ φωνία. συμβαίνει γὰρ πολλάκις, μάτην τοῦ πατρὸς κατηγοροῦντος, ἀν τειπεῖν τὴν μητέρα, ἢ τῆς μητρὸς αἰτιωμένης, ἀντειπεῖν τὸν πατέρα. τὰ αὐτὰ μέντοι ἀμφοτέρων κατηγορούντων, δῆλον ἔσται τῆς κατηγορίας τὸ ἀληθές. οὗ δὴ χάριν ἀναιρεῖσθαι κελεύει τὸν οὕτω κατηγορούμενον. XXI Τί δήποτε τὸν νεοττοὺς ὀρνίθων εὑρηκότα, τούτους μὲν κελεύει λαβεῖν, τοὺς δὲ γεγεννηκότας ἀφεῖναι; 246 Φιλανθρωπίαν παιδεύει. εἰ γὰρ τοὺς τεκόντας λάβοι, καὶ καταλίποι τοὺς νεοττούς, ἀπολοῦνται πάντως, οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ τρέφοντος. εἰ δὲ καὶ τούτους κἀκείνους θηρεύσοι, διαφθαρήσεται δηλονότι τῶν ὀρνίθων τὸ γένος, εἰ πάντες τὰ ὅμοια δράσαιεν. XXII Τίνος χάριν στεφάνην τῷ δώματι γενέσθαι παρεκελεύσατο; Ἐδίδαξε τὰ ἑξῆς. ἔφη γάρ, " καὶ οὐ ποιήσεις φόνον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου, ἐὰν πέσῃ ὁ πέσων ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ". λόγῳ γὰρ ἡμᾶς τιμήσας, βούλεται τούτῳ εἰς δέον κεχρῆσθαι, καὶ πάντων προ μηθεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἀνοήτως πάντων παραχωρεῖν τῷ Θεῷ· ἀλλὰ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν συνεισφέροντας ἀναμένειν τὴν ἐκεῖθεν βοήθειαν. οὕτω σπείρον τες οὐ θαρροῦμεν τῇ γῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν προσμένομεν· καὶ χρώμενοι ἰατροῖς, ἴσμεν ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ διὰ τούτων ἰάσασθαι. τοσαῦτα γὰρ ἡ τέχνη δύναται, ὅσαπερ ὁ ταύτην δεδωκὼς βούλεται. XXIII Τί ἐστιν, " οὐ κατασπερεῖς τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου διά φορον, ἵνα μὴ ἁγιασθῇ τὸ γένημα, καὶ τὸ σπέρ μα, ὃ ἂν σπείρῃς μετὰ τοῦ γενήματος τοῦ ἀμπε λῶνός σου ". Καὶ τὴν ἀπληστίαν ἐκκόπτει, καὶ αὐτῶν προμηθεῖται τῶν γεωργούντων. πλείονα γὰρ ἡ γῆ σπέρματα δεχομένη, ἐξιτήλους δίδωσι τοὺς καρπούς. κελεύει τοίνυν μήτε ἀναμεμιγμένα σπέρματα καταβάλλειν, μήτε μὴν τὰς ἀμπέλους σπείρειν. εἶτα τῷ παραβαίνοντι δίδωσιν ἐπιτίμιον, τὴν τοῦ κέρδους κολάζων ἐπιθυμίαν. ἐκέλευσε γὰρ αὐτῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα προσφέρεσ θαι. τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν· " ἵνα μὴ ἁγιασθῇ τὸ γένημα ". 247 XXIV ∆ιὰ τί τῷ μοιχῷ παραπλησίως κολάζεσθαι κελεύει τὸν φθείροντα τὴν ἄλλῳ μεμνηστευμένην; Ἐπειδὴ τὰ τῆς μνηστείας αὐτοὺς συνήρμοσεν σύμβολα· ὅθεν καὶ γυναῖκα αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσεν. " ἐταπείνωσε, γάρ φησι, τὴν γυναῖ κα τοῦ πλησίον ". οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἁγία παρθένος γυνὴ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐχρημάτισεν. " μὴ φοβηθῇς, γάρ φησι, παραλαβεῖν Μα ριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου ". XXV ∆ιὰ τί τὸν θλαδίαν καὶ τὸν ἐκτομίαν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀπαγορεύει; Τὸ ἄγονον τῆς ψυχῆς διὰ τούτων αἰνίττεται. ἀλλοτρία γὰρ Θεοῦ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀκαρπία. ἄλλως δὲ οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κτηνῶν ἀπαγορεύει τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν· εἰς γὰρ τὴν τοῦ γένους αὔ ξησιν τὰ γεννητικὰ δεδημιούργεται μόρια. ὥσπερ δὲ τὴν ἀκαρπίαν ἀπα γορεύει, οὕτως καὶ τὸν πονηρὸν ἐκβάλλει καρπόν. " οὐκ