About Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
Rabbi Jack Abramowitz served as Director of Programs for NCSY before becoming Associate Director of the Pepa and Rabbi Joseph Karasick Department of Synagogue Services. Rabbi Abramowitz holds degrees in Jewish studies, communications and Higher Education Administration. Among his accomplishments, he authored NCSY's Torah on One Foot series of educational pamphlets and created negiah.org, the first abstinence web site for Jewish teens. Rabbi Abramowitz is the author of The Shnayim Mikra Companion on Torah, The Nach Yomi Companion volumes 1 and 2 on the books of the Prophets and the Writings, and The Tzniyus Book.

Recent Posts

Taryag: A Mitzvah a Day

Questions? Contact us at taryag@ou.org

PARSHAT Re'eh
MITZVAH COUNTER
Mitzvos to date: 464
Positives:193
Negatives:271
That can be performed today:201
Plus those that can be performed only in Israel:20

464. Burn, Baby, Burn: The obligation to burn the idolatrous city


…you shall completely burn the city in fire… (Deuteronomy 13:17)

If a city has been led astray into idolatry, there is a positive mitzvah to burn it and everything in it. This law applies to a city that has been deemed an “ir hanidachas,” meaning that they meet certain conditions. For example, they have to have been led astray by at least two deceivers as per Deuteronomy 13:14. Those deceivers have to be from the same Tribe as the city they misled (ibid.) and the majority of the population has to be so misled, up to half the Tribe. A city must have at least 100 residents even to be up for consideration. There are many more conditions for a city to be judged an ir hanidachas, enumerated in Talmud Sanhedrin 111b.

If a city is deemed an ir hanidachas, it and everything in it must be burned. (If a city fails to be deemed an ir hanidachas, the idolaters are liable to the penalty of stoning and their heirs inherit their property.) Jerusalem and cities of refuge are ineligible to be deemed cities led astray.

The reason for this mitzvah is that the ir hanidachas is a cancer. It is so thoroughly corrupt that it must be altogether wiped out. It would not do to have other residents moving in or artifacts from the city in circulation. Its legacy must be destroyed.

This mitzvah only applies at a time when the Jews reside in their land. It is discussed in the Talmud in the tractate Sanhedrin on page 111b. It is codified the Mishneh Torah in the fourth chapter of Hilchos Avodas Kochavim. This mitzvah is #184 of the 248 positive mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.



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