Those Sent on a Mitzvah Are Never Harmed Going or Returning

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 403:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And no man shall covet your land" (Exodus 34:24). Rabbi Eleazar said: those who are sent to perform a commandment are not harmed, neither on their way out nor on their way back. According to whom is this? According to this Tanna, for it was taught: Isi ben Yehudah says, regarding what the Torah said, "And no man shall covet your land," this teaches that your cow shall graze in the meadow and no wild beast shall harm it, and your hen shall peck at the dunghill and no weasel shall harm it. And is this not a matter of inference from minor to major [kal va-chomer]? If creatures whose nature it is to be harmed are not harmed, then a person, whose nature it is not to be harmed, how much more so! I would know this only for the journey out; from where do I know it for the return? The verse states, "and you shall turn in the morning and go to your tents" (Deuteronomy 16:7), teaching that you shall go and find your tent in peace. But once it is derived from "and you shall turn in the morning" that even on the return one is not harmed, why do I need a verse for the journey out? It is needed for the teaching of Rabbi Ami: whoever owns land goes up for the pilgrimage festival, and whoever does not own land does not go up for the festival.

Themes

Holy LandCommandmentsDivine Justice

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