The Ir nidachat (Hebrew: עיר נידחת; the "city led astray") is a biblical command on idolatry in

Deuteronomy Deuteronomy ( grc, Δευτερονόμιον, Deuteronómion, second law) is the fifth and last book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called (Hebrew: hbo, , Dəḇārīm, hewords Moses.html"_;"title="f_Moses">f_Moseslabel=none)_and_th ...

br>13:13-19
If the inhabitants of an

Israelite The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...

city become idolaters, they and their livestock must be slaughtered and the city be burnt to the ground, never to be rebuilt. See discussion under ''

Re'eh Re'eh, Reeh, R'eih, or Ree (—Hebrew for "see", the first word in the parashah) is the 47th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fourth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It comprises . In the parasha ...

'', the

weekly Torah portion It is a custom among religious Jewish communities for a weekly Torah portion to be read during Jewish prayer services on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. The full name, ''Parashat HaShavua'' ( he, פָּרָשַׁת הַשָּׁבוּעַ), is po ...

including this section. Note that the Sages ( ''Sanhedrin''br>71a

Rabbi Jonathan Rabbi Jonathan (Hebrew: רבי יונתן, ''Rabi Yonatan'') was a '' tanna'' of the 2nd century and schoolfellow of R. Josiah, apart from whom he is rarely quoted. Jonathan is generally so cited within further designation; but there is ample re ...

dissenting) interpreted this law so restrictively that “there never was and never will be” a case in which the law was applied; here, if the city contains even a single mezuzah, the law is not enforced. Under this view, this law — along with ''

ben sorer umoreh Ki Teitzei, Ki Tetzei, Ki Tetse, Ki Thetze, Ki Tese, Ki Tetzey, or Ki Seitzei ( — Hebrew for "when you go," the first words in the parashah) is the 49th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the s ...

'' ("the wayward son") — was never meant to be put into practice, but was written solely “so that we should expound and receive reward.” It has only an educational and not a legal function.

References

*Legal: Rabbi

Moses Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...

, Mishne Torah,
Avodah Zarah ch 4.
*Discussion: Rabbi

Jonathan Sacks Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks ( he, יונתן הנרי זקס, translit=Yona'tan Henry Zaks; 8 March 19487 November 2020) was an English Orthodox rabbi, philosopher, theologian, and author. Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United He ...

,
"Environmental Responsibility"
in ''Covenant and Conversation'' Jewish law Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Positive Mitzvoth {{Hebrew-Bible-stub