Tanach
Devarim 21:1-9 דברים כ״א:א׳-ט׳
Part of: ShoftimShoftim, Aliyah 7Chapter 21
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
כִּי־יִמָּצֵא חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ נֹפֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּֽהוּ׃
If a corpse is found in the land that Adonoy, your God, is giving you to inherit, fallen in the field, it is not known who smote him.
If a corpse is found in the land that Adonoy, your God, is giving you to inherit, fallen in the field, it is not known who smote him.
וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְשֹׁפְטֶיךָ וּמָדְדוּ אֶל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹת הֶחָלָֽל׃
Your elders shall go out—and your judges—and measure in the direction of the cities around the corpse.
Your elders shall go out—and your judges—and measure in the direction of the cities around the corpse.
Rashi
ומדדו. מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֶחָלָל שׁוֹכֵב:
And measure. From the spot where the corpse is lying.
אל הערים אשר סביבת החלל. לְכָל צַד וְצַד לֵידַע אֵי זוֹ קְרוֹבָה:
In the direction of the cities around the corpse. In every direction, in order to determine which is closest.
וְהָיָה הָעִיר הַקְּרֹבָה אֶל־הֶחָלָל וְלָֽקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא עֶגְלַת בָּקָר אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד בָּהּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־מָשְׁכָה בְּעֹֽל׃
Now, the city nearest the corpse—the elders of that city are to take a calf-heifer that has not been worked, that has not drawn [with] a yoke.
Now, the city nearest the corpse—the elders of that city are to take a calf-heifer that has not been worked, that has not drawn [with] a yoke.
וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה אֶל־נַחַל אֵיתָן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָה בַּנָּֽחַל׃
The elders of that city will take down the calf to a stony valley that is not to be tilled and not to be seeded, and they shall decapitate the calf in that valley.
The elders of that city will take down the calf to a stony valley that is not to be tilled and not to be seeded, and they shall decapitate the calf in that valley.
Rashi
אל נחל איתן. קָשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֱבַד:
To a stony valley. Hard, which cannot be cultivated.
וערפו. קוֹצֵץ עָרְפָּהּ בְּקוֹפִיץ; אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה תָּבֹא עֶגְלָה בַת שְׁנָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא עָשְׂתָה פֵרוֹת וְתֵעָרֵף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, לְכַפֵּר עַל הֲרִיגָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (סוטה מ"ו):
They shall decapitate. By severing the nape with an axe. The Holy One, may He be blessed, said, ‘Let a yearling calf, which never bore fruit, come and be decapitated in a place which cannot bear fruit, as atonement for the murder of the one who was not permitted to bear fruit.
וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי כִּי בָם בָּחַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה וְעַל־פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כׇּל־רִיב וְכׇל־נָֽגַע׃
The kohanim, descendants of Levi, will approach; because them did Adonoy, your God, choose to serve Him and to bless in Adonoy’s Name; and they will decide every dispute and every nega.
The kohanim, descendants of Levi, will approach; because them did Adonoy, your God, choose to serve Him and to bless in Adonoy’s Name; and they will decide every dispute and every nega.
וְכֹל זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא הַקְּרֹבִים אֶל־הֶחָלָל יִרְחֲצוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם עַל־הָעֶגְלָה הָעֲרוּפָה בַנָּֽחַל׃
And all the elders of that city, those near the corpse, will wash their hands over the calf beheaded in that valley.
And all the elders of that city, those near the corpse, will wash their hands over the calf beheaded in that valley.
וְעָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ יָדֵינוּ לֹא (שפכה) [שָֽׁפְכוּ] אֶת־הַדָּם הַזֶּה וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאֽוּ׃
They will loudly declare, ‘‘Our hands have not spilled this blood and our eyes did not see.’’
They will loudly declare, ‘‘Our hands have not spilled this blood and our eyes did not see.’’
Rashi
ידינו לא שפכה. וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל לֵב שֶׁזִּקְנֵי בֵית דִּין שׁוֹפְכֵי דָמִים הֵם? אֶלָּא לֹא רְאִינוּהוּ וּפְטַרְנוּהוּ בְּלֹא מְזוֹנוֹת וּבְלֹא לְוָיָה (סוטה מ"ה). הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמְרִים כפר לעמך ישראל:
Our hands have not spilled. Is it possible to imagine that the elders of the court committed murder? Rather, ‘We did not observe him and dismiss him without food and escort.’ The kohanim then say:
כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִיתָ יְהֹוָה וְאַל־תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם הַדָּֽם׃
[The kohanim will say,] ‘‘Forgive Your people Yisroel, whom You, Adonoy, have redeemed; and do not allow innocent blood [liability] within Your people Yisroel.’’ The blood shall thus be atoned for in their behalf.
[The kohanim will say,] ‘‘Forgive Your people Yisroel, whom You, Adonoy, have redeemed; and do not allow innocent blood [liability] within Your people Yisroel.’’ The blood shall thus be atoned for in their behalf.
Rashi
ונכפר להם הדם. הַכָּתוּב מְבַשְּׂרָם, שֶׁמִּשֶּׁעָשׂוּ כֵן יְכֻפַּר לָהֶם הֶעָוֹן (שם):
Forgive your people Yisroel: The blood shall thus be atoned for in their behalf. Scripture informs them that once they have fulfilled this, the sin will be absolved.
וְאַתָּה תְּבַעֵר הַדָּם הַנָּקִי מִקִּרְבֶּךָ כִּֽי־תַעֲשֶׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}
Still, you must eradicate the [liability for] innocent blood from within you, when you do what is upright in Adonoy’s eyes.
Still, you must eradicate the [liability for] innocent blood from within you, when you do what is upright in Adonoy’s eyes.
Rashi
ואתה תבער. מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם נִמְצָא הַהוֹרֵג אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְעָרְפָה הָעֶגְלָה הֲרֵי זֶה יֵהָרֵג וְהוּא הישר בעיני ה' (סוטה מ"ז; כתובות ל"ז):
Still, you must eradicate. This teaches that if the murderer is apprehended after the decapitation of the heifer, he must be executed. This is righteous in the eyes of God.
ויצאו זקניך. מְיֻחָדִים שֶׁבִּזְקֵנֶיךָ, אֵלּוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה (סוטה מ"ד):
Your elders shall go out. The most distinguished of your elders. This refers to the supreme Sanhedrin.