Derasha 8 — Vayikra 4:3

אִ֣ם הַכֹּהֵ֧ן הַמָּשִׁ֛יחַ יֶחֱטָ֖א לְאַשְׁמַ֣ת הָעָ֑ם וְהִקְרִ֡יב עַ֣ל חַטָּאתוֹ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָטָ֜א פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֥ר תָּמִ֛ים לַיהֹוָ֖ה לְחַטָּֽאת׃

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Horayos 7a

יָכוֹל אִם הוֹרָה וְעָשׂוּ אַחֲרָיו בְּהוֹרָאָתוֹ יְהֵא חַיָּב? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְהִקְרִיב עַל חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא״ — עַל מַה שֶּׁחָטָא הוּא מֵבִיא.

English: Might one think: if he ruled and others acted after his ruling he is liable? The verse says “and he shall offer for his sin that he has sinned” — for what he himself sinned he brings.

In the sugya: The verse’s emphasis on “his sin that he has sinned” is used to limit liability to the High Priest’s own act and to exclude liability for the acts of those who followed his ruling.

Type of Learning

Miyut of followers’ acts — the High Priest brings only for his own act, not for others who followed his ruling.

What Is Learned

The High Priest brings only for his own act, not for others who followed his ruling. One might have thought that a High Priest who issued an erroneous ruling would be liable for the acts performed by those who relied on it. The verse’s language “for his sin that he has sinned” restricts the offering to the High Priest’s own personal sin and excludes the acts of followers.

Derasha 8 on Vayikra 4:3

The Complete Passuk

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Type of Learning

What Is Learned