Derasha 1 on Vayikra 4:22

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 22 · Unit 1 of 8

The Complete Passuk

אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָשִׂ֖יא יֶחֱטָ֑א וְעָשָׂ֡ה אַחַ֣ת מִכׇּל־מִצְוֺת֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהָ֜יו אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־תֵעָשֶׂ֛ינָה בִּשְׁגָגָ֖ה וְאָשֵֽׁם׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Horayos 10b (unit 1; single primary locus per emergency Core plan).

E-Daf.com — Horayos 10b
HebrewBooks / Shas PDF

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Horayos 10b
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: אַשְׁרֵי הַדּוֹר שֶׁהַנָּשִׂיא שֶׁלּוֹ מֵבִיא קָרְבָּן עַל שִׁגְגָתוֹ.

English: Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai said: Fortunate is the generation whose nasi brings an offering for his inadvertent sin.

In the sugya: The very existence of a chatas for the nasi is taken as a sign of a generation that holds its leaders accountable and whose leaders accept responsibility.

Type of Learning

Praise of a generation with accountable leadership — a nasi who acknowledges and atones for shegagah is a mark of a blessed generation.

What Is Learned

Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai praises the generation whose nasi brings a chatas for his own inadvertent sin. The willingness of the highest political authority to submit to the same atonement process as any private individual is itself a measure of the generation’s spiritual health.