Derasha 2 on Vayikra 5:1

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 6 · Passuk 1

The Complete Passuk

וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ כִּֽי־תֶחֱטָ֗א וְשָֽׁמְעָה֙ ק֣וֹל אָלָ֔ה וְה֣וּא עֵ֔ד א֥וֹ רָאָ֖ה א֣וֹ יָדָ֑ע אִם־ל֥וֹא יַגִּ֖יד וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲוֺנֽוֹ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima / classical sources on scope of “or saw or knew.”

E-Daf — Shevuos 33b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
א֥וֹ רָאָה א֣וֹ יָדָע — לְרַבּוֹת יְדִיעָה בְּלֹא רְאִיָּה וּרְאִיָּה בְּלֹא יְדִיעָה כְּעִנְיָן.

English: “Or saw or knew” — to include knowledge without seeing and seeing without [full] knowledge, according to the matter.

On the daf / in context: The double phrase expands which witnesses are covered: not only those who both saw and fully understood the facts.

Type of Learning

R’ Eliezer #1 (ריבוי).

What Is Learned

Liability for withholding testimony can apply to one who saw or one who knew the relevant facts.