Derasha 1 on Vayikra 5:17

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 7 · Passuk 17

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ כִּ֣י תֶחֱטָ֔א וְעָֽשְׂתָ֗ה אַחַת֙ מִכָּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֣א תֵעָשֶׂ֑ינָה וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע וְאָשֵׁ֖ם וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲוֺנֽוֹ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to asham taluy — the suspended guilt-offering.

E-Daf — Kerisos 22a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְאִם־נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וְעָשְׂתָה אַחַת מִכָּל־מִצְוֺת יְהֹוָה… וְלֹא־יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם וְנָשָׂא עֲוֺנוֹ — אָשָׁם תָּלוּי.

English: “And if a soul sins and does one of all the commandments of Hashem… and he did not know, and is guilty and bears his iniquity” — this is the suspended asham.

On the daf / in context: Doubtful case: the person may have committed a chatas-level prohibition but does not know for certain. The asham taluy “suspends” the guilt until the matter is clarified.

Type of Learning

Custom (case of uncertainty).

What Is Learned

When one is unsure whether a prohibited act was done, an asham taluy is brought until the doubt is resolved.