Derasha on Bamidbar 35:17 · TT unit 2

Parashas Masei · Passuk 35:17 · TT note 2

The Complete Passuk

וְאִ֡ם בְּאֶ֣בֶן יָד֩ אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֨וּת בָּ֥הּ הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת רֹצֵ֣חַֽ ה֑וּא מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָרֹצֵֽחַ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei (TT note on “מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ”).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifrei
מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ — יָכוֹל מִדִּכְתִיב אוֹ בְּאֶבֶן אֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא אִם הֲרָגוֹ בְּאֶבֶן, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם גִּלְגֵּל עָלָיו סְלָעִים וְעַמּוּדִים וְהֲרָגוֹ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר רוֹצֵחַ הוּא מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ — מִכׇּל מָקוֹם.

English: “The murderer shall surely be put to death” — one might think that because it is written “or with a stone” he is liable only if he killed with a stone; from where [do we know] that if he rolled rocks and pillars upon him and killed him he is liable? Scripture says “he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death” — in any case.

Type of Learning

Expansion of liability beyond a hand-held stone to any stone mass that kills.

What Is Learned

Death caused by any form of stone (hand-stone or rolled mass) renders the killer a murderer liable to capital punishment.