Derasha on Bamidbar 35:21 · TT unit 5

Parashas Masei · Passuk 35:21 · TT note 5

The Complete Passuk

א֣וֹ בְאֵיבָ֞ה הִכָּ֤הוּ בְיָדוֹ֙ וַיָּמֹ֔ת מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַמַּכֶּ֖ה רֹצֵ֣חַֽ ה֑וּא גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֗ם יָמִ֛ית אֶת־הָרֹצֵ֖חַ בְּפִגְעוֹ־בֽוֹ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 15b (TT note on “רֹצֵחַ הוּא”).

E-Daf — Sanhedrin 15b · Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sanhedrin 15b
רֹצֵחַ הוּא — מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, לוֹמַר לָךְ, עַל רְצִיחָתוֹ אַתָּה הוֹרְגוֹ וְאִי אַתָּה הוֹרְגוֹ עַל רְצִיחַת שׁוֹרוֹ.

English: “He is a murderer” — what does this teach? To tell you: for his [own] murder you put him to death, but you do not put him to death for the killing done by his ox.

Type of Learning

Distinction between personal homicide and liability for an animal’s act.

What Is Learned

Capital execution applies only to the person’s own murderous act, not to a death caused by his ox (which has a separate civil/tort regime).