Derasha on Bamidbar 35:24 · TT unit 2

Parashas Masei · Passuk 35:24 · TT note 2

The Complete Passuk

וְשָֽׁפְטוּ֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה בֵּ֚ין הַמַּכֶּ֔ה וּבֵ֖ין גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֑ם עַ֥ל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Kamma 87a (TT note on “עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים”).

E-Daf — Bava Kamma 87a · Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Bava Kamma 87a
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, סוּמָא פָּטוּר מִכָּל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, דַּאֲמַר קְרָא וְשָׁפְטוּ הָעֵדָה בֵּין הַמַּכֶּה וּבֵין גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה, כָּל שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ בַּמַּכֶּה וְגוֹאֵל הַדָּם יֶשְׁנוֹ בַּמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְכָל שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּמַּכֶּה וְגוֹאֵל הַדָּם אֵינוֹ בַּמִּשְׁפָּטִים.

English: It was taught: Rabbi Yehudah says, a blind person is exempt from all judgments in the Torah, for Scripture says “the congregation shall judge between the striker and the blood-avenger according to these judgments” — whoever is subject to [being] the striker and the blood-avenger is subject to the judgments, and whoever is not is not.

Type of Learning

Exclusion of the blind from the full scope of judicial liability.

What Is Learned

Because a blind person cannot fully participate as striker or avenger in the sense of the verse, Rabbi Yehudah holds him exempt from the judgments linked to it.