Va’eschanan 4:42 · unit 1

TT #16 · Parashas Va’eschanan · Second Aliyah · Passuk 4:42

The Complete Passuk

לָנֻ֨ס שָׁ֜מָּה רוֹצֵ֗חַ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְצַ֤ח אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֣ל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם וְנָ֗ס אֶל־אַחַ֛ת מִן־הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖ל וָחָֽי׃

…that a manslayer who kills his fellow unintentionally, without having been his enemy in times past, may flee there and live.

Chabad.org — 4:42

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Makos 10a (a student who is exiled — his teacher goes with him; “va-chai”).

Sefaria — Makos 10a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא: תַּלְמִיד שֶׁגָּלָה — מַגְלִין רַבּוֹ עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְנָס וָחָי — עֲבִיד לֵיהּ מִדֵּי דְּתִהְוֵי לֵיהּ חַיּוּתָא.

English: It was taught: If a student is exiled [to a city of refuge], his teacher is exiled with him, as it is said “and he shall flee… and live” — provide him with something that will give him life (i.e., Torah study).

On the daf / in context: Life without Torah is considered a form of death for a scholar. Therefore the teacher must accompany the student so that the exile can continue learning.

Type of Learning

Custom (derasha of “va-chai” as the necessity of Torah for life).

What Is Learned

When a talmid is forced into exile, his rebbe must go with him so that he can continue to live through Torah study.