Vayeira 18:21 · EXTRA

Supplementary classical material; Torah Temimah lists no citation under this passuk.

The Complete Passuk

אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃

“I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

אֵרְדָה נָּא. לִמֵּד לַדַּיָּנִים שֶׁלֹּא יִפְסְקוּ דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת אֶלָּא בִּרְאִיָּה, כָּל אֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת הַפַּלָּגָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֵרְדָה נָּא – אֶרֵד לְסוֹף מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם.

English: “I will go down now.” This teaches judges that they must not decide capital cases except after careful investigation — as explained at the dispersion of the nations. Another explanation: “I will go down” means I will fathom the end of their deeds.

On the daf / in context: Hashem’s “descent” models judicial procedure: even the omniscient Judge “investigates” before executing judgment, teaching earthly courts the same caution in capital matters.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Rashi) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Anthropomorphic language is read as a pedagogical model for human judges.

What Is Learned

Capital judgment requires investigation and visual verification; the Torah’s description of divine inquiry sets the standard for earthly batei din.