Vayeishev 38:10 · unit 2

Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 38:10

The Complete Passuk

וַיֵּ֛רַע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיָּ֖מֶת גַּם־אֹתֽוֹ׃

And what he did was evil in the eyes of Hashem; and He slew him also.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Niddah 13a (R’ Yochanan).

Sefaria — Niddah 13a (R’ Yochanan)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הַמּוֹצִיא זֶרַע לְבַטָּלָה חַיָּיב מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֵּרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיָּמֶת גַּם אוֹתוֹ״.

English: R’ Yochanan said: Whoever emits seed in vain is liable to death, as it is stated: “And what he did was evil in the eyes of Hashem; and He slew him also.”

On the daf / in context: Niddah 13a derives from Onan’s death that wasting seed is a capital-level offense in the heavenly court.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The death of Onan is read as the paradigm for the severity of this act.

What Is Learned

Emitting seed in vain is so severe that the Torah records death as its consequence in Onan’s case.