Derasha 7 on Vayikra 27:2

Unit 7 of 13

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יַפְלִ֖א נֶ֑דֶר בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ נְפָשֹׁ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Arachin 20a: “value of half of me” = full value.

Core Text

תַּנְיָא: הָאוֹמֵר “דְּמֵי חֶצְיִי עָלַי” נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי כֻּלּוֹ. מַאי טַעְמָא? “נֶדֶר בְּעֶרְכְּךָ נְפָשׁוֹת” כְּתִיב.

English: One who says “the value of half of me is upon me” pays the value of the whole — because Scripture says “nefashot.”

Whole-from-half derasha.

Vowing the value of half is treated like vowing a vital part — the full value is due.