Shelach 15:24 · unit 3 — majority of tribes or majority of the people

Parashas Shelach · Aliyah 6 · Passuk 24

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֗ה אִ֣ם מֵעֵינֵ֣י הָעֵדָה֮ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֣ה לִשְׁגָגָה֒ …

…if it was done in error away from the eyes of the congregation…

Chabad.org — 15:24

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: R’ Shimon ben Elazar — six tribes that are the majority, or seven even if not majority of persons.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: חָטְאוּ שִׁשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים וְהֵם רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל קָהָל, אוֹ שִׁבְעָה שְׁבָטִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָם רֹב הַקָּהָל — מְבִיאִים פָּר.

English: It is taught: R’ Shimon ben Elazar says: If six tribes sinned and they are the majority of the assembly, or seven tribes even though they are not the majority of the assembly — they bring a bull.

Type of Learning

What counts as “the congregation” acting in error.

What Is Learned

Communal liability can follow either a majority of persons or a majority of tribes.