Derasha on Bamidbar 35:30 · TT unit 2

Parashas Masei · Passuk 35:30 · TT note 2

The Complete Passuk

כָּל־מַכֵּה־נֶ֗פֶשׁ לְפִ֣י עֵדִ֔ים יִרְצַ֖ח אֶת־הָרֹצֵ֑חַ וְעֵ֣ד אֶחָ֔ד לֹא־יַעֲנֶ֥ה בְנֶ֖פֶשׁ לָמֽוּת׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 7:3 (TT note on “יִרְצַח אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ”).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Yerushalmi Sanhedrin
יָכוֹל אִם הָרַג בְּסַיִף יַהַרְגֶנּוּ בְּסַיִף, בְּמַקֵּל — יַהַרְגֶנּוּ בְּמַקֵּל, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן נְקִימָה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן חֶרֶב נוֹקֶמֶת, מַה לְּהַלָּן בְּחֶרֶב אַף כָּאן בְּחֶרֶב.

English: One might think: if he killed with a sword they kill him with a sword, with a stick — with a stick; it says here “vengeance” and elsewhere “a sword of vengeance” — just as there with a sword, so here with a sword.

Type of Learning

Uniform method of execution (sword) regardless of the murder weapon.

What Is Learned

Capital execution of a murderer is by the sword, not by matching the instrument used in the crime.