Reeh 12:05 · unit 1

TT #32 · Parashas Reeh · First Aliyah · Passuk 12:05

The Complete Passuk

כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָֽׁמָּה׃

But only to the place that Hashem your God will choose from all your tribes to place His Name there; you shall seek His dwelling and come there.

Chabad.org — 12:05

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Sanhedrin.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ – תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנִים אֶלָּא בִּיהוּדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ וּבָאתָ שָׁמָּה, כָּל דְּרִישָׁה שֶׁאַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ לֹא יִהְיוּ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁכֵנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם.

English: “You shall seek His dwelling” — The Sages taught: We intercalate the years only in Yehudah, as it is stated “you shall seek His dwelling and come there” — every inquiry that you make shall be only in the dwelling-place of the Omnipresent.

On the daf / in context: The centralization of the Divine Presence requires that the calculation of the calendar also be performed in Yehudah (the region of the Temple).

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei / Bavli) — restricting intercalation to Yehudah.

What Is Learned

The Sanhedrin may intercalate the year only while located in Yehudah.