Reeh 13:2 · unit 1

TT #117 · Parashas Reeh · Third Aliyah · Passuk 13:2

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־יָק֤וּם בְּקִרְבְּךָ֙ נָבִ֔יא א֖וֹ חֹלֵ֣ם חֲל֑וֹם וְנָתַ֥ן אֵלֶ֛יךָ א֖וֹת א֥וֹ מוֹפֵֽת׃

If there will arise in your midst a prophet or a dreamer of a dream, and he will give you a sign or a wonder.

Chabad.org — 13:2

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְנָתַן אֵלֶיךָ אוֹת – בְּנָבִיא אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹת וְאִי אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ.

English: “And he will give you a sign” — From a prophet you may demand a sign, but you may not demand a sign regarding the Torah, as it is written “according to the Torah that they will instruct you.”

On the daf / in context: A prophet who seeks to introduce something new may be tested by a sign; the standing Torah instruction of the court requires no such test.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — distinguishing the need for a sign from a prophet versus from the fixed Torah.

What Is Learned

One may seek a sign from a prophet, but one may not seek a sign concerning the established Torah itself.