Derasha 3 on Shoftim 17:01

TT #22 · Parashas Shoftim · First Aliyah · Passuk 1

The Complete Passuk

לֹא־תִזְבַּח֩ לַיהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ שׁ֣וֹר וָשֶׂ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם כֹּ֖ל דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃

You shall not sacrifice to the Eternal your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect of a serious kind, for that is abhorrent to the Eternal your God.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim (same as previous unit).

Sefaria · Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

תניא, מניין לבעל מום שנולד במומו ובעל גרב ויבלת וחזרת וחולה וזקן ומזוהם שהביאם למזבח שעובר בל״ת, ת״ל לא תזבח כל דבר רע.

English: It was taught: From where do we know that one who brings to the altar an animal born with a blemish, or one with scab, warts, mange, illness, old age, or foul odor transgresses a negative commandment? From the verse “You shall not sacrifice any evil thing.”

On the daf / in context

The phrase “kol davar ra” expands the prohibition to include congenital defects and temporary or natural disqualifications that are not permanent “mums” in the strict sense.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — not a formal named middah of the 13. “Any evil thing” is taken to include a wider range of defects than the basic “mum.”

What Is Learned

Animals born defective, or those suffering from scab, illness, extreme age, or similar conditions, are forbidden to be offered under this negative commandment.