Derasha 1 on Shoftim 17:08

TT #50 · Parashas Shoftim · First Aliyah · Passuk 8

The Complete Passuk

כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־דָּ֨ם לְדָ֜ם בֵּֽין־דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶ֨ל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃

If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts—you shall promptly repair to the place that the Eternal your God will have chosen,

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin / Sifrei on the obligation to ascend to the high court.

Sefaria · Sanhedrin

Core Text of Chazal

כי יפלא וגו׳. מלמד שהולכין אחר הרוב.

English: “If a matter is too wonderful for you…” — this teaches that one follows the majority.

On the daf / in context

When the local court cannot decide, the matter is taken to the higher court; the language of the verse establishes the hierarchical system of courts.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli / Sifrei) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The verse is the source for the obligation to bring unresolved cases to the central court.

What Is Learned

When a local court is unable to reach a decision, the parties and the judges are required to ascend to the place that God chooses — the Great Sanhedrin.