Derasha 9 on Shoftim 17:08

TT #58 · 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 (continuation of the ascent).

Sefaria · Sanhedrin

Core Text of Chazal

וקמת ועלית. אין לי אלא בזמן שיש מקדש, בזמן שאין מקדש מניין, ת״ל וקמת ועלית – מכל מקום.

English: “And you shall arise and go up.” I know this only when the Temple stands; when there is no Temple, from where do I know it? From the verse “and you shall arise and go up” — in any case.

On the daf / in context

The obligation to seek the highest available authority continues even after the destruction of the Temple and the cessation of the classic Sanhedrin.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli / Sifrei) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The open language is taken as extending the duty beyond the Temple era.

What Is Learned

The duty to take an unresolved case to the highest available court remains in force whether or not the Temple and the classic Sanhedrin exist.