Shoftim 17:18 · unit 4

TT #108 · Parashas Shoftim · Second Aliyah · Passuk 17:18

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֨תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֨ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah on a scroll, from before the kohanim, the Leviim.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 22a.

TT lemma: כְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 22a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ – מִשֶּׁיֵּשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ.

English: ‘When he sits on the throne of his kingdom’ – from the time he sits on the throne of his kingdom.

On the daf / in context: The obligation begins when the king actually assumes the throne.

Type of Learning

Derash on the timing (Bavli) — the mitzvah of writing the Torah is triggered by the act of taking the throne.

What Is Learned

The king’s duty to write a Sefer Torah begins when he is established on the throne, not merely when designated.