Shoftim 18:21 · EXTRA 2

EXTRA · Side-ring · Parashas Shoftim · Passuk 18:21

The Complete Passuk

וְכִ֥י תֹאמַ֖ר בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ אֵיכָה֙ נֵדַ֣ע אֶת־הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה׃

And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word that the Eternal has not spoken?’

Chazal / classical source (beyond TT-numbered main-ring units): Sifrei Devarim 178 / Rambam.

Lemma: וְכִי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבֶךָ.

Core Text

וְכִי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבֶךָ – שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁתֹּק מִלִּשְׁאֹל.

English: ‘And if you say in your heart’ – that you not remain silent from asking.

On the daf / in context: The question is legitimate and expected.

Derash legitimating the inquiry (Sifrei) — one is not only permitted but expected to seek a criterion.

It is proper for a person to ask in his heart how to know whether a claimed prophecy is from Hashem; the Torah provides the means of testing.