Shoftim 19:05 · unit 5
TT #207 · Parashas Shoftim · Fifth Aliyah · Passuk 19:05
The Complete Passuk
וַאֲשֶׁר֩ יָבֹ֨א אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ בַיַּעַר֮ לַחְטֹ֣ב עֵצִים֒ וְנִדְּחָ֨ה יָד֤וֹ בַגַּרְזֶן֙ לִכְרֹ֣ת הָעֵ֔ץ וְנָשַׁ֤ל הַבַּרְזֶל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ וּמָצָ֥א אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת ה֗וּא יָנ֛וּס אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הֶעָרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וָחָֽי׃
And one who comes with his fellow into the forest to chop wood, and his hand swings with the axe to cut the tree, and the iron slips from the wood and finds his fellow and he dies – he shall flee to one of these cities and live.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Makkot 8b .
TT lemma: הוּא יָנוּס .
Sefaria — Makkot 8b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
הוּא יָנוּס אֶל אַחַת הֶעָרִים – מִצְוָה עָלָיו לָנוּס.
English: ‘He shall flee to one of the cities’ – it is a mitzvah for him to flee.
On the daf / in context: Flight is obligatory, not merely permitted.
Type of Learning Derash on the duty to flee (Bavli) — the language is read as a command to the killer.
What Is Learned The accidental killer is obligated to flee to a city of refuge; remaining outside endangers him and others.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.