Shoftim 19:10 · unit 1

TT #216 · Parashas Shoftim · Fifth Aliyah · Passuk 19:10

The Complete Passuk

וְלֹ֤א יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֣רֶב אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ דָּמִֽים׃

So that innocent blood not be shed in the midst of your land that the Eternal your God is giving you as an inheritance, and blood be upon you.

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 185 / Makkos.

TT lemma: וְלֹא יִשָּׁפֵךְ דָּם נָקִי.

Core Text

וְלֹא יִשָּׁפֵךְ דָּם נָקִי – זֶה דַּם הַשּׁוֹגֵג.

English: ‘So that innocent blood not be shed’ – this is the blood of the accidental killer.

On the daf / in context: The purpose of the cities is to prevent the shedding of innocent blood (of the shogeg).

Derash on the purpose of the institution (Sifrei) — protecting the accidental killer prevents blood-guilt on the land.

The cities of refuge exist so that the blood of the accidental killer is not shed, and so that blood-guilt does not rest on the land.