Shoftim 20:05 · unit 4

TT #287 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 20:05

The Complete Passuk

וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִ֗ים אֶל־הָעָם֮ לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃

And the officers shall speak to the people, saying: Who is the man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 43b.

TT lemma: בַיִת חָדָשׁ.

Sefaria — Sotah 43b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
בַיִת חָדָשׁ – פְּרָט לְלָקוּחַ.

English: ‘A new house’ – excluding a purchased house.

On the daf / in context: Only a house one has built oneself qualifies in the primary reading.

Type of Learning

Derash limiting the category (Bavli) — the language of ‘built’ is taken strictly by some.

What Is Learned

The primary exemption is for a house one has newly built, not merely purchased.