Shoftim 21:01 · unit 10
TT #339 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:01
The Complete Passuk
כִּֽי־יִמָּצֵ֣א חָלָ֗ל בָּאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ נֹתֵ֤ן לְךָ֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ נֹפֵ֖ל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע מִ֥י הִכָּֽהוּ׃
If a slain person is found in the land that the Eternal your God is giving you to possess, lying in the field, and it is not known who struck him.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 205.
TT lemma: חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה.
Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 205
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה – פְּרָט לְצָף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם.
English: ‘A slain person in the land’ – excluding one floating on the water.
On the daf / in context: Bodies found in water are treated differently.
Type of Learning
Derash excluding water cases (Sifrei) — the verse specifies land.
What Is Learned
A body found floating on water does not trigger the eglah arufah under the primary reading of this verse.