Shoftim 21:01 · unit 12
TT #341 · 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: כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל.
Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 205
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל – מִצְוָה לְהִתְעַסֵּק בּוֹ.
English: ‘If a slain person is found’ – it is a mitzvah to deal with it.
On the daf / in context: The community has a positive duty to respond.
Type of Learning
Derash on the communal obligation (Sifrei) — the finding creates an active requirement.
What Is Learned
When such a body is found, the nearby cities have a mitzvah to measure and perform the rite.