Shoftim 21:01 · unit 3

TT #332 · 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 Sotah 45a.

TT lemma: נֹפֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה.

Sefaria — Sotah 45a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
נֹפֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה – פְּרָט לְטָמוּן בַּגַּל.

English: ‘Lying in the field’ – excluding one hidden under a heap.

On the daf / in context: The body must be found in the open.

Type of Learning

Derash requiring exposure (Bavli) — a concealed body does not initiate the procedure.

What Is Learned

Only a body found lying exposed in the open field triggers the measurement and the eglah arufah.