Shoftim 21:01 · unit 5
TT #334 · 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.
Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 205
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
חָלָל – וְלֹא מֵת מֵחֲמַת עַצְמוֹ.
English: ‘A slain person’ – and not one who died of himself.
On the daf / in context: Natural death does not trigger the law.
Type of Learning
Derash excluding natural death (Sifrei) — the verse implies a violent killing.
What Is Learned
A person who died of natural causes does not bring about the eglah arufah; only a slain body does.