Shoftim 21:01 · unit 8

TT #337 · 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.

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 45a.

TT lemma: לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.

Core Text

לְרִשְׁתָּהּ – בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל יוֹשְׁבִין עַל אַדְמָתָם.

English: ‘To possess it’ – at a time when Yisrael are dwelling on their land.

On the daf / in context: The rite is tied to the period of Jewish possession of the Land.

Derash on the historical condition (Bavli) — when the people are not on their land the law is suspended.

The eglah arufah is performed when Yisrael are settled on their inheritance; under other conditions the obligation may not apply.