Shoftim 21:03 · unit 3
TT #355 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:03
The Complete Passuk
וְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־מָשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל׃
And it shall be, the city nearest to the slain person – the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd that has not been worked and that has not drawn a yoke.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Sotah 46a / Sifrei .
TT lemma: אֲשֶׁר לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ .
Sefaria — Sotah 46a / Sifrei
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
אֲשֶׁר לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ – שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשָׂה בָהּ מְלָאכָה.
English: ‘That has not been worked’ – that no labor has been done with it.
On the daf / in context: The animal must be free of any prior work.
Type of Learning Derash on the unused condition (Bavli / Sifrei) — any prior labor disqualifies the heifer.
What Is Learned The heifer must never have been used for any work; prior labor renders it invalid for the rite.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.