Shoftim 21:03 · unit 4

TT #356 · 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.

TT lemma: אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְּעֹל.

Sefaria — Sotah 46a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְּעֹל – אֲפִלּוּ מְשִׁיכָה כׇּל שֶׁהוּא.

English: ‘That has not drawn a yoke’ – even the slightest drawing.

On the daf / in context: Even minimal pulling under a yoke disqualifies.

Type of Learning

Derash on the yoke condition (Bavli) — any yoking, however brief, invalidates.

What Is Learned

If the heifer has ever drawn a yoke, even for a moment, it is disqualified for the eglah arufah.