Shoftim 21:03 · unit 6
TT #358 · 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 45b .
TT lemma: הַקְּרֹבָה .
Sefaria — Sotah 45b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
הַקְּרֹבָה – וְלֹא הַמְרֻבָּה.
English: ‘The nearest’ – and not the most populous.
On the daf / in context: Nearness overrides population.
Type of Learning Derash rejecting population as the criterion (Bavli) — the Torah chose proximity.
What Is Learned Even a small city that is closer is preferred over a larger city that is farther away.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.