Shoftim 21:04 · unit 4

TT #364 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:04

The Complete Passuk

וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֶגְלָ֔ה בַּנָּ֖חַל׃

And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a hard valley that has not been worked and has not been sown, and they shall break the neck of the heifer there in the valley.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 207.

TT lemma: וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 207

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא – הֵם בְּעַצְמָם.

English: ‘The elders of that city shall bring down’ – they themselves.

On the daf / in context: The elders personally participate in the descent.

Type of Learning

Derash on personal involvement (Sifrei) — the language requires the elders’ own action.

What Is Learned

The elders of the nearest city themselves bring the heifer down to the valley.