Shoftim 21:04 · unit 6
TT #366 · 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: וְעָרְפוּ .
Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 207
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וְעָרְפוּ – מִלְּאַחֲרֶיהָ.
English: ‘And they shall break the neck’ – from behind.
On the daf / in context: The blow is delivered to the back of the neck.
Type of Learning Derash on the direction of the blow (Sifrei) — arifah is from the rear.
What Is Learned The neck is broken from behind; this is the distinctive method of the eglah arufah.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.