Shoftim 21:04 · unit 8

TT #368 · 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: אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 207

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ – לְעוֹלָם.

English: ‘That has not been worked and has not been sown’ – forever.

On the daf / in context: After the rite the place remains forbidden for cultivation.

Type of Learning

Derash on the permanent status of the place (Sifrei) — the valley is set aside permanently.

What Is Learned

Once the eglah has been killed there, the valley may never be worked or sown.