Shoftim 21:07 · unit 1

TT #381 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:07

The Complete Passuk

וְעָנ֖וּ וְאָמְר֑וּ יָדֵ֗ינוּ לֹ֤א (שפכה) [שָֽׁפְכוּ֙] אֶת־הַדָּ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְעֵינֵ֖ינוּ לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃

And they shall declare and say: Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes did not see.

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 46b–47a.

TT lemma: יָדֵינוּ לֹא שָׁפְכוּ אֶת הַדָּם הַזֶּה.

Core Text

יָדֵינוּ לֹא שָׁפְכוּ אֶת הַדָּם הַזֶּה – וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל לֵב שֶׁזִּקְנֵי בֵית דִּין שׁוֹפְכֵי דָמִים הֵם?

English: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood’ – would it enter the mind that the elders of the court are shedders of blood?

On the daf / in context: The declaration is not a denial of personal murder but of neglect.

Derash explaining the need for the declaration (Bavli) — the elders are not suspected of the killing itself.

The elders declare that they did not shed the blood, meaning they did not send the victim away without food or escort.