Shoftim 21:07 · unit 2

TT #382 · 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 47a.

TT lemma: וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאוּ.

Core Text

וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאוּ – שֶׁלֹּא פָּטַרְנוּהוּ בְּלֹא מְזוֹנוֹת וּבְלֹא לְוָיָה.

English: ‘And our eyes did not see’ – that we did not dismiss him without food and without escort.

On the daf / in context: The true meaning of the declaration is freedom from the sin of neglect.

Derash unpacking the declaration (Bavli) — the blood-guilt that the city might bear is the failure to care for the traveler.

By saying ‘our eyes did not see’ the elders affirm that they did not allow a traveler to leave their city without provisions and an escort.