Shoftim 21:08 · unit 3

TT #388 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:08

The Complete Passuk

כַּפֵּר֩ לְעַמְּךָ֨ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִ֙יתָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתֵּן֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֖רֶב עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הַדָּֽם׃

Atone for Your people Yisrael whom You have redeemed, O Eternal, and do not place innocent blood in the midst of Your people Yisrael. And the blood shall be atoned for them.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 47a.

TT lemma: וְאַל תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Sefaria — Sotah 47a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְאַל תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה הֶעָוֹן תָּלוּי.

English: ‘And do not place innocent blood in the midst of Your people Yisrael’ – that the sin not remain hanging.

On the daf / in context: The prayer asks that the blood-guilt be removed from the people.

Type of Learning

Derash on the removal of guilt (Bavli) — the rite and the prayer together clear the community.

What Is Learned

The kohanim ask that innocent blood not be left as a charge against the people of Yisrael.