Ki Seitzei 21:23 · unit 9

TT #101 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Second Aliyah · Passuk 21:23

The Complete Passuk

לֹא־תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל־הָעֵץ כִּי־קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי־קִלְלַת אֱלֹהִים תָּלוּי וְלֹא תְטַמֵּא אֶת־אַדְמָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה׃

His body shall not remain overnight on the tree; rather you shall bury him on that same day, for a hanging person is a curse of God, and you shall not defile your land that Hashem your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Chabad.org — 21:23

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 46b.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 46b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִנַּיִן לַמְלִין אֶת מֵתוֹ שֶׁעוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ – מִכָּאן לַמְלִין אֶת מֵתוֹ שֶׁעוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.

English: Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: From where is it derived that one who leaves his dead overnight transgresses a negative commandment? From the verse “you shall bury him” — from here [we learn] that one who leaves his dead overnight transgresses a negative commandment.

On the daf / in context: An additional derivation of the prohibition from the positive language of the verse itself.

Type of Learning

Derash deriving a negative commandment from the positive formulation of the verse.

What Is Learned

The positive command to bury also implies a negative commandment against leaving the body unburied overnight.