Ki Seitzei 25:02 · unit 4

TT #619 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:02

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֛ה אִם־בִּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹת הָרָשָׁ֑ע וְהִפִּיל֤וֹ הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ לְפָנָ֔יו כְּדֵ֥י רִשְׁעָת֖וֹ בְּמִסְפָּֽר׃

And it shall be, if the wicked one is to be flogged, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, by number.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Makkot 22b.

TT lemma: וְהִפִּילוֹ.

Sefaria — Makkot 22b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְהִפִּילוֹ – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ לֹא עוֹמֵד וְלֹא יוֹשֵׁב אֶלָּא מֻטֶּה.

English: ‘And he shall cause him to lie down’ – this teaches that he does not strike him while standing or sitting, but rather while he is inclined (bent over the post).

On the daf / in context: Makkot 22b derives the posture of the person receiving lashes from the verb והפילו.

Type of Learning

Derash on a verbal form (Sifrei / Bavli) — the causative ‘he shall cause him to fall/lie’ indicates the required position.

What Is Learned

The one being flogged must be bent over a post, neither fully upright nor seated; the posture itself is part of the Torah’s prescribed procedure.