Difference between revisions of "Purpose of the Beheaded Heifer Ritual/2"
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<category>Discover the Killer | <category>Discover the Killer | ||
| − | <p>The | + | <p>The ritual and its various components are all meant to aid in finding the unknown murderer.</p> |
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanDevarim21-1-1-9" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanDevarim21-1-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1:1-9</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-9</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="MorehNevukhim3-40" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamHilkhotRotzeachuShemirathaNefesh9" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Rotzeach uShemirat haNefesh 9</a><a href="RambamHilkhotRotzeachuShemirathaNefesh10" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Rotzeach uShemirat haNefesh 10</a><a href="MorehNevukhim3-40" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 3:40</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Maimon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniDevarim21-2-9" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniDevarim21-2-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:2-9</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SeferHaChinukh530" data-aht="source">Sefer HaChinukh</a><a href="SeferHaChinukh530" data-aht="source">530</a><a href="Sefer HaChinukh" data-aht="parshan">About Sefer HaChinukh</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RBachyaDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">R. Bachya</a><a href="RBachyaDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-9</a><a href="R. Bachya b. Asher" data-aht="parshan">About R. Bachya b. Asher</a></multilink></mekorot> | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanDevarim21-1-1-9" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanDevarim21-1-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1:1-9</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-9</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="MorehNevukhim3-40" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamHilkhotRotzeachuShemirathaNefesh9" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Rotzeach uShemirat haNefesh 9</a><a href="RambamHilkhotRotzeachuShemirathaNefesh10" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Rotzeach uShemirat haNefesh 10</a><a href="MorehNevukhim3-40" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 3:40</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Maimon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniDevarim21-2-9" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniDevarim21-2-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:2-9</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SeferHaChinukh530" data-aht="source">Sefer HaChinukh</a><a href="SeferHaChinukh530" data-aht="source">530</a><a href="Sefer HaChinukh" data-aht="parshan">About Sefer HaChinukh</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RBachyaDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">R. Bachya</a><a href="RBachyaDevarim21-1-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-9</a><a href="R. Bachya b. Asher" data-aht="parshan">About R. Bachya b. Asher</a></multilink><fn>R. Bachya brings several ways of understanding the ritual; this is one which he cites in the name of Rambam and then also "על דרך המדרש".</fn></mekorot> |
| + | <point><b>Natural or miraculous?</b> These commentators disagree whether the killer is to be found via natural or supernatural means:<br/> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>Miracle – Both Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan) and R. Bachya maintain that the ritual will miraculously lead to the murderer, either as a trail of worms leads from the heifer to the culprit, or as the heifer himself walks to the house of the murderer.</li> | ||
| + | <li>Natural – The other commentators suggest that the publicity generated by the ritual will motivate people to search for the killer and gather information that will aid in the investigation.</li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>A calf that has not been worked</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Beheading</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>נַחַל אֵיתָן</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Not worked and unsown</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Elders vs priests</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>יָדֵינוּ לֹא שָׁפְכוּ אֶת הַדָּם</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>"כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל"</b></point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Atonement | <category>Atonement | ||
| + | <p>The ritual is one of atonement, meant either to cleanse the land form the blood of the innocent, or to atone for the people / leaders who might be partially responsible for the death..</p> | ||
<opinion>For the Land | <opinion>For the Land | ||
<p>Acts of murder defile the land, which can only be cleansed though the blood of the killer. When the killer is unknown and cannot be brought to justice, the ritual is necessary to cleanse the land.</p> | <p>Acts of murder defile the land, which can only be cleansed though the blood of the killer. When the killer is unknown and cannot be brought to justice, the ritual is necessary to cleanse the land.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-7</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-7</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
| − | <point><b>Death defiles</b> – | + | <point><b>Death defiles</b> – Bemidbar 35:33 explicitly states that blood defiles the land and can only be purified through the blood of the killer: "וְלָאָרֶץ לֹא יְכֻפַּר לַדָּם אֲשֶׁר שֻׁפַּךְ בָּהּ כִּי אִם בְּדַם שֹׁפְכוֹ".</point> |
<point><b>Heifer substitutes for killer</b></point> | <point><b>Heifer substitutes for killer</b></point> | ||
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
| − | <opinion>For the Nation | + | <opinion>For the Nation/Leaders |
<p>The rite atones for the nation's shared responsibility in the death.</p> | <p>The rite atones for the nation's shared responsibility in the death.</p> | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href=" | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="MishnaSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Mishna Sotah</a><a href="MishnaSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Sotah 9:6</a><a href="Mishna" data-aht="parshan">About the Mishna</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="YerushalmiSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Bavli Sotah,</a><a href="YerushalmiSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Sotah 9:6</a><a href="Talmud Yerushalmi" data-aht="parshan">About the Yerushalmi</a></multilink> <multilink><a href="YerushalmiSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Yerushalmi Sotah</a><a href="YerushalmiSotah9-6" data-aht="source">Sotah 9:6</a><a href="Talmud Yerushalmi" data-aht="parshan">About the Yerushalmi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanDevarim21-4-8" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanDevarim21-4-8" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:4-8</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RalbagDevarim21-7-9" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagDevarim21-7-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:7-9</a><a href="RalbagDevarimToalot21-6" data-aht="source">Devarim Toalot 21:6</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannDevarim21Introduction" data-aht="source">R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannDevarim21Introduction" data-aht="source">Devarim 21 Introduction</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannDevarim21-7-9" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:7-9</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot> |
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Prevent Scapegoating | <category>Prevent Scapegoating | ||
| + | <p>The ritual is meant to prevent scapegoating and the killing of innocents that might result from the people's zeal to find a culprit so as to prevent potential collective punishment.<fn>In other words, without a ritual that could atone for the death, in their zeal to find who is responsible so as to prevent possible collective punishment, the people might be quick to punish an innocent.</fn></p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-7</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> #2</mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalDevarim21-1-7" data-aht="source">Devarim 21:1-7</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> #2</mekorot> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
Latest revision as of 04:49, 10 January 2024
Purpose of the Beheaded Heifer Ritual
Exegetical Approaches
Discover the Killer
The ritual and its various components are all meant to aid in finding the unknown murderer.
Sources:Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Rambam, Chizkuni, Sefer HaChinukh, R. Bachya1
Natural or miraculous? These commentators disagree whether the killer is to be found via natural or supernatural means:
- Miracle – Both Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan) and R. Bachya maintain that the ritual will miraculously lead to the murderer, either as a trail of worms leads from the heifer to the culprit, or as the heifer himself walks to the house of the murderer.
- Natural – The other commentators suggest that the publicity generated by the ritual will motivate people to search for the killer and gather information that will aid in the investigation.
A calf that has not been worked
Beheading
נַחַל אֵיתָן
Not worked and unsown
Elders vs priests
יָדֵינוּ לֹא שָׁפְכוּ אֶת הַדָּם
"כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל"
Atonement
The ritual is one of atonement, meant either to cleanse the land form the blood of the innocent, or to atone for the people / leaders who might be partially responsible for the death..
For the Land
Acts of murder defile the land, which can only be cleansed though the blood of the killer. When the killer is unknown and cannot be brought to justice, the ritual is necessary to cleanse the land.
Sources:Shadal
Death defiles – Bemidbar 35:33 explicitly states that blood defiles the land and can only be purified through the blood of the killer: "וְלָאָרֶץ לֹא יְכֻפַּר לַדָּם אֲשֶׁר שֻׁפַּךְ בָּהּ כִּי אִם בְּדַם שֹׁפְכוֹ".
Heifer substitutes for killer
For the Nation/Leaders
The rite atones for the nation's shared responsibility in the death.
