Purpose of the Beheaded Heifer Ritual/5

EN/HEע/E

Purpose of the Beheaded Heifer Ritual

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Devarim 21:1-9דברים כ״א:א׳-ט׳

(1) If one is found slain in the land which Hashem your God gives you to possess it, lying in the field, and it isn't known who has struck him, (2) then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure to the cities which are around him who is slain, (3) and it shall be, that the city which is nearest to the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn't been worked with, and which has not drawn in the yoke, (4) and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and they shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. (5) The priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near; for Hashem your God has chosen them to serve him, and to bless in the name of Hashem, and according to their word shall every controversy and every assault be. (6) All the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. (7) And they shall answer and say, "Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen it. (8) Forgive, Hashem, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don't allow innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel." The blood shall be forgiven them. (9) So you shall put away the innocent blood from your midst when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Hashem.

(א) כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ נֹפֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ. (ב) וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְשֹׁפְטֶיךָ וּמָדְדוּ אֶל הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹת הֶחָלָל. (ג) וְהָיָה הָעִיר הַקְּרֹבָה אֶל הֶחָלָל וְלָקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא עֶגְלַת בָּקָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְּעֹל. (ד) וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא אֶת הָעֶגְלָה אֶל נַחַל אֵיתָן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ וְעָרְפוּ שָׁם אֶת הָעֶגְלָה בַּנָּחַל. (ה) וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי כִּי בָם בָּחַר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם י״י וְעַל פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כׇּל רִיב וְכׇל נָגַע. (ו) וְכֹל זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא הַקְּרֹבִים אֶל הֶחָלָל יִרְחֲצוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם עַל הָעֶגְלָה הָעֲרוּפָה בַנָּחַל. (ז) וְעָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ יָדֵינוּ לֹא [שָׁפְכוּ] (שפכה) אֶת הַדָּם הַזֶּה וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאוּ. (ח) כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ י״י וְאַל תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם הַדָּם. (ט) וְאַתָּה תְּבַעֵר הַדָּם הַנָּקִי מִקִּרְבֶּךָ כִּי תַעֲשֶׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי י״י.