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Shareאָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה תָּבֹא עֶגְלָה בַת שְׁנָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא עָשְׂתָה פֵרוֹת וְתֵעָרֵף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, לְכַפֵּר עַל הֲרִיגָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (סוטה מ"ו):
The Holy One, blessed be He, says, as it were, Let a heifer which is only one year old and which therefore has brought forth no fruits (no offspring) have its neck broken at a spot (the untilled valley) which has not brought forth fruits, to expiate for the murder of him whom they did not permit further to beget children (Sotah 46a).
(ו) ואמנם 'עגלה ערופה' תועלתה מבוארת - כי המביא אותה היא ה'עיר הקרובה אל החלל' ועל הרוב ההורג הוא ממנה... ואי אפשר על הרוב עם החקירה ויציאת הזקנים והעומדים ולקיחת העגלה שלא ירבו דברי בני אדם שאולי בפרסום הענין יודע ההורג
(6) The beneficial character of the law concerning "the breaking of the neck of a heifer" (Deut. 12:1-8) is evident. For it is the city that is nearest to the slain person that brings the heifer, and in most cases the murderer comes from that place... As a rule the investigation, the procession of the elders, the measuring, and the taking of the heifer, make people talk about it, and by making the event public, the murderer may be found out
מתני' זקני אותה העיר רוחצין ידיהם במים במקום עריפתה של עגלה ואומרים [דברים כא ז] ידינו לא שפכו את הדם הזה וגו'
וכי עלה על לבנו שבית דין שופכי דמים הן?
גמ' רבנין דהכא פתרין קרייא בהורג. ורבנין דתמן פתרין קרייא בנהרג. רבנין דהכא פתרין קרייא בהורג שלא בא על ידינו ופטרנוהו ולא הרגנוהו ולא ראינוהו והנחנוהו ועימעמנו על דינו. ורבנין דתמן פתרין קרייא בנהרג לא בא על ידינו ופטרנוהו בלא הלוייה. ולא ראינוהו והנחנוהו בלא פרנסה.
The elders of that city wash their hands in water where the calf was beheaded. They say "Yadeinu Lo Shafchu Es ha'Dam ha'Zeh..."
Would we really think that Beis Din are murderers?!
Rabanan here (in Israel) explain the verse to discuss the murderer. Rabanan there (in Bavel) explain the verse to discuss the victim.
Rabanan here (in Israel): He did not come to our hands, and we let him go and did not kill him. We did not see him, and left him and we were lazy and did not clarify his law.
Rabanan there (in Bavel) explain the verse to discuss the victim. He did not come to our hands, and we let him go without escort. We did not see him, and left him without food.
ידינו לא שפכה כתיב בה״א ללמד שבעל הבית חייב לאורח שלו ה׳ דברים אכילה שתיה לויה לינה מתנה דבר גדול או דבר קטן.
ידינו לא שפכה את הדם הזה, “our hands have not spilled this blood;” it is unusual for the last letter in the word שפכה to be the letter ה instead of the appropriate letter ו, for the plural ending plural. According to our sages, a host is duty bound to provide his guest with five amenities: food, drink, accompany him a short distance when he leaves, provide with a bed for the night if he wishes to stay for the night, and to give him an ever so minimal gift on his departure. The letter ה would therefore be a veiled reference to that law.
(ד) מֵאַיִן הָיוּ מוֹדְדִין. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, מִטִּבּוּרוֹ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מֵחָטְמוֹ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, מִמְּקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה חָלָל, מִצַּוָּארוֹ:
(4) From where on the body would they measure the distance? Rabbi Eliezer says: From his navel. Rabbi Akiva says: From his nose. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: From the place where he became a slain person, which is from the neck.
§ The mishna taught that there is a dispute concerning the question: From where on the body would they measure the distance? The Gemara asks: With regard to what do they disagree? One Sage, Rabbi Akiva, holds: A person’s life is sustained mainly in his nose, in his respiratory system. And one Sage, Rabbi Eliezer, holds: His life is mainly in the area of his navel, in his digestive system.
