The Torah portion of Shoftim includes the mitzvah of Eglah Arufah – the calf that is decapitated to atone for the unsolved murder of a person traveling between cities. The verse says that after the calf is decapitated “All the elders of the city who were nearest to the corpse must wash their hands over the calf...”
By washing their hands the elders were pronouncing that just as their hands are clean, so too they are “clean” of responsibility for this murder (since they knew nothing about it and are now atoning for any possible fault in this regard).
In addition, they would proclaim their innocence explicitly by saying, “Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes did not see [him leave our city].” According to the Talmud, they were pronouncing that they didn’t know that the victim was leaving the city, and, had they known, they would have provided him with food and an escort to ensure his safety.
A prayer was then offered that G-d should “Atone for His nation that He redeemed.” Although the elders weren’t aware of this situation, those people who knew about him and could have assisted him, are in need of atonement. The elders too needed atonement as they should have prayed that no such tragedy should occur in the vicinity of their town.
Details of this Handwashing
Here are the halachot of this handwashing based on the work Nachal Eitan (chapter 14) by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, obm.
- The Beit Din (Jewish Court) as well as all of the elders of the city from age 60 and above, would participate in this handwashing ceremony.
- The handwashing should be done on the spot where the calf was killed or within 4 amot (cubits) of that spot.
- According to the Rambam, this ceremony took place on the bank of a swift running river and the water for the handwashing was taken from that river.
- Before washing their hands the elders would recite a bracha (blessing). See below for the text of the blessing.
- The entire hand until the wrist was washed for this ritual.
- No intervening substance (chatitzah) should be on the hands of the elders when they wash, just as when one washes for bread.
- No utensil was needed for this washing.
Two Handwashes in the Torah
This case is one of the two times that washing hands is mentioned in the Five Books of Moshe. The other case is that the Kohanim should wash their hands before serving in the Beit HaMikdash.
