Talmud for Numbers 35:23

“And the blind person.” Rebbi Abba said, who stated “the blind person”? Rebbi Jehudah, for Rebbi Jehudah frees him from all obligations of the Torah³⁹Soṭah 2:6 (Note 201), Babli Bava qamma 87a., as we have stated there⁴⁰Megillah Mishnah 4:7.: “Rebbi Jehudah said, anyone who never saw light in his life may not cover the Shemaˋ.⁴¹He cannot lead the congregation in the recital of the benedictions before and after the recitation of the Shemaˋ since they start with a praise of God for the creation of the celestial shining bodies. The majority opinion holds that while a blind person cannot see the sun’s light, he profits from it since other people who can see can help him during daylight.” Therefore, if he saw once he may cover. And both of them explained the same verse, without seeing⁴²Num. 35:23, part of the definition of involuntary homicide. Babli 9b, Sifry Num. 160. As the Babli explains, the double restriction mentioned by the verse, unintentional, without seeing, has to be read as an inclusion.. Rebbi Meïr says, to include the blind person. Rebbi Jehudah says, excluding the blind person. ⁴³A parallel to this paragraph is in Megillah 4:7. One has to read “Jehudah” for Meïr, as in Megillah, since only for R. Jehudah are two opinions recorded. Also “there” means Makkot, “here” Megillah. The argument of Rebbi Meïr seems inverted. There he says, excluding, but here he says, to include. Rebbi Ḥanina the son of Rebbi Hillel said, the Mishnah is about one sitting in a dark house. So we are saying, “one sitting in a dark house may not cover the Shemaˋ.⁴⁴In his explanation, R. Jehudah does not exclude the blind person but one born and raised in a cave who never saw daylight.” But here, without seeing, to include the blind person. How do the rabbis read without seeing? To include one who smites in the night⁴⁵He is included in the list of the exiled together with the blind person..

HALAKHAH: ¹⁴⁴This paragraph is a reformulation of a paragraph in Makkot 2:7 Notes 41–44. There, we have stated, “A blind person is not exiled, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Meïr says, he is exiled.” And both of them explained the same verse, without seeing¹⁴⁵Num. 35:23.. Rebbi Jehudah says, to include the blind person. Rebbi Meïr says, excluding the blind person. And here we have stated, “a person who never saw light does not spread out the Shema`<sup>143</sup>Since the first benediction preceding the Shema` is a praise of God for the creation of light..” Therefore if he saw he spreads. Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Yose, is the argument of Rebbi Jehudah inverted? There he says, excluding, but here he says, to include. Rebbi Ḥanania the son of Rebbi Hillel said, the Mishnah is about one sitting in a dark house. So we are saying, “one sitting in a dark house may not spread the Shema`.” But here, without seeing, to include the blind person.