(Devarim 21:6) "And all the elders of that city": Even if they are a hundred. Because we said above ([21:2] re the measuring), three or five, I might think that this is so here, too. (in respect to the washing of the hands); it is, therefore, written "and all the judges of that city" — even if they are a hundred.
"they shall wash their hands over the heifer of the broken neck in the river-bed": on the spot where its neck was broken. I might think that they may go up from the river-bed; it is, therefore, written "in the river-bed." (Ibid. 7) "And they shall answer and they shall say": Their washing and their saying must be in the river-bed.
(דברים כא ו) וְכֹל זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִיא, וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵם מֵאָה. לְפִי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְהַלָּן שְׁלֹשָׁה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, יָכוֹל אַף כָּאן כֵּן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְכֹל זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִיא, וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵם מֵאָה.
(Devarim 21:6) "And all the elders of that city": Even if they are a hundred. Because we said above ([21:2] re the measuring), three or five, I might think that this is so here, too. (in respect to the washing of the hands); it is, therefore, written "and all the judges of that city" — even if they are a hundred.
יִרְחֲצוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם עַל הָעֶגְלָה הָעֲרוּפָה בַּנָּחַל, עַל מְקוֹם עֲרִיפָתָהּ שֶׁל עֶגְלָה. יָכוֹל יַעֲלוּ מִן הַנַּחַל וְיֹאמְרוּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בַּנָּחַל, שֶׁתְּהֵא עֲנִיָּתָם וַאֲמִירָתָם בַּנַּחַל.
"they shall wash their hands over the heifer of the broken neck in the river-bed": on the spot where its neck was broken. I might think that they may go up from the river-bed; it is, therefore, written "in the river-bed." (Ibid. 7) "And they shall answer and they shall say": Their washing and their saying must be in the river-bed.