וימצאו איש מקשש עצים ביום השבת... וירגמו אתו באבנים
The mekoshesh eitzim, wood gatherer, who was the first mechalel Shabbos, desecrator of Shabbos, was executed by stoning. The Torah writes, Vayirgemu oso b’avanim, “And they pelted him with stones,” in the plural. Interestingly, when the mekallel, blasphemer, was executed by stoning, the Torah writes, Viyirgemu oso even, “And they stoned him to death,” in the singular (Vayikra 24:23). What is the reason for this change in the Torah’s vernacular? This question was asked of the Chidushei HaRim when he was a young boy. Known as a child prodigy, Rabbinic leaders would often pepper him with difficult questions to see…
