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The ceremony of egla arufa (the beheaded calf) is one of the mitzvot meant to inculcate the value of safeguarding human life, and the responsibility of community leaders to uphold this value. What was this ceremony? If a corpse were found in a field, and no one knew who was responsible for the victim’s death, the leaders of the closest city took a year-old calf and beheaded it near a stream. Then they publicly declared, in their own name and in the name of the entire community, that they were in no way responsible for this tragedy, either directly or indirectly. This was followed by a request that God forgive them as individuals and as a community. This dramatic ceremony was meant to inspire the leaders and all community members to do everything possible to prevent murder. There was also hope that as a result of the ceremony, someone might come forth with testimony that would help catch the murderer.
This mitzva applied when the Sanhedrin (High Court) was housed near the Temple. Although that is no longer the case, the mitzva can still inspire us. We can and should resolve that any murder will result in a public reckoning. Following a murder, the police chief, community leaders, representatives of the education system, and local clergy should assemble together. This meeting would allow them to review their policies and discuss whether everything possible was done to prevent the homicide. They would also focus on what steps should be taken to prevent future murders, such as dealing with underlying societal dysfunctions.
