Commentary for Shevuot 37:2

ורבי אליעזר האי בה מאי עביד ליה פרט למתעסק

as was taught in the School of R'Ishmael: Any Biblical passage that was stated once, and then repeated, was repeated only for the sake of something new that was added to it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here the 'something new' is Rabbi's deduction.');">⁴</span> And what does R'Eliezer do with the word wherein [he hath sinned]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. IV, 23; the word wherein implies that he must know the actual sin he has committed, yet R. Eliezer holds that if there lay before him heleb and nothar, and he unwittingly ate one of them, not knowing which, he must also bring a sin offering.');">⁵</span> - To exclude him who occupies himself [with a permitted thing and unintentionally does that which is prohibited].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., on Sabbath he intended (what is permissible) to cut something which was already detached (from the ground or tree) , but his knife slipped, and he cut something which was still attached (to the ground or tree) . Or, he intended to cohabit with his wife who was clean, and he inadvertently cohabited with his sister who was sleeping near her. In these cases, his intention was quite innocent; and the word wherein (he hath sinned) implies that in such cases he is exempt from a sacrifice, and that he is liable only if his intention was to do something which is actually wrong, though he thought it was right; e.g., he intended to cut a definite thing, which he thought was detached, but which actually was attached; or, he intended to cohabit with a certain person, whom he thought was his wife, but who actually was his sister. In these cases, he brings a sacrifice, because the actual act, though innocently committed, was definitely intended; in the former cases, the actual act which was committed was not intended.');">⁶</span>

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