במדבר, פרק ל״ה, פסוק כ׳

The definition of murder extends far beyond the use of traditional weapons. A lethal act can be carried out simply by using one's body to force a victim into danger or by maliciously hurling an object at them. As long as death is the direct result of the action, it is treated as outright murder. Such acts often stem from deep-seated hatred, representing a prior, known grudge that drives an individual to push another out of sheer disgust [העמק דבר]. Some commentators refine this idea, noting that it specifically indicates a hidden, simmering hostility, in contrast to open and obvious enmity [שד״ל, מלבי״ם]. The act of pushing is entirely physical and tool-less [ביאור שטיינזלץ], involving the forceful removal of a person from a safe position [רש״ר הירש]. The primary approach among commentators is that this involves shoving a victim from a high place, such as a roof [אבן עזרא, חזקוני, תורה תמימה], or thrusting them into fire or deep water from which they cannot escape [מלבי״ם].

To secure a murder conviction in these scenarios, the court must conduct a precise evaluation. Just as judges would examine a physical weapon for its lethal potential, they must calculate the height of the fall and the sheer force of the push to determine if they were genuinely capable of causing death [תורה תמימה, רש״ר הירש]. Furthermore, the death must be the direct consequence of the attacker's action. Indirectly causing a death—such as tying someone up and leaving them before a wild animal—is excluded from this specific category of direct murder [רלב״ג].

Alternatively, a fatal attack might involve throwing a lethal object or even pushing a leaning wall down onto the victim [אבן עזרא]. For this to constitute murder, it must be executed with clear malice. Commentators generally understand this as an ambush, where the attacker lies in wait and deliberately aims the object with precision, rather than tossing something randomly that accidentally strikes the victim [רש״י, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, a broad legal principle emerges from these scenarios: there is no fundamental difference between throwing a person toward the cause of death and throwing the cause of death onto the person [רש״ר הירש]. The absence of any specific weapon in these cases serves to emphasize a core truth of justice. It is the raw intent to kill, paired with a direct, lethal action, that holds the attacker fully responsible and liable for the ultimate punishment [שפתי כהן].