Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 19

23When you enter the land and you plant any tree that produces food, you must block its fruit from use: it must be blocked from you for use for three years. It must not be eaten.   כגוְכִֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם֙ כָּל־עֵ֣ץ מַֽאֲכָ֔ל וַֽעֲרַלְתֶּ֥ם עָרְלָת֖וֹ אֶת־פִּרְי֑וֹ שָׁל֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם עֲרֵלִ֖ים לֹ֥א יֵֽאָכֵֽל:
וַֽעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ  - means: you must block it by a blockage - i.e., it must be blocked and closed off from the possibility of deriving benefit from it.   וַֽעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ.  וַאֲטַמְתֶּם אֲטִימָתוֹ — יְהֵא אָטוּם וְנִסְתָּם מִלֵּהָנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ:
שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים יִֽהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים - It must be blocked for you for three years. From when does one count these years? From the time it was planted. I might think that if he put the fruit aside, it becomes permitted after three years; Scripture therefore states: יִהְיֶה (lit.) “it shall be” – it remains in its original state.   שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים יִֽהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים.  מֵאֵימָתַי מוֹנֶה לוֹ? מִשְּׁעַת נְטִיעָתוֹ; יָכוֹל אִם הִצְנִיעוֹ, לְאַחַר שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים יְהֵא מֻתָּר, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר יִהְיֶה — בַּהֲוָיָתוֹ יְהֵא (ספרא):
24In the fourth year, all its fruit will be holy, i.e., it must be eaten in the Temple city, where you will offer praises to God.   כדוּבַשָּׁנָה֙ הָֽרְבִיעִ֔ת יִֽהְיֶ֖ה כָּל־פִּרְי֑וֹ קֹ֥דֶשׁ הִלּוּלִ֖ים לַֽיהוָֹֽה:
יִֽהְיֶה כָּל־פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ - All its fruit will be holy - like the second tithe, about which is written: “All tithe of the land…is holy to God”; 1 just as the second tithe may not be eaten outside the walls of Jerusalem except by redeeming it first, the same applies to this fruit. This will occasion “praises to God,” for he will carry it there in order to laud and offer praise to God in heaven.   יִֽהְיֶה כָּל־פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ.  כְּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ וְכָל מַעְשַׂר הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ' קֹדֶשׁ לַה' (ויקרא כ"ז), מַה מַּעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל חוּץ לְחוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אֶלָּא בְּפִדְיוֹן, אַף זֶה כֵּן, וְדָבָר זֶה הלולים לה' הוּא, שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאוֹ שָׁם לְשַׁבֵּחַ וּלְהַלֵּל לַשָּׁמַיִם (עי' ברכות ל"ה):
25In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit freely. Fulfill these commandments in order that the tree increase its produce for you; I am God, your God.   כהוּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֗ת תֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ אֶת־פִּרְי֔וֹ לְהוֹסִ֥יף לָכֶ֖ם תְּבֽוּאָת֑וֹ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבֽוּאָתוֹ - In order that [the tree] increase its produce for you - i.e., although commandments must be fulfilled without regard to any reward, your observance of this commandment may be for the purpose that it increase its produce for you, for as a reward for observing it I will indeed bless you with exceptionally satisfying fruit that grow abundantly from your planting. Rabbi Akiva would say: The Torah stated this specifically regarding this commandment to counter the evil inclination, so that a person not say: “For four years must I expend effort for it with no benefit?!” It therefore says: “in order that it increase its produce for you.”   לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבֽוּאָתוֹ.  הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁתִּשְׁמְרוּ, תִּהְיֶה לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ, שֶׁבִּשְׂכָרָהּ אֲנִי מְבָרֵךְ לָכֶם פֵּרוֹת הַנְּטִיעָה; הָיָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד יֵצֶר הָרָע, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אָדָם הֲרֵי אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים אֲנִי מִצְטַעֵר בּוֹ חִנָּם לְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ (ספרא):
אֲנִי ה' - I am God. I am God who promises that this will occur, and who may be relied upon to fulfill My promise.   אֲנִי ה'.  אֲנִי ה' הַמַּבְטִיחַ עַל כָּךְ וְנֶאֱמָן לִשְׁמֹר הַבְטָחָתִי:
26You must not eat an animal before its blood is fully shed. You must not act on the basis of omens or supposedly auspicious times.   כולֹ֥א תֹֽאכְל֖וּ עַל־הַדָּ֑ם לֹ֥א תְנַֽחֲשׁ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ:
לֹא תֹֽאכְלוּ עַל־הַדָּם - You must not eat (lit.) on the blood. This is expounded in several ways in Sanhedrin: 2 it is the prohibition of eating the meat of sacrifices before their blood has been dashed against the Altar, the prohibition of eating from an unconsecrated animal when it has not yet completely died (i.e., if the carcass is still moving); and several other interpretations.   לֹא תֹֽאכְלוּ עַל־הַדָּם.  לְהַרְבֵּה פָנִים נִדְרָשׁ בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (דף ס"ג): אַזְהָרָה שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכַל מִבְּשַֹר קָדָשִׁים לִפְנֵי זְרִיקַת דָּמִים, וְאַזְהָרָה לָאוֹכֵל מִבֶּהֱמַת חֻלִּין טֶרֶם שֶׁתֵּצֵא נַפְשָׁהּ, וְעוֹד הַרְבֵּה:
לֹא תְנַֽחֲשׁוּ - You must not act on the basis of omens - such as those who divine by the sounds made by a weasel or birds, or from the fact that his bread fell from his mouth or that a deer crossed his path.   לֹא תְנַֽחֲשׁוּ.  כְּגוֹן אֵלּוּ הַמְנַחֲשִׁין בְּחֻלְדָּה וּבְעוֹפוֹת, פִּתּוֹ נָפְלָה מִפִּיו, צְבִי הִפְסִיקוֹ בַדֶּרֶךְ (ספרא):
וְלֹא תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ - This is a term denoting periods (עוֹנוֹת) and hours, i.e., he says, “Such a day is beneficial for embarking on an action, or such an hour is harmful for setting out on a journey.”   וְלֹא תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ.  לְשׁוֹן עוֹנוֹת וְשָׁעוֹת, שֶׁאוֹמֵר יוֹם פְּלוֹנִי יָפֶה לְהַתְחִיל מְלָאכָה, שָׁעָה פְלוֹנִית קָשָׁה לָצֵאת (סנהדרין ס"ה):
27You must not round off the hair of the corner of your head. You must not destroy any edge of your beard.   כזלֹ֣א תַקִּ֔פוּ פְּאַ֖ת רֹֽאשְׁכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁחִ֔ית אֵ֖ת פְּאַ֥ת זְקָנֶֽךָ:
לֹא תַקִּפוּ פְּאַת רֹֽאשְׁכֶם - You must not round off the corner of your head. This refers to one who makes the hair on his temples level with the hair on the back of his ears and with the hair on his forehead, so that the circumference of the hair on his head is rounded off in a circle – for above the back of his ears the roots of his hair are much higher than his temples.   לֹא תַקִּפוּ פְּאַת רֹֽאשְׁכֶם.  זֶה הַמַּשְׁוֶה צְדָעָיו לַאֲחוֹרֵי אָזְנוֹ וּלְפַדַּחְתּוֹ, וְנִמְצָא הֶקֵּף רֹאשׁוֹ עָגֹל סָבִיב, שֶׁעַל אֲחוֹרֵי אָזְנָיו עִקְּרֵי שְׂעָרוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִצְּדָעָיו הַרְבֵּה:
פְּאַת זְקָנֶֽךָ - [Any] edge of your beard - i.e., the tip of the beard and its side limits, which are five altogether: two on the top of each cheek near the head, where it is wide and possesses two edges, and one below on the chin where the two cheekbones join together.   פְּאַת זְקָנֶֽךָ.  סוֹף הַזָּקָן וּגְבוּלָיו (מכות כ'), וְהֵן חָמֵשׁ — שְׁתַּיִם בְּכָל לֶחִי וָלֶחִי, לְמַעְלָה אֵצֶל הָרֹאשׁ שֶׁהוּא רָחָב, וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ שְׁתֵּי פֵאוֹת, וְאַחַת לְמַטָּה בְּסַנְטֵרוֹ — מְקוֹם חִבּוּר שְׁנֵי הַלְּחָיַיִם יַחַד (שבועות נ'):
28You must not make cuts in your flesh for a person who died. You may not etch a tattoo on yourselves; I am God.   כחוְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קַֽעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ - Cuts…for a person [who died]. Such was the practice of the Amorites, to cut their flesh when one of their relatives dies.   וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ.  כֵּן דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל אֱמוֹרִיִּים לִהְיוֹת מְשָׂרְטִין בְּשָֹרָם כְּשֶׁמֵּת לָהֶם מֵת:
וּכְתֹבֶת קַֽעֲקַע - A tattoo. This is writing that is carved and sunk into the skin and can never be erased, for he imprints it with a needle so that it permanently remain black.   וּכְתֹבֶת קַֽעֲקַע.  כְּתָב מְחֻקֶּה וְשָׁקוּעַ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִמְחָק לְעוֹלָם שֶׁמְּקַעְקְעוֹ בְּמַחַט וְהוּא מַשְׁחִיר לְעוֹלָם:
קַֽעֲקַע - This is a term similar to: וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם “and hang them”; 3 and: וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם “and we will hang them,” 4 where it denotes inserting wooden poles into the ground and hanging the condemned on them. Similarly, as a result of tattooing, the words of the tattoo are dug in and piercing the skin just like these poles are dug in and pierce the ground; “porpoint” in Old French.   קַֽעֲקַע.  לְשׁוֹן וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם (במדבר כ"ה), וְהוֹקַעְנוּם (שמואל ב כ"א), תּוֹחֲבִין עֵץ בָּאָרֶץ וְתוֹלִין אוֹתָם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְנִמְצְאוּ מְחֻקִּין וּתְחוּבִין בַּקַּרְקַע, פורפו"ינט בְּלַעַז:
29You must not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land “engage in prostitution” and the land be filled with immorality.   כטאַל־תְּחַלֵּ֥ל אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֖ לְהַזְנוֹתָ֑הּ וְלֹֽא־תִזְנֶ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ וּמָֽלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ זִמָּֽה:
אַל־תְּחַלֵּל אֶת־בִּתְּךָ לְהַזְנוֹתָהּ - You must not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute. This refers to someone who gives his unmarried daughter to anyone for extramarital relations.   אַל־תְּחַלֵּל אֶת־בִּתְּךָ לְהַזְנוֹתָהּ.  בְּמוֹסֵר בִּתּוֹ פְנוּיָה לְבִיאָה שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם קִדּוּשִׁין (סנהדרין ע"ו):
וְלֹֽא־תִזְנֶה הָאָרֶץ - Lest the land engage in prostitution - for if you do defile your daughter, the land will cause its produce to become unfaithful by yielding them elsewhere and not in your land. Similarly, it says elsewhere that as a result of prostitution, “rains were withheld….” 5   וְלֹֽא־תִזְנֶה הָאָרֶץ.  אִם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה כֵּן, הָאָרֶץ מְזַנָּה אֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ לַעֲשׂוֹתָן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר וְלֹא בְאַרְצְכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיהו ג'), וַיִּמָּנְעוּ רְבִיבִים וְגוֹ' (תוספתא, קידושין א'):
30You must observe My Sabbaths. You must revere My Sanctuary; I am God.   לאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ - You must revere My Sanctuary. Therefore, one may not enter the Temple Mount holding his walking staff, wearing his shoes or his money-belt, or with the dust on his feet. And even though I am warning you regarding the Sanctuary, nevertheless – “You must observe My Sabbaths” – the construction of the Sanctuary does not override the restrictions of the Sabbath.   וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ.  לֹא יִכָּנֵס בְּמַקְלוֹ וּבְמִנְעָלוֹ וּבַאֲפֻנְדָּתוֹ וּבְאָבָק שֶׁעַל רַגְלָיו (ברכות נ"ד); וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי מַזְהִירְכֶם עַל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ — אֵין בִּנְיַן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ דּוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת (ספרא):
31You must not practice spirit-divination or yadu’a-divination. You must not seek to spiritually defile yourselves through them; I am God, your God.   לאאַל־תִּפְנ֤וּ אֶל־הָֽאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים אַל־תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ לְטָמְאָ֣ה בָהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
אַל־תִּפְנוּ - You must not practice spirit-divination. This is a warning for a practitioner of the witchcraft of אוֹב or יִדְּעוֹנִי. A practitioner of אוֹב is a conjurer who makes the spirit of the dead speak via his armpit, and a practitioner of יִדְּעוֹנִי is one who places a bone of a creature named yadu’a (יַדּוּעַ) into his mouth and the bone speaks.   אַל־תִּפְנוּ.  אַזְהָרָה לְבַעַל אוֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִי; בַּעַל אוֹב זֶה פִּיתוֹם הַמְדַבֵּר מִשֶּׁחְיוֹ, וְיִדְּעוֹנִי הַמַּכְנִיס עֶצֶם חַיָּה שֶׁשְּׁמָה יַדּוּעַ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וְהָעֶצֶם מְדַבֵּר (סנהדרין ס"ה):
אַל־תְּבַקְשׁוּ - You must not seek - to be involved with them, for if you do become involved with them, you will spiritually defile yourselves before Me and I will abhor you.   אַל־תְּבַקְשׁוּ.  לִהְיוֹת עֲסוּקִים בָּם, שֶׁאִם תַּעַסְקוּ בָם, אַתֶּם מִטַּמְּאִין לְפָנַי וַאֲנִי מְתַעֵב אֶתְכֶם:
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God. Know whom you are substituting for whom!   אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.  דְּעוּ אֶת מִי אַתֶּם מַחֲלִיפִין בְּמִי (ספרא):
32You must rise before an elderly person, and you must respect a person who is elderly. You must fear your God; I am God.   לבמִפְּנֵ֤י שֵׂיבָה֙ תָּק֔וּם וְהָֽדַרְתָּ֖ פְּנֵ֣י זָקֵ֑ן וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּֽאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:
מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם - You must rise before an elderly person. I might think that this includes even an ignorant old man. Scripture therefore states זָקֵן, and זָקֵן is none other than one who has acquired wisdom.   מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם.  יָכוֹל זָקֵן אַשְׁמַאי, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר זָקֵן, אֵין זָקֵן אֶלָּא שֶׁקָּנָה חָכְמָה (קידושין ל"ב):
וְהָֽדַרְתָּ פְּנֵי זָקֵן - And you must respect a person who is elderly. What does respect entail? He may not sit in his place, speak in place of him, nor contradict his words. I might think that he may close his eyes as if he did not see him and thus avoid standing up for him? It therefore says: “you must fear your God” – for such an act is the province of the one performing it, in that he alone is aware of its intention, and regarding any such personal intention it says: “you must fear your God.”   וְהָֽדַרְתָּ פְּנֵי זָקֵן.  אֵיזֶהוּ הִדּוּר? לֹא יֵשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יִסְתֹּר אֶת דְּבָרָיו: יָכוֹל יַעֲצִים עֵינָיו כְּמִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָהוּ? לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ויראת מאלהיך, שֶׁהֲרֵי דָּבָר זֶה מָסוּר לְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹשֵׂהוּ, שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר בּוֹ אֶלָּא הוּא, וְכָל דָּבָר הַמָּסוּר לַלֵּב נֶאֱמַר בוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ (שם):