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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Vayikra - Leviticus Kedoshim Texts & Summaries

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First Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 19

1God spoke to Moses, saying,		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Speak to the entire community of the Israelites, saying to them, ‘You must be holy, for I, God, your God, am holy.		בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדשִׁ֣ים תִּֽהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל - Speak to the entire community of the Israelites. This teaches us that this passage was said with all the Israelites assembled because the majority of the basic tenets of the Torah are inherent in it.		דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ בְּהַקְהֵל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרֹב גּוּפֵי תוֹרָה תְלוּיִּין בָּהּ (ספרא):
קְדשִׁים תִּֽהְיוּ - You must be holy - i.e., be totally distanced from forbidden relations and from sin in general, for wherever you find safeguards against forbidden relations, you find mention of holiness: “The priests must not marry an unfaithful woman or one demoted…because I, God, who sanctifies you, am holy”; 1 “He must not cause his offspring to be demoted…for I am God, who sanctifies him”; 2 “They must be holy…They must not marry an unfaithful woman or one demoted….” 3		קְדשִׁים תִּֽהְיוּ. הֱווּ פְרוּשִׁים מִן הָעֲרָיוֹת וּמִן הָעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא גֶדֶר עֶרְוָה אַתָּה מוֹצֵא קְדֻשָּׁה, אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה וְגוֹ' אֲנִי ה' מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם (ויקרא כ"א), וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ, אֲנִי ה' מְקַדְּשׁוֹ (שם), קְדֹשִׁים יִהְיוּ, אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה (שם):
3Everyone must fear his mother and his father. You must observe My Sabbaths; I am God, your God.		גאִ֣ישׁ אִמּ֤וֹ וְאָבִיו֙ תִּירָ֔אוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ - (lit.) A man his mother and his father you must fear - means: each one among you must fear his father and his mother. This is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: From the term אִישׁ I only know that a man is obligated. From where do I know that a woman is also obligated in this commandment? Since it says a plural form תִּירָאוּ, this implies that two types of people are commanded. If so, why does it say אִישׁ “a man”? Because a man has the full means to perform this commandment, but a woman is sometimes under the authority of others.		אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ. כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם תִּירְאוּ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ, אִשָּׁה מִנַּיִן? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר תִּירָאוּ הֲרֵי כָאן שְׁנַיִם, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אִישׁ? שֶׁהָאִישׁ סֵפֶק בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲבָל אִשָּׁה רְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים עָלֶיהָ (ספרא; קידושין ל'):
אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ - Must fear his mother and his father. Here Scripture mentions the mother before the father, because it is apparent to God that a child naturally fears his father more than his mother. However regarding honoring parents, 4 the father is stated before the mother, because it is apparent to Him that a child naturally honors his mother more than his father, because she influences him through her speech.		אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ. כָּאן הִקְדִּים אֵם לָאָב, לְפִי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁהַבֵּן יָרֵא אֶת אָבִיו יוֹתֵר מֵאִמּוֹ, וּבַכָּבוֹד הִקְדִּים אָב לָאֵם, לְפִי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁהַבֵּן מְכַבֵּד אֶת אִמּוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵאָבִיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּשַׁדַּלְתּוֹ בִדְבָרִים (שם):
וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ - You must observe My Sabbaths. Observance of the Sabbath is placed adjacent to respect for a father, implying: although I charged you with fearing your father, if he tells you to desecrate the Sabbath, you must not obey him; and the same applies to all other commandments, as it states –		וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ. סָמַךְ שַׁבָּת לְמוֹרָא אָב, לוֹמַר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִזְהַרְתִּיךָ עַל מוֹרָא אָב, אִם יֹאמַר לְךָ חַלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אַל תִּשְׁמַע לוֹ, וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת (בבא מציעא ל"ב):
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God - i.e., both you and your father must honor Me by obeying Me; therefore do not obey him to transgress My commands. What then is proper fear for a parent? He should not sit in his place, not speak when it is his turn to do so, and not contradict his words. What is honor for a parent? He gives him to eat and drink, dresses him and puts on his shoes, and helps him go in and go out.		אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם. אַתָּה וְאָבִיךָ חַיָּבִים בִּכְבוֹדִי, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא תִשְׁמַע לוֹ לְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרַי. אֵיזֶהוּ מוֹרָא? לֹא יֵשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יְדַבֵּר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יִסְתֹּר אֶת דְּבָרָיו, וְאֵיזֶהוּ כָבוֹד? מַאֲכִיל וּמַשְׁקֶה, מַלְבִּישׁ וּמַנְעִיל, מַכְנִיס וּמוֹצִיא (קידושין ל"א):
4Do not turn your thoughts toward worshiping idols, in order that you not come to believe in them and make them molten deities for yourselves; I am God, your God.		דאַל־תִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלִילִ֔ם וֵֽאלֹהֵי֙ מַסֵּכָ֔ה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם - Do not turn toward idols - to think about worshiping them. אֱלִילִים is related to אַל “not,” i.e., it is considered like nothing.		אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם. לְעָבְדָם; אֱלִילִים לְשׁוֹן אַל — כְּלֹא הוּא חָשׁוּב:
וֵֽאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה - Molten deities. At the beginning they are אֱלִילִים, i.e., worthless, but if you turn your thoughts toward them you will ultimately make them into a deity.		וֵֽאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה. תְּחִלָּתָן אֱלִילִים הֵם, וְאִם אַתָּה פוֹנֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם סוֹפְךָ עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם אֱלוֹהוֹת (ספרא):
לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם - (lit.) You may not make for yourselves - i.e., you must not make for others, and others may not make for you. If you imagine that the words “you may not make for yourselves” imply “but others may make for you,” I answer: It already says: “You must not possess any idols” 5 – not made by you and not made by others.		לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲחֵרִים וְלֹא אֲחֵרִים לָכֶם; וְאִם תֹּאמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לְעַצְמְכֶם אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים עוֹשִׂין לָכֶם, הֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ (שמות כ') — לֹא שֶׁלְּךָ וְלֹא שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים:
5When you slaughter a peace-promoting feast-offering to God, you must slaughter it such that it attain My favor for you, i.e.,		הוְכִ֧י תִזְבְּח֛וּ זֶ֥בַח שְׁלָמִ֖ים לַֽיהוָֹ֑ה לִרְצֹֽנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ:
וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ וגו' - When you slaughter… This passage was stated only to teach us that the slaughter of such sacrifices must be done with the sole intention that they be eaten within this time, for if it were merely to set the time limit for eating them, that has already been stated: “If his sacrifice is to fulfill a vow or a dedication….” 6		וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ וגו'. לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא זְבִיחָתָן אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת לֵאָכֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, שֶׁאִם לִקְבֹּעַ לָהֶם זְמַן אֲכִילָה, הֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא ז') וְאִם נֶדֶר אוֹ נְדָבָה זֶבַח קָרְבָּנוֹ וְגוֹ' (ספרא):
לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ - You must slaughter it such that it attain favor for you - i.e., its initial slaughter must be performed with the purpose of pleasing Me in order that it attain My favor for you, for if you have any unfit thought then, it will not attain My favor for you.		לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ. תְּחִלַּת זְבִיחָתוֹ תְּהֵא עַל מְנָת נַחַת רוּחַ — שֶׁיְּהֵא לָכֶם לְרָצוֹן, שֶׁאִם תְּחַשְּׁבוּ עָלָיו מַחֲשֶׁבֶת פְּסוּל לֹא יֵרָצֶה עֲלֵיכֶם לְפָנַי:
לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם - (lit.) To appease for you - “apayment” in Old French (“appeasement”). This is according to its straightforward meaning. Our rabbis explained לִרְצֹנְכֶם as meaning “by your will,” deriving from here that unaware slaughter of a sacrifice renders it invalid, i.e., he must slaughter it intentionally.		לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם. אפיי"צימנטו, זֶהוּ לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן לַמִּתְעַסֵּק בַּקֳּדָשִׁים שֶׁפָּסוּל, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְכַּוֵּן לִשְׁחֹט (זבחים מ"ז; חולין י"ג):
6with the intention that it be eaten on the day you slaughter it and on the next day. Anything left over until the third day must be burned in fire.		ובְּי֧וֹם זִבְחֲכֶ֛ם יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל וּמִמָּֽחֳרָ֑ת וְהַנּוֹתָר֙ עַד־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י בָּאֵ֖שׁ יִשָּׂרֵֽף:
בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵֽאָכֵל - (lit.) On the day you slaughter it must be eaten - i.e., when you slaughter it, slaughter it with the intention to eat it within the time that I have already set for you.		בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵֽאָכֵל. כְּשֶׁתִּזְבְּחוּהוּ תִּשְׁחֲטוּהוּ עַל מְנָת זְמַן זֶה שֶׁקָּבַעְתִּי לָכֶם כְּבָר:
7If it is eaten on the third day, it is contemptible; it will not be accepted as valid.		זוְאִ֛ם הֵֽאָכֹ֥ל יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י פִּגּ֥וּל ה֖וּא לֹ֥א יֵֽרָצֶֽה:
וְאִם הֵֽאָכֹל יֵֽאָכֵל וגו' - (lit.) And if it is eaten… Since this verse cannot refer to slaughtering a sacrifice with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed time, for that has already been stated – “If the slaughterer articulates his intent that some of the flesh of his peace-promoting feast-offering be eaten on the third day, the offering will not be accepted” 7 – apply it instead to slaughtering a sacrifice with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place. I might think eating such a sacrifice incurs the penalty of excision; Scripture therefore states there, regarding a sacrifice slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed time: “and the person who eats of it will bear his sin” – one who eats “of it” is liable, but not one who eats of a similarly disqualified sacrifice. This excludes from excision one who eats of a sacrifice that was slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place.		וְאִם הֵֽאָכֹל יֵֽאָכֵל וגו'. אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְחוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר וְאִם הֵאָכֹל יֵאָכֵל מִבְּשַׂר זֶבַח שְׁלָמָיו וְגוֹ' (ויקרא ז'), תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לְחוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ; יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ חַיָּבִין כָּרֵת עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֹכֶלֶת מִמֶּנּוּ עֲוֹנָהּ תִּשָּׂא, "מִמֶּנּוּ" וְלֹא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, יָצָא הַנִּשְׁחָט בְּמַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ (זבחים כ"ח):
פִּגּוּל - means contemptible, as in: “and their vessels contain contemptible broth (מְרַק פִּגֻּלִים).” 8		פִּגּוּל. מְתֹעָב, כְּמוֹ וּמְרַק פִּגֻּלִים כְּלֵיהֶם (ישעיהו ס"ה):
8Whoever eats it will bear his sin, because he has profaned what is holy to God. That person will be cut off from his people.		חוְאֹֽכְלָיו֙ עֲו‍ֹנ֣וֹ יִשָּׂ֔א כִּֽי־אֶת־קֹ֥דֶשׁ יְהוָֹ֖ה חִלֵּ֑ל וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּֽיהָ:
וְאֹֽכְלָיו עונו יִשָּׂא - Whoever eats it will bear his sin. This verse is speaking about sacrificial meat that was left over beyond its prescribed time, but one does not incur excision for the offense stated in the previous verse, i.e., eating a sacrifice slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place, for Scripture has already excluded this, as explained there. This verse must therefore be speaking about sacrificial meat left over beyond its prescribed time. In Tractate Keritot 9 this is derived by means of an analogy.		וְאֹֽכְלָיו עונו יִשָּׂא. בְּנוֹתָר גָּמוּר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְאֵינוֹ עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת עַל הַנִּשְׁחָט חוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁכְּבָר מִעֲטוֹ הַכָּתוּב, וְזֶה בְּנוֹתָר גָּמוּר מְדַבֵּר, וּבְמַסֶּכֶת כָּרֵתוֹת (דף ה'), לְמָדוּהוּ מִגְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה:
9When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not fully reap the last corner of your field. Nor may you gather the gleanings of your harvest that fall from your hand.		טוּבְקֻצְרְכֶם֙ אֶת־קְצִ֣יר אַרְצְכֶ֔ם לֹ֧א תְכַלֶּ֛ה פְּאַ֥ת שָֽׂדְךָ֖ לִקְצֹ֑ר וְלֶ֥קֶט קְצִֽירְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תְלַקֵּֽט:
לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָֽׂדְךָ - You must not fully [reap] the corner of your field - i.e., one must leave over a corner at the end of his field.		לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָֽׂדְךָ. שֶׁיַּנִּיחַ פֵּאָה בְסוֹף שָׂדֵהוּ (עי' ספרא):
וְלֶקֶט קְצִֽירְךָ - means: stalks that fall down during the reaping, one or two at a time, but three together are not considered לֶקֶט, i.e., forbidden to gather.		וְלֶקֶט קְצִֽירְךָ. שִׁבֳּלִים הַנּוֹשְׁרִים בִּשְׁעַת קְצִירָה, אַחַת אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם, אֲבָל שָׁלוֹשׁ אֵינָן לֶקֶט (פאה פ"ו):
10You must not glean the young grapes of your vineyard. Nor may you collect the fallen individual grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the convert; I am God, your God.		יוְכַרְמְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תְעוֹלֵ֔ל וּפֶ֥רֶט כַּרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְלַקֵּ֑ט לֶֽעָנִ֤י וְלַגֵּר֙ תַּֽעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
לֹא תְעוֹלֵל - means: do not take its undeveloped clusters, which can be distinguished as follows: What are undeveloped clusters? Any cluster that has neither a shoulder (כָּתֵף) nor a dangling portion (נָטֵף).		לֹא תְעוֹלֵל. לֹא תִטֹּל עוֹלֵלוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ, וְהֵן נִכָּרוֹת; אֵיזֶהוּ עוֹלֵלוֹת? כֹּל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לֹא כָתֵף וְלֹא נָטֵף (ספרא):
וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ - means the individual grapes that fall during the grape-harvest.		וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ. גַּרְגְּרֵי עֲנָבִים הַנּוֹשְׁרִים בִּשְׁעַת בְּצִירָה:
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God - a judge who exacts punishment, and for transgressing these commandments I demand none other than your souls as retribution, as it says: “Do not steal from the poor…for God will plead their cause….” 10		אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם. דַּיָּן לִפָּרַע; וְאֵינִי גוֹבֶה מִכֶּם אֶלָּא נְפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַל תִּגְזָל דָּל וְגוֹ' כִּי ה' יָרִיב רִיבָם וְגוֹ' (משלי כ"ב):
11You must not steal. You must not falsely deny a claim. You must not lie to one another.		יאלֹ֖א תִּגְנֹ֑בוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁ֥וּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּר֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ בַּֽעֲמִיתֽוֹ:
לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ - You must not steal. This is the prohibition of stealing money, but the phrase לֹא תִגְנֹב 11 written in the Ten Commandments is the prohibition of kidnapping people. This is deduced from its context, as kidnapping is a matter incurring the penalty of death by sentence of the court like the other prohibitions in that verse.		לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ. אַזְהָרָה לְגוֹנֵב מָמוֹן, אֲבָל לֹא תִגְנֹב שֶׁבַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת אַזְהָרָה לְגוֹנֵב נְפָשׁוֹת, דָּבָר הַלָּמֵד מֵעִנְיָנוֹ — דָּבָר שֶׁחַיָּבִין עָלָיו מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין:
וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ - You must not falsely deny a claim. From the fact that it says וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ “and he denied it” 12 – for which one pays the principal and an additional fifth – we have learned only the penalty for denial. From where do we know the corresponding prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states here: “you must not falsely deny a claim.”		וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ. לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ה'), וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ מְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ, לָמַדְנוּ עֹנֶשׁ, אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ:
וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ - You must not lie. From the fact that it says: “and he swore falsely” 13 – for which he must pay the principal and an additional fifth – we have learned only the penalty for swearing falsely. From where do we know the corresponding prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states here: “You must not lie.”		וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ. לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם), וְנִשְׁבַּע עַל שָׁקֶר יְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ, לָמַדְנוּ עֹנֶשׁ, אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ:
לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ וְלֹֽא־תשבעו - You must not steal. You must not falsely deny a claim. You must not lie…You must not swear [falsely]. The sequence of these prohibitions teaches us that if you have stolen, you will end up denying it, and then you will end up lying to back up the denial, and ultimately you will swear falsely.		לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ וְלֹֽא־תשבעו. אִם גָּנַבְתָּ סוֹפְךָ לְכַחֵשׁ, סוֹפְךָ לְשַׁקֵּר, סוֹפְךָ לִשָּׁבַע לַשֶּׁקֶר:
12You must not swear falsely by My Name, thereby profaning the Name of your God; I am God.		יבוְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְע֥וּ בִשְׁמִ֖י לַשָּׁ֑קֶר וְחִלַּלְתָּ֛ אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:
וְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי - You must not swear [falsely] by My Name. Why is this stated? Since it says: “You must not swear by the Name of God, your God, in vain,” 14 I might think that this means that one is liable only for swearing by the Unique Name. From where do we know to include in this prohibition all appellations of God? From the fact that Scripture states: “You must not swear falsely by My Name,” implying any Name that I have.		וְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא (שמות כ'), יָכוֹל לֹא יְהֵא חַיָּב אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל הַכִּנּוּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תִשָּׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי לַשָּׁקֶר — כָּל שֵׁם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי (ספרא):
13You must not oppress your fellow. You must not rob. The hired day-worker’s wage must not remain with you through the night until morning.		יגלֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁ֥ק אֶת־רֵֽעֲךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִגְזֹ֑ל לֹֽא־תָלִ֞ין פְּעֻלַּ֥ת שָׂכִ֛יר אִתְּךָ֖ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
לֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁק - You must not oppress. This refers to one who withholds the wages of a hired worker.		לֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁק. זֶה הַכּוֹבֵשׁ שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר (בבא מציעא ס"א):
לֹא־תָלִין - It must not remain through the night. This is a feminine third-person form, referring to the wages.		לֹא־תָלִין. לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, מוּסָב עַל הַפְּעוּלָה:
עַד־בֹּֽקֶר - Until morning. This verse is speaking about a worker hired for the daytime, who ends work at sunset. Therefore, the time for him to receive his wages is the entire night. Elsewhere, it says: “the sun must not set on his wage.” 15 That verse speaks of a worker hired for the night, who finishes his work at dawn. Therefore, the time for him to receive his wages is the entire day, since the Torah gave the employer a full day- or night-period to find money for payment.		עַד־בֹּֽקֶר. בִּשְׂכִיר יוֹם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁיְּצִיאָתוֹ מִשֶּׁשָּׁקְעָה חַמָּה, לְפִיכָךְ זְמַן גִּבּוּי שְׂכָרוֹ כָּל הַלָּיְלָה, וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר וְלֹא תָבוֹא עָלָיו הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ (דברים כ"ד), מְדַבֵּר בִּשְֹכִיר לַיְלָה, שֶׁהַשְׁלָמַת פְּעֻלָּתוֹ מִשֶּׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, לְפִיכָךְ זְמַן גִּבּוּי שְׂכָרוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם, לְפִי שֶׁנָּתְנָה תוֹרָה זְמַן לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת עוֹנָה לְבַקֵּשׁ מָעוֹת (בבא מציעא ק"י):
14You must not curse a deaf person. You must not place an obstacle before a blind person. You must fear your God; I am God.		ידלֹֽא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:
לֹֽא־תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ - You must not curse a deaf person. From here, I know only that one may not curse a deaf person. From where do I know to include any person in this prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states elsewhere: “nor may you curse…of your people.” 16 If so, why is a deaf person stated specifically? In order teach us that just as a deaf person is alive even though he cannot hear the curse, so does the prohibition apply only to anyone who is alive. This excludes a dead person, who is no longer alive.		לֹֽא־תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חֵרֵשׁ, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּעַמְּךָ לֹא תָאֹר (שמות כ"ב), אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר חֵרֵשׁ? מַה חֵרֵשׁ מְיֻחָד שֶׁהוּא בַחַיִּים, אַף כָּל שֶׁהוּא בַחַיִּים, יָצָא הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַחַיִּים (ספרא):
וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹֽא־תִתֵּן מכשול - You must not place an obstacle before a blind person - i.e., before one who is “blind” in the sense of being unaware of the issues in a particular situation, meaning: do not give such a person advice motivated by any consideration other than to benefit him. Do not say to him, “Sell your field and buy yourself a donkey” if you are intending to manipulate him so that you can buy the field from him.		וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹֽא־תִתֵּן מכשול. לִפְנֵי הַסּוּמָא בְדָבָר לֹא תִתֵּן עֵצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, אַל תֹּאמַר מְכֹר שָׂדְךָ וְקַח לְךָ חֲמוֹר, וְאַתָּה עוֹקֵף עָלָיו וְנוֹטְלָהּ הֵימֶנּוּ (שם):
וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ - You must fear your God. Since people have no means of ascertaining this matter – i.e., whether this person’s intention was for good (i.e., to benefit the other person) or for bad (i.e., with ulterior motives), and he may excuse himself by lying, saying, “I intended it for the good” – it says here: “you must fear your God,” who knows your thoughts. Similarly, regarding any act that is solely the province of the one performing it, in that other people are unaware of its intention, it also says: “you must fear your God.”		וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ. לְפִי שֶׁהַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ מָסוּר לַבְּרִיּוֹת לֵידַע אִם דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה לְטוֹבָה אוֹ לְרָעָה, וְיָכוֹל לְהִשָּׁמֵט וְלוֹמַר לְטוֹבָה נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי, לְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ הַמַּכִּיר מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ; וְכֵן כָּל דָּבָר הַמָּסוּר לְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָעוֹשֵׂהוּ וְאֵין שְׁאָר הַבְּרִיּוֹת מַכִּירוֹת בּוֹ, נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ:

Footnotes

Keritot 5a.

Proverbs 22:22-23.

Second Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 19

15You must commit no injustice in judgment. You must not be partial to a poor litigant; you must not show misplaced respect to a great litigant. You must judge your fellow with righteousness.		טו לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֨וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָד֑וֹל בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ:
לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט - You must commit no injustice in judgment. This teaches us that a judge who perverts judgment is called unjust, hateful, loathsome, condemned to destruction, and an abomination, for an unjust person is called an abomination, as it says: כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ כֹּל עֹשֵׂה עָוֶל “For…whoever perpetrates injustice is an abomination to God, your God,” 1 and an abomination is called loathsome and condemned, as it says: וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ וְהָיִיתָ חֵרֶם כָּמֹהוּ שַׁקֵּץ תְּשַׁקְּצֶנּוּ וגו׳ “Nor should you bring an object of disgust into your house, lest you become condemned to destruction like it. You must utterly loathe it ….” 2		לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַדַּיָּן הַמְקַלְקֵּל אֶת הַדִּין קָרוּי עַוָּל, שָׂנוּי וּמְשֻׁקָּץ, חֵרֶם וְתוֹעֵבָה, שֶׁהָעָוֶל קָרוּי תּוֹעֵבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה' וְגוֹ' כֹּל עֹשֵׂה עָוֶל (דברים כ"ה), וְהַתּוֹעֵבָה קְרוּיָה חֵרֶם וְשֶׁקֶץ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ וְהָיִיתָ חֵרֶם כָּמֹהוּ שַׁקֵּץ תְּשַׁקְּצֶנּוּ וְגוֹ' (שם ז'):
לֹא־תִשָּׂא פְנֵי־דָל - You must not be partial to a poor [litigant]. You must not say, “This person is poor and the wealthy one is required to support him in any case. I will therefore judge the case in his favor, and he will thus be supported respectably.”		לֹא־תִשָּׂא פְנֵי־דָל. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר עָנִי הוּא זֶה, וְהֶעָשִׁיר חַיָּב לְפַרְנְסוֹ, אֲזַכֶּנּוּ בַדִּין וְנִמְצָא מִתְפַּרְנֵס בִּנְקִיּוּת (ספרא):
וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְנֵי־גָדוֹל - You must not show respect to a great [litigant]. You must not say, “This person is wealthy or this person is of noble birth. How can I shame him and observe his shame? Such behavior is punishable!” It therefore says: “You must not show respect to a great litigant.”		וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְנֵי־גָדוֹל. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר עָשִׁיר הוּא זֶה, בֶּן גְּדוֹלִים הוּא זֶה, הֵיאַךְ אֲבַיְּשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶרְאֶה בְּבָשְׁתּוֹ? עֹנֶשׁ יֵשׁ בַּדָּבָר לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל:
בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ - You must judge your fellow with righteousness. Understand this literally, as applying to a judge. Another explanation is that this is a general rule: When judging your fellow’s actions, incline toward his justification whenever possible.		בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: הֱוֵי דָן אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ לְכַף זְכוּת (שבועות ל'):
16You must not go around as a gossipmonger among your people. You must not stand idly by when you see your fellow’s blood being shed; I am God.		טזלֹֽא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
לֹֽא־תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל - You must not go around as a gossipmonger. I say that because all those who stir up strife and speak slander visit their friends’ houses to spy out what bad things they can see or what bad things they can hear there to relate in the street, they are called הוֹלְכֵי רָכִיל, i.e., הוֹלְכֵי רְגִילָה “people who go about spying”; “espiement” in Old French. A proof to my statement is that we do not find the term רְכִילוּת anywhere not expressed by the verb הֲלִיכָה “going,” e.g., לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל (here), הֹלְכֵי רָכִיל נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל “Those who go around gossipmongering are like copper and iron,” 3 whereas other synonyms for slander are not expressed by הֲלִיכָה “going,” e.g., מְלָשְׁנִי בַסֵּתֶר רֵעֵהוּ “one who slanders his friend in secret,” 4 לָשׁוֹן רְמִיָּה “a cunning tongue,” 5 לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת “a tongue that speaks arrogantly.” 6 Therefore, I say that the term רָכִיל means “one who goes around spying (מְרַגֵּל),” for a כ may be interchanged with a ג, for all letters that originate in the same place of speech are interchangeable: ב with פ and ו, ג with כ and ק, נ with ל and ר, and ז with צ. Similarly, we find the verb רגל used in the sense of רכל: וַיְרַגֵּל בְּעַבְדְּךָ, 7 which means: “he spied out cunningly, speaking badly of me”; and also: לֹא רָגַל עַל לְשֹׁנוֹ “he did not slander with his tongue.” 8 Similarly, רוֹכֵל “a peddler” is one who goes around and scouts out (מְרַגֵּל) all kinds of merchandise; and similarly, one who sells fragrances for women to adorn themselves, because he constantly goes around from town to town, is called רוֹכֵל “peddler,” related to רוֹגֵל. Onkelos translates it as לָא תֵיכוּל קֻרְצִין, as in וַאֲכַלוּ קַרְצֵיהוֹן דִּי יְהוּדָיֵא “and they slandered the Jews”; 9 and אֲכַל בֵּהּ קֻרְצָא בֵּי מַלְכָּא “he slandered him in the king’s palace.” 10 It seems to me that it was the custom of the slanderer to eat some snack in the house of the one who accepted his slanderous words, which acted as a final endorsement that his words were approved and confirmed their truth. That snack is called eating of קֻרְצִין, derived from קֹרֵץ בְּעֵינָיו, “He winks with his eyes,” 11 for the way of all gossipmongers is to wink with their eyes and otherwise hint about their words of gossip, so that others hearing it not understand their intimations.		לֹֽא־תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל. אֲנִי אוֹמֵר עַל שֵׁם שֶׁכָּל מְשַׁלְּחֵי מְדָנִים וּמְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרַע הוֹלְכִים בְּבָתֵּי רֵעֵיהֶם לְרַגֵּל מַה יִּרְאוּ רָע, אוֹ מַה יִּשְׁמְעוּ רָע, לְסַפֵּר בַּשּׁוּק, נִקְרָאִים הוֹלְכֵי רָכִיל — הוֹלְכֵי רְגִילָה, אשפיי"מנט בְּלַעַז. וּרְאָיָה לִדְבָרַי, שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ רְכִילוּת שֶׁאֵין כָּתוּב בִּלְשׁוֹן הֲלִיכָה, לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל, הֹלְכֵי רָכִיל נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל (ירמיהו ו'), וּשְׁאָר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע אֵין כָּתוּב בּוֹ הֲלִיכָה, מְלָשְׁנִי בַסֵּתֶר רֵעֵהוּ (תהילים ק"א), לָשׁוֹן רְמִיָּה (שם ק"כ), לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת (שם י"ב); לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן הוֹלֵךְ וּמְרַגֵּל, שֶׁהַכַּ"ף נֶחֱלֶפֶת בְּגִימֶ"ל, שֶׁכָּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁמּוֹצָאֵיהֶם מִמָּקוֹם אֶחָד מִתְחַלְּפוֹת זוֹ בָזוֹ, בֵּי"ת בְּפֵ"א וְגִימֶ"ל בְּכַ"ף וְקוֹ"ף, וְנוּ"ן בְּלָמֶ"ד, וְזַיִ"ן בְּצָדִ"י, וְכֵן וַיְרַגֵּל בְּעַבְדְּךָ (שמואל ב י"ט) — רִגֵּל בְּמִרְמָה לֵאמֹר עָלַי רָעָה, וְכֵן לֹא רָגַל עַל לְשֹׁנוֹ (תהילים ט"ו), וְכֵן רוֹכֵל — הַסּוֹחֵר וּמְרַגֵּל אַחַר כָּל סְחוֹרָה, וְכֵן הַמּוֹכֵר בְּשָׂמִים לְהִתְקַשֵּׁט בָּהֶם הַנָּשִׁים, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּחַזֵּר תָּמִיד בָּעֲיָרוֹת, נִקְרָא רוֹכֵל לְשׁוֹן רוֹגֵל; לָא תֵיכוּל קוּרְצִין כְּמוֹ וַאֲכַלוּ קַרְצֵיהוֹן דִּי יְהוּדָיֵא (דניאל ב׳:כ״ה), אָכַל בֵּיהּ קוּרְצָא בֵּי מַלְכָּא (ברבות נ"ח); נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁפָּטָם לֶאֱכֹל בְּבֵית הַמְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵיהֶם שׁוּם הַלְעָטָה, וְהוּא גְמַר חִזּוּק שֶׁדְּבָרָיו מְקֻיָּמִים וְיַעֲמִידֵם עַל הָאֱמֶת, וְאוֹתָהּ הַלְעָטָה נִקְרֵאת אֲכִילַת קוּרְצִין, לְשׁוֹן קוֹרֵץ בְּעֵינָיו (משלי ו'), שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל הוֹלְכֵי רָכִיל לִקְרֹץ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם וְלִרְמֹז דִּבְרֵי רְכִילוּתָן, שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ שְׁאָר הַשּׁוֹמְעִים:
לֹֽא־תַֽעֲמֹד עַל־דַּם רֵעֶךָ - You must not stand (lit.) by the blood of your fellow - i.e., to see him dying when it is clear that you can rescue him, even if this entails a possible danger to your own life from another source, such as someone drowning in a river with a beast or bandits simultaneously attacking him.		לֹֽא־תַֽעֲמֹד עַל־דַּם רֵעֶךָ. לִרְאוֹת בְּמִיתָתוֹ וְאַתָּה יָכוֹל לְהַצִּילוֹ, כְּגוֹן טוֹבֵעַ בַּנָּהָר וְחַיָּה אוֹ לִיסְטִים בָּאִים עָלָיו (סנהדרין ע"ג):
אֲנִי ה' - I am God - who can be relied upon to pay reward for these deeds, and who can be relied upon to exact punishment if you transgress them.		אֲנִי ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר, וְנֶאֱמָן לִפָּרַע:
17You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must indeed rebuke your fellow, but you must not commit the sin of embarrassing someone in public on his account.		יזלֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֨יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא:
וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵֽטְא - (lit.) But you must not bear a sin on his account - i.e., do not embarrass him in public.		וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵֽטְא. לֹא תַלְבִּין אֶת פָּנָיו בָּרַבִּים (עי' ספרא):
18You must neither take revenge on nor bear a grudge against the members of your people. You must love your fellow as yourself; I am God.		יחלֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
לֹֽא־תִקֹּם - You must neither take revenge. For example, he asked his friend, “Loan me your sickle,” and he replied, “No!” The next day his friend asked him, “Loan me your hatchet,” and he replied, “I will not loan it to you, just as you did not loan it to me” – this is taking revenge. And what is bearing a grudge? If a person asks his friend, “Loan me your hatchet,” and he replied, “No.” The next day, his friend asked him, “Loan me your sickle,” and he replied, “Here you are, and I am not like you who did not lend to me” – this is bearing a grudge, for he keeps hate in his heart, even though he does not take revenge.		לֹֽא־תִקֹּם. אָמַר לוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי מַגָּלְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ לָאו, לְמָחָר אָמַר לוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי קַרְדֻּמְּךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מַשְׁאִילְךָ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׁאַלְתַּנִי, זוֹ הִיא נְקִימָה; וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא נְטִירָה? אָמַר לוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי אֶת קַרְדֻּמְּךָ, אָמַר לוֹ לָאו, לְמָחָר אָמַר לוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי מַגָּלְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הֵא לְךָ, אֵינִי כְמוֹתְךָ שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׁאַלְתַּנִי, זוֹ הִיא נְטִירָה, שֶׁנּוֹטֵר הָאֵיבָה בְּלִבּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹקֵם (ספרא; יומא כ"ג):
וְאָֽהַבְתָּ לְרֵֽעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ - You must love your fellow as yourself. Rabbi Akiva said: “This is a far-reaching principle of the Torah,” i.e., the underlying source of many commandments relating to dealings between fellow Jews.		וְאָֽהַבְתָּ לְרֵֽעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה (ספרא):
19You must observe My rules: You must not crossbreed your animals. You must not sow your field with a mixture of species. You must not wear a garment made out of a mixture of wool and linen that has been pressed, woven, or twisted together.		יטאֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֘ תִּשְׁמֹ֒רוּ֒ בְּהֶמְתְּךָ֙ לֹֽא־תַרְבִּ֣יעַ כִּלְאַ֔יִם שָֽׂדְךָ֖ לֹֽא־תִזְרַ֣ע כִּלְאָ֑יִם וּבֶ֤גֶד כִּלְאַ֨יִם֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז לֹ֥א יַֽעֲלֶ֖ה עָלֶֽיךָ:
אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ - You must observe My rules - and they are the following: “You must not crossbreed your animals….” These rules are the King’s decree, for which no reason is given.		אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: בְּהֶמְתְּךָ לֹא תַרְבִּיעַ כִּלְאַיִם וְגוֹ'; חֻקִּים — אֵלּוּ גְזֵרַת מֶלֶךְ שֶׁאֵין טַעַם לַדָּבָר:
וּבֶגֶד כִּלְאַיִם - A garment made of a mixture. Why is this stated? Since it says elsewhere: לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים יַחְדָּו (lit.) “You must not wear a mixture of wool and linen together,” 12 I might have thought that one may not wear even wool fleece with non-woven flax fibers. Scripture therefore states here: בֶּגֶד “a garment.” From where do I know to include even felt material that is not woven like a garment? From the fact that Scripture states: שַׁעַטְנֵז – an acronym meaning a material that is pressed (שׁוּעַ), woven (טָווּי), or twisted (נוּז) together. I say that נוּז is a term denoting something that has been rolled and twined together to become joined; “mistre” in Old French. It is a term similar to: חַזְיָן לְנַזְיֵי דְּאִית בְּהוֹן “They are fit for the beaten seeds among them,” 13 where we explain the word נַזְיֵי as meaning beaten by being trampled underfoot together; “flestre” in Old French. Menachem ben Saruk explains the term שַׁעַטְנֵז as a combination of a mixture of wool and linen.		וּבֶגֶד כִּלְאַיִם. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים יַחְדָּו" (דברים כ"ב), יָכוֹל לֹא יִלְבַּשׁ גִּזֵּי צֶמֶר וַאֲנִיצֵי פִשְׁתָּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בֶּגֶד", מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת הַלְּבָדִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "שַׁעַטְנֵז" — דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא שׁוּעַ טָווּי וְנוּז. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוּז לְשׁוֹן דָּבָר הַנִּמְלָל וְשָׁזוּר זֶה עִם זֶה לְחַבְּרוֹ, טישט"יר בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ "חַזְיָין לִנְזָאֵי דְאִית בְּהוֹן" (מועד קטן י"ב), שֶׁאָנוּ מְפָרְשִׁין לְשׁוֹן כִּמּוּשׁ, פליש"טרא, וּלְשׁוֹן שַׁעַטְנֵז פֵּרֵשׁ מְנַחֵם מַחְבֶּרֶת צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים:
20If a man conducts carnal relations with a woman, and she is a non-Jewish bondwoman who has been designated for a Jewish bondman, and she has not yet been fully redeemed, nor has freedom been granted her, there must be an investigation. If she is not fully free, they must not be put to death, because she had not been completely freed.		כוְאִ֠ישׁ כִּֽי־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֗רַע וְהִ֤וא שִׁפְחָה֙ נֶֽחֱרֶ֣פֶת לְאִ֔ישׁ וְהָפְדֵּה֙ לֹ֣א נִפְדָּ֔תָה א֥וֹ חֻפְשָׁ֖ה לֹ֣א נִתַּן־לָ֑הּ בִּקֹּ֧רֶת תִּֽהְיֶ֛ה לֹ֥א יֽוּמְת֖וּ כִּי־לֹ֥א חֻפָּֽשָׁה:
נֶֽחֱרֶפֶת לְאִישׁ - means intended and designated for another man. I do not know of a similar word in Scripture. The verse is speaking of a Canaanite bondwoman who is partially still a bondwoman and partially a free woman, who is betrothed to a Hebrew bondman, who is permitted to marry his master’s Canaanite bondwoman.		נֶֽחֱרֶפֶת לְאִישׁ. מְיֻעֶדֶת וּמְיֻחֶדֶת לְאִישׁ, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לוֹ דִמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא; וּבְשִׁפְחָה כְנַעֲנִית חֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חֹרִין הַמְאֹרֶסֶת לְעֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֶׁמֻּתָּר בְּשִׁפְחָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
וְהָפְדֵּה לֹא נִפְדָּתָה - means she was partially redeemed but not fully redeemed, and “redemption” stated without further qualification refers to monetary redemption.		וְהָפְדֵּה לֹא נִפְדָּתָה. פְּדוּיָה וְאֵינָהּ פְּדוּיָה, וּסְתָם פִּדְיוֹן בְּכֶסֶף:
אוֹ חֻפְשָׁה - Nor [has] freedom [been granted her] - by means of a document of release.		אוֹ חֻפְשָׁה. בִּשְׁטָר (ספרא):
בִּקֹּרֶת תִּֽהְיֶה - (lit.) She must be under investigation - this implies that she receives lashes but he does not, i.e., the court must analyze the matter in order to determine that she has not incurred the death penalty – the punishment for adultery – “because she had not been freed” fully, and thus her prior betrothal was not a full betrothal. Our rabbis 14 learned from here that one who receives lashes is subject to a “reading,” for the judges administering the lashes recite over the one being lashed the verses: “If you do not safeguard God’s commandments by studying how to fulfill…God will intensify your plagues (lit., “blows”)….” 15		בִּקֹּרֶת תִּֽהְיֶה. הִיא לוֹקָה וְלֹא הוּא, יֵשׁ עַל בֵּית דִּין לְבַקֵּר אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא לְחַיְּבָהּ מִיתָה כי לא חפשה וְאֵין קִדּוּשֶׁיהָ קִדּוּשִׁין גְּמוּרִין: וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן (מכות כ"ב), שֶׁמִּי שֶׁהוּא בְמַלְקוּת תְּהֵא בִקְרִיאָה — שֶׁהַדַּיָּנִים הַמַּלְקִין קוֹרִין עַל הַלּוֹקֶה "אִם לֹא תִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת וְגוֹ' וְהִפְלָא ה' אֶת מַכֹּתְךָ וְגוֹ'" (דברים כ"ח):
כִּֽי־לֹא חֻפְשָׁה - Because she had not been freed. He therefore does not incur the death penalty on her account, since her prior betrothal was not a full betrothal. From this we may infer that if she had been fully freed, her betrothal to another man would have been a proper betrothal, and they would incur the death penalty.		כִּֽי־לֹא חֻפְשָׁה. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין חַיָּב עָלֶיהָ מִיתָה, שֶׁאֵין קִדּוּשֶׁיהָ קִדּוּשִׁין, הָא אִם חֻפְּשָׁה קִדּוּשֶׁיהָ קִדּוּשִׁין וְחַיָּב מִיתָה (ספרא):
21The paramour must bring his guilt-offering to God, i.e., into the Courtyard outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting—a ram as a guilt-offering.		כאוְהֵבִ֤יא אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֵ֖יל אָשָֽׁם:
22The priest must effect atonement for him before God—by means of the guilt-offering ram—for the sin that he committed, and he will be forgiven for the sin that he committed.		כבוְכִפֶּר֩ עָלָ֨יו הַכֹּהֵ֜ן בְּאֵ֤יל הָֽאָשָׁם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־חַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֑א וְנִסְלַ֣ח ל֔וֹ מֵֽחַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽא:
וְנִסְלַח לוֹ מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא - And he will be forgiven for the sin that he committed. This phrase is added to include the law that one who sinned intentionally also brings this sacrifice, just like one who sinned unintentionally.		וְנִסְלַח לוֹ מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא. לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַמֵּזִיד כַּשּׁוֹגֵג (ספרא):

Footnotes

Berachot 58a.

Mo’ed Katan 12b.

Keritot 11a.

Deuteronomy 28:58-59.

Third Portion

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):

Footnotes

Leviticus 27:30.

Sanhedrin 63a.

Numbers 25:4.

2 Samuel 21:6.

Jeremiah 3:3.

Fourth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 19

33When a convert dwells with you in your land, you must not taunt him.		לגוְכִֽי־יָג֧וּר אִתְּךָ֛ גֵּ֖ר בְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תוֹנ֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
לֹא תוֹנוּ - You must not (lit.) abuse. This refers here to verbal abuse. Do not tell him: “Yesterday you were an idolater, and now you attempt to study Torah given by the Almighty’s word!”		לֹא תוֹנוּ. אוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים; לֹא תֹאמַר לוֹ אֶמֶשׁ הָיִיתָ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה בָא לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה (בבא מציעא נ"ח):
34The convert who dwells with you must be treated as a native from among you, and you must love him as you love yourself, for you were strangers in Egypt; I am God, your God.		לדכְּאֶזְרָ֣ח מִכֶּם֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם הַגֵּ֣ר \| הַגָּ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֗ם וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לוֹ֙ כָּמ֔וֹךָ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
כִּֽי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם - For you were strangers - i.e., do not accuse another of a defect you yourself possess.		כִּֽי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם. מוּם שֶׁבְּךָ אַל תֹּאמַר לַחֲבֵרְךָ (שם נ"ט):
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God - I am your God and his God.		אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם. אֱלֹהֶיךָ וֵאלֹהָיו אֲנִי:
35You must not commit a perversion of justice with regard to measures of length, area, weight, or liquid or dry volume.		להלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֖וֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט בַּמִּדָּ֕ה בַּמִּשְׁקָ֖ל וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה:
לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט - You must not commit a perversion of justice. If this refers literally to litigation, has it not already been said: לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט “You must commit no injustice in judgment”? 1 What, then, is the “justice” stated here? It relates to “measures of length and area, weight, and volume.” This teaches us that the person who measures is called a judge, for if he falsifies a measure, it is considered as if he corrupts justice, and because of this, he is likewise called unjust, hateful, loathsome, condemned to destruction, and an abomination, and he brings about the five things that are stated with regard to a corrupt judge: He defiles the land, profanes God’s Name, causes the Divine Presence to depart, causes the Israelites to fall by the sword, and causes them to be exiled from their land.		לֹא־תַֽעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט. אִם לְדִין, הֲרֵי כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט (פסוק ט"ו), וּמַהוּ מִשְׁפָּט הַשָּׁנוּי כָּאן? הוּא הַמִּדָּה וְהַמִּשְׁקָל וְהַמְּשׂוּרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַמּוֹדֵד נִקְרָא דַיָּן, שֶׁאִם שִׁקֵּר בַּמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הוּא כִמְקַלְקֵל אֶת הַדִּין, וְקָרוּי עַוָּל, שָׂנאוּי וּמְשֻׁקָּץ, חֵרֶם וְתוֹעֵבָה, וְגוֹרֵם לַחֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בַּדַּיָּן — מְטַמֵּא אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם, וּמְסַלֵּק אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה, וּמַפִּיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּחֶרֶב, וּמַגְלֶה אוֹתָם מֵאַרְצָם (ספרא):
בַּמִּדָּה - To measures. This denotes measuring land.		בַּמִּדָּה. זוֹ מִדַּת הָאָרֶץ (שם):
בַּמִּשְׁקָל - Weight. Understand this according to its literal meaning.		בַּמִּשְׁקָל. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה - Or volume. This refers to liquid measure.		וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה. הִיא מִדַּת הַלַּח וְהַיָּבֵשׁ (בבא מציעא ס"א):
36You must have accurate scales, accurate weights, an accurate container holding an ephah, and an accurate container holding a hin. I am God, your God, who brought you out of Egypt.		לומֹ֧אזְנֵי צֶ֣דֶק אַבְנֵי־צֶ֗דֶק אֵ֥יפַת צֶ֛דֶק וְהִ֥ין צֶ֖דֶק יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם אֲנִי֙ יְהוָֹ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
אַבְנֵי־צֶדֶק - These are the stone weights that one uses to weigh on scales.		אַבְנֵי־צֶדֶק. הֵם הַמִּשְׁקוֹלוֹת שֶׁשּׁוֹקְלִין כְּנֶגְדָּן:
אֵיפַת - This is dry measure.		אֵיפַת. הִיא מִדַּת הַיָּבֵשׁ:
וְהִין - This is liquid measure.		וְהִין. זוֹ הִיא מִדַּת הַלַּח:
אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם - Who brought you out - for this purpose. Another explanation: I discerned in Egypt between the drop of semen that formed a firstborn and the drop that did not form a firstborn, in order to determine who was to be smitten in the plague of the firstborn, so I may similarly be relied upon to punish one who buries his weights in salt to alter them and cheat people who are unaware of it.		אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם. עַל מְנָת כֵּן; דָּבָר אַחֵר אֲנִי הִבְחַנְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם בֵּין טִפָּה שֶׁל בְּכוֹר לְטִפָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל בְּכוֹר, וַאֲנִי הַנֶּאֱמָן לִפָּרַע מִמִּי שֶׁטּוֹמֵן מִשְׁקְלוֹתָיו בַּמֶּלַח לְהוֹנוֹת אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁאֵין מַכִּירִין בָּהֶם (בבא מציעא ס"א):
37You must safeguard all My rules and all My ordinances and fulfill them; I am God.’”		לזוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:

Footnotes

Leviticus 19:15.

Fifth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 20

1God spoke to Moses, saying,		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“You must tell the Israelites: ‘Any individual Israelite or any convert who dwells among the nation of Israel who hands over any of his offspring to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land must pelt him with stones.		בוְאֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ תֹּאמַר֒ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר \| הַגָּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן מִזַּרְע֛וֹ לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת עַ֥ם הָאָ֖רֶץ יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ בָאָֽבֶן:
וְאֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תֹּאמַר - (lit.) And to the Israelites you must say - the punishments for the prohibitions stated at the end of parashat Acharei.		וְאֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תֹּאמַר. עוֹנְשִׁין עַל הָאַזְהָרוֹת:
מוֹת יוּמָת - Must be put to death - by the court; and if the court does not have sufficient power to carry out the sentence, “the people of the land” must assist them.		מוֹת יוּמָת. בְּבֵית דִּין, וְאִם אֵין כֹּחַ בְּבֵית דִּין, עַם הָאָרֶץ מְסַיְּעִין אוֹתָן (ספרא):
עַם הָאָרֶץ - The people of the land - i.e., the people for whose sake the land (i.e., the entire earth) was created. Another explanation: The people who will possess the land of Israel through observing these commandments.		עַם הָאָרֶץ. עַם שֶׁבְּגִינוֹ נִבְרֵאת הָאָרֶץ, עַם שֶׁעֲתִידִין לִירַשׁ הָאָרֶץ עַל יְדֵי מִצְווֹת הַלָּלוּ (שם):
3I will set My attention upon that man, and I will cut him off from amid his people because he gave of his offspring to Molech, thereby defiling My holy people and profaning My holy Name.		גוַֽאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ נָתַ֣ן לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ לְמַ֗עַן טַמֵּא֙ אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי:
אֶתֵּן אֶת־פָּנַי - Will set (lit.) My face - means here: My attention; i.e., I will turn away from all My other occupations and occupy Myself only with him.		אֶתֵּן אֶת־פָּנַי. פְּנַאי שֶׁלִּי — פּוֹנֶה אֲנִי מִכָּל עֲסָקַי וְעוֹסֵק בּוֹ (שם):
בָּאִישׁ - Upon [that] man - but not upon an entire community acting collectively, for an entire community is never punished with excision.		בָּאִישׁ. וְלֹא בַצִּבּוּר (שם), שֶׁאֵין כָּל הַצִּבּוּר נִכְרָתִין:
כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמֹּלֶךְ - Because he gave of his offspring to Molech. Since it says: “one who passes his son or daughter through fire,” 1 from where do I know that the prohibition applies to passing his son’s son or his daughter’s son? From the fact that Scripture states here: “Because he gave of his offspring to Molech.” From where do I know that it applies also to illegitimate offspring? From the fact that Scripture states again: “when he gives of his offspring to Molech.” 2		כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמֹּלֶךְ. לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ (דברים י"ח), בֶּן בְּנוֹ וּבֶן בִּתּוֹ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמֹּלֶךְ, זֶרַע פָּסוּל מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּתִתּוֹ מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ (ספרא; סנהדרין ס"ד):
לְמַעַן טַמֵּא אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁי - (lit.) So as to defile My Sanctuary - i.e., the community of Israel, who is sanctified to Me. The term מִקְדָּשִׁי is used here in a similar sense as in וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֶת מִקְדָּשַׁי “He must not desecrate My holy things,” 3 where it refers to sacrifices, not the Sanctuary.		לְמַעַן טַמֵּא אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁי. אֶת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת לִי, כִּלְשׁוֹן וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֶת מִקְדָּשַׁי (ויקרא כ"א):
4If the people of the land ignore that man when he gives of his offspring to Molech, neglecting to put him to death,		דוְאִ֡ם הַעְלֵ֣ם יַעְלִ֩ימוּ֩ עַ֨ם הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ מִן־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא בְּתִתּ֥וֹ מִזַּרְע֖וֹ לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הָמִ֥ית אֹתֽוֹ:
וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ - If they ignore - the doubled verb implies: If they ignore one matter, they will ultimately ignore many matters; if the lesser Sanhedrin ignores, the great Sanhedrin will also ultimately ignore.		וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ. אִם הֶעְלִימוּ בְּדָבָר אֶחָד, סוֹף שֶׁיַּעְלִימוּ בִדְבָרִים הַרְבֵּה; אִם הֶעְלִימוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי קְטַנָּה, סוֹף שֶׁיַּעְלִימוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה (ספרא):
5I will set My attention upon that man and upon his family. I will cut off from amid their people him and all who stray after the Molech-worshiper by themselves straying after the cult of Molech.		הוְשַׂמְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־פָּנַ֛י בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וְהִכְרַתִּ֨י אֹת֜וֹ וְאֵ֣ת \| כָּל־הַזֹּנִ֣ים אַֽחֲרָ֗יו לִזְנ֛וֹת אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם:
וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ - And upon his family. Rabbi Shimon said: But what did his family do to sin? This is only said in order to teach you that there is no family in which there is a tax-collector that is not all considered tax-collectors, for they all cover up for him, and are thus implicated in his dishonesty.		וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעון וכִי מִשְׁפָּחָה מֶה חָטְאָה? אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ מוֹכֵס שֶׁאֵין כֻּלָּם מוֹכְסִין — שֶׁכֻּלָּן מְחַפִּין עָלָיו (ספרא; שבועות ל"ט):
וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ - I will cut him off. Why is this mentioned? The answer is that since it says: “and upon his family,” I might have thought that the entire family incurs excision. Scripture therefore states: אֹתוֹ “him” – he will be cut off, but the entire family is not cut off, but punished with suffering.		וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ובמשפחתו יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ כָל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה בְּהִכָּרֵת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֹתוֹ — אוֹתוֹ בְּהִכָּרֵת וְלֹא כָל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה בְּהִכָּרֵת אֶלָּא בְּיִסּוּרִין (שם):
לִזְנוֹת אַֽחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ - By straying after Molech. This additional phrase includes liability for worshiping other deities using the same rite as Molech-worship, even if they are not usually worshiped that way.		לִזְנוֹת אַֽחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ. לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁעֲבָדָהּ בְּכָךְ וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵין זוֹ עֲבוֹדָתָהּ (ספרא):
6Regarding the person who practices spirit-divination or yadu’a-divination, thus straying after them, I will set My attention upon that person, and I will cut him off from amid his people.		ווְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּפְנֶ֤ה אֶל־הָֽאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים לִזְנֹ֖ת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָֽתַתִּ֤י אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ הַהִ֔וא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ:
7You must sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am God, your God.		זוְהִ֨תְקַדִּשְׁתֶּ֔ם וִֽהְיִיתֶ֖ם קְדשִׁ֑ים כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם - You must sanctify yourselves - this refers to keeping totally distanced from idolatry.		וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם. זוֹ פְּרִישׁוּת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (שם):

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 18:10.

Leviticus 20:4.

Leviticus 21:23.

Sixth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 20

8You must safeguard My rules and fulfill them; I am God, who sanctifies you.		ח וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם:
9For any man who curses his father or mother must be put to death. He cursed his father or his mother; the shedding of his blood is his own fault.		טכִּי־אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְקַלֵּ֧ל אֶת־אָבִ֛יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֖וֹ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת אָבִ֧יו וְאִמּ֛וֹ קִלֵּ֖ל דָּמָ֥יו בּֽוֹ:
אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קִלֵּל - He cursed his father or his mother. This apparent repetition is added to include the case of someone cursing his parents after their death.		אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קִלֵּל. לְרַבּוֹת לְאַחַר מִיתָה (שם; סנהדרין פ"ה):
דָּמָיו בּֽוֹ - [The shedding of] his blood is his own fault. This refers to the death penalty by stoning, and this is its meaning wherever the expressions דָּמָיו בּוֹ or דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם are mentioned. We derive this from the case of a spirit-diviner and a yadu’a-diviner, about which it says: “the people must pelt them with stones; the shedding of their blood is their own fault.” 1 The simple meaning of the verse is as in the expression: דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ 2 – i.e., no one apart from himself is punished for his death, for he alone was the cause of himself being killed.		דָּמָיו בּֽוֹ. זוֹ סְקִילָה, וְכֵן כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר דָּמָיו בּוֹ, דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם; וְלָמַדְנוּ מֵאוֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם בָּאֶבֶן יִרְגְּמוּ אֹתָם דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם (ספרא; כריתות ה'). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, כְּמוֹ דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ (יהושע ב') — אֵין נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל מִיתָתוֹ אֶלָּא הוּא, שֶׁהוּא גָרַם לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג:
10Regarding a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, committing adultery with the wife of his fellow Israelite, the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.		יוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנְאַף֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִנְאַ֖ף אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת:
וְאִישׁ - And a man. This excludes a minor.		וְאִישׁ. פְּרָט לְקָטָן:
אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת־אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ - Who commits adultery with another man’s wife. This excludes the wife of a minor from the death penalty. From here we learn a general rule, namely, that a minor cannot legally marry. And for which kind of married woman do I hold you liable for the death penalty? –		אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת־אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ. פְּרָט לְאֵשֶׁת קָטָן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאֵין לְקָטָן קִדּוּשִׁין, וְעַל אֵיזוֹ אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ חִיַּבְתִּי לְךָ?
אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ - Committing adultery with the wife of his fellow. This excludes the wife of a non-Jew. From here we learn a general rule, namely, that a non-Jew can also not legally marry Jewish women.		אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ. פְּרָט לְאֵשֶׁת גּוֹי, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאֵין קִדּוּשִׁין לְגוֹי (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ב):
מֽוֹת־ימות הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת - The adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. Every time the death penalty is mentioned in the Torah without specification, it is none other than death by strangulation.		מֽוֹת־ימות הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת. כָּל מִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַתּוֹרָה סְתָם, אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חֶנֶק (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ה):
11A man who “lies with” his father’s wife has “uncovered his father’s nakedness”: Both of them must be put to death. The shedding of their blood is their own fault.		יאוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יו גִּלָּ֑ה מֽוֹת־יֽוּמְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:
12Regarding a man who “lies with” his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed a despicable act. The shedding of their blood is their own fault.		יבוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־כַּלָּת֔וֹ מ֥וֹת יֽוּמְת֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם תֶּ֥בֶל עָשׂ֖וּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:
תֶּבֶל עָשׂוּ - They have committed a despicable act. תֶּבֶל means shameful. Another meaning: They intermingle the seed of the father with that of the son.		תֶּבֶל עָשׂוּ. גְּנַאי; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר מְבַלְבְּלִין זֶרַע הָאָב בְּזֶרַע הַבֵּן:
13Regarding a man who “lies with” a male as one would with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death. The shedding of their blood is their own fault.		יגוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֤ב אֶת־זָכָר֙ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֔ה תּֽוֹעֵבָ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:
מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה - As one would lie with a woman - i.e., he inserts his organ like an applicator goes into a tube of eye paint.		מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה. מַכְנִיס כְּמִכְחוֹל בִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת:
14Regarding a man who takes a woman as a wife and then fornicates with her mother, such a union is the counsel of their evil inclination. They must burn him and them in fire, in order that there be no repercussions of such evil counsel in your midst.		ידוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקַּ֧ח אֶת־אִשָּׁ֛ה וְאֶת־אִמָּ֖הּ זִמָּ֣ה הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֞שׁ יִשְׂרְפ֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ וְאֶתְהֶ֔ן וְלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה זִמָּ֖ה בְּתֽוֹכְכֶֽם:
יִשְׂרְפוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶתְהֶן - They must burn him and them. You cannot say that this means that they must burn his original wife, for he married her in a permitted way, and she was not prohibited to him. Rather, the “woman and her mother” mentioned here refers to when they are both forbidden, i.e., when he married both his mother-in-law and her mother. However, some of our rabbis 3 say that this verse indeed refers to a permitted woman and her mother, and the only forbidden one in this case is his mother-in-law. And what is meant by אֶתְהֶן? “One of them.” It is a Greek term, הֶן meaning “one.”		יִשְׂרְפוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶתְהֶן. אֵי אַתָּה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר אִשְׁתּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה יִשְׂרְפוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי נְשָׂאָהּ בְּהֶתֵּר וְלֹא נֶאֶסְרָה עָלָיו, אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה וְאִמָּהּ הַכְּתוּבין כָּאן שְׁתֵּיהֶן לְאִסּוּר — שֶׁנָּשָׂא חֲמוֹתוֹ וְאִמָּהּ; וְיֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֵין כָּאן אֶלָּא חֲמוֹתוֹ, וּמַהוּ אֶתְהֶן? אֶת אַחַת מֵהֶן וְלָשׁוֹן יְוָנִי הוּא הֵן אַחַת (ספרא; סנהדרין ע"ו):
15A man who “lies with” an animal must be put to death, and you must kill the animal.		טווְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן שְׁכָבְתּ֛וֹ בִּבְהֵמָ֖ה מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה תַּֽהֲרֹֽגוּ:
וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה תַּֽהֲרֹֽגוּ - And you must kill the animal. If the man sinned, what sin did the animal commit? It is only because it caused man to stumble in sin, Scripture says that it must be stoned. All the more can you infer that a human being, who is capable of distinguishing between good and evil and yet occasions evil to another person by making him sin, will be punished. Similarly, you can infer from the following case regarding items used for idolatry: “You must utterly eradicate from all the places.” 4 From this it follows a fortiori: If regarding trees, which neither see nor hear, because man stumbled in sin by means of them, the Torah says: destroy, burn, and annihilate them, all the more will one who causes his fellow to stray from the path of life (i.e., observance of the commandments) to the paths of death (i.e., sin) be punished.		וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה תַּֽהֲרֹֽגוּ. אִם אָדָם חָטָא בְּהֵמָה מֶה חָטְאָה? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבָּאָה לָאָדָם תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדָהּ לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב תִּסָּקֵל, קַל וָחֹמֶר לָאָדָם, שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְחִין בֵּין טוֹב לְרַע, וְגוֹרֵם רָעָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ לַעֲבֹר עֲבֵרָה; כַּיּוֹצֵא בַדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אַבֵּד תְּאַבְּדוּן אֶת כָּל הַמְּקֹמוֹת (דברים י"ב), הֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אִילָנוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן רוֹאִין וְאֵינָן שׁוֹמְעִין, עַל שֶׁבָּאת תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדָם אָמְרָה תוֹרָה הַשְׁחֵת, שְׂרֹף וְכַלֵּה, הַמַּטֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים לְדַרְכֵי מִיתָה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרא):
16Regarding a woman who approaches any animal in order to fornicate with it, you must kill the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. The shedding of their blood is their own fault.		טזוְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּקְרַ֤ב אֶל־כָּל־בְּהֵמָה֙ לְרִבְעָ֣ה אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָֽרַגְתָּ֥ אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:
17Regarding a man who takes his sister and fornicates with her, whether she be his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and thus he “sees her nakedness” and she “sees his nakedness,” it is a disgraceful act. They will be cut off for all the members of their people to see. Since the man “uncovered his sister’s nakedness,” he must bear the consequence of his transgression.		יזוְאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחֹת֡וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֣יו אֽוֹ־בַת־אִ֠מּ֠וֹ וְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ וְהִֽיא־תִרְאֶ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ חֶ֣סֶד ה֔וּא וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמָּ֑ם עֶרְוַ֧ת אֲחֹת֛וֹ גִּלָּ֖ה עֲו‍ֹנ֥וֹ יִשָּֽׂא:
חֶסֶד הוּא - It is a disgraceful act. In Aramaic, חֶרְפָּה “disgrace” 5 is חִסּוּדָא. But its Midrashic explanation is: If you claim that Cain married his sister, this was only temporarily allowed, as a kindness provided by the Omnipresent so that His world could be built up from him, as it says: “The world was built through kindness.” 6		חֶסֶד הוּא. לְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי חֶרְפָּה חִסּוּדָא; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ אִם תֹּאמַר קַיִן נָשָׂא אֲחוֹתוֹ חֶסֶד עָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם, לִבְנוֹת עוֹלָמוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ"ט), עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ח):
18Regarding a man who “lies with” a woman who is undergoing a menstrual flow, he has thereby “uncovered her nakedness.” Since he has “uncovered” her “fountain of blood” and she has “uncovered” the “fountain of her blood,” both of them will be cut off from amid their people.		יחוְאִ֠ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה דָּוָ֗ה וְגִלָּ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ אֶת־מְקֹרָ֣הּ הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה וְהִ֕וא גִּלְּתָ֖ה אֶת־מְק֣וֹר דָּמֶ֑יהָ וְנִכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם:
הֶֽעֱרָה - means: he has exposed. Similarly, the term עֶרְוָה always denotes exposure. The ו of עֶרְוָה is added to the word to form a noun, as in זַעֲוָה “trembling,” which is of the same root as in: “and he neither rose nor moved (זָע).” 7 Similarly, אַחְוָה “brotherhood” is derived from אָח “brother.” Regarding the definition of this exposure (הַעֲרָאָה), our rabbis 8 differ: Some say it is even the external contact of the organ, while others say it is the insertion of the organ’s tip.		הֶֽעֱרָה. גִּלָּה, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן עֶרְוָה גִּלּוּי הוּא, וְהַוָּי"ו יוֹרֶדֶת בַּתֵּיבָה לְשֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ זַעֲוָה מִגִּזְרַת וְלֹא קָם וְלֹא זָע (אסתר ה'), וְכֵן אַחֲוָה מִגִּזְרַת אָח. וְהַעֲרָאָה זוֹ נֶחְלְקוּ בָהּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ נְשִׁיקַת שַׁמָּשׁ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ הַכְנָסַת עֲטָרָה (יבמות נ"ה):
19You must not “uncover the nakedness” of your mother’s sister or your father’s sister, for one who does so has “uncovered the nakedness” of his close relative; they must bear the consequences of their sin.		יטוְעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲח֧וֹת אִמְּךָ֛ וַֽאֲח֥וֹת אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּ֧י אֶת־שְׁאֵר֛וֹ הֶֽעֱרָ֖ה עֲו‍ֹנָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ:
וְעֶרְוַת אֲחוֹת אִמְּךָ וגו' - The nakedness of your mother’s sister… Scripture repeats their prohibition to tell us that he is prohibited to them whether she be his father’s or his mother’s paternal sister or maternal sister. However, regarding the nakedness of his father’s brother’s wife, he is prohibited only when his father and uncle share the same father.		וְעֶרְוַת אֲחוֹת אִמְּךָ וגו'. שָׁנָה הַכָּתוּב בְּאַזְהָרָתָן, לוֹמַר שֶׁהֻזְהַר עֲלֵיהֶן בֵּין עַל אֲחוֹת אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מִן הָאָב, בֵּין עַל אַחְיוֹתֵיהֶן מִן הָאֵם, אֲבָל עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת אֲחִי אָבִיו לֹא הֻזְהַר אֶלָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אֲחִי אָבִיו מִן הָאָב (עי' יבמות נ"ד):
20Regarding a man who “lies with” his aunt, he has “uncovered his uncle’s nakedness”; they must bear the consequences of their transgression: they will die childless.		כוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ עֶרְוַ֥ת דֹּד֖וֹ גִּלָּ֑ה חֶטְאָ֥ם יִשָּׂ֖אוּ עֲרִירִ֥ים יָמֻֽתוּ:
אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת־דֹּדָתוֹ - Who lies with his aunt. This verse comes to teach us that the excision mentioned above 9 includes the punishment of leaving this world childless.		אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת־דֹּדָתוֹ. הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה בָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל כָּרֵת הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא בְעֹנֶשׁ הֲלִיכַת עֲרִירִי:
עֲרִירִים - means as Onkelos translates it: בְּלָא וְלָד “without child.” Similar to this is וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי “I am childless.” 10 Thus, if he has children, he will bury them, and if he has no children, he will die without children. Hence the difference between these two verses: עֲרִירִים יָמֻתוּ “they will die childless” and עֲרִירִים יִהְיוּ (lit.) “they will be childless” – “they will die childless” means that if he has children when he sins, he will not have when he dies, for he will bury them during his lifetime; “they will be childless” means that if he has no children when he sins, he will remain throughout his life as he is now.		עֲרִירִים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, בְּלָא וְלָד, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי (בראשית ט"ו); יֵשׁ לוֹ בָנִים, קוֹבְרָן, אֵין לוֹ בָנִים, מֵת בְּלֹא בָנִים, לְכָךְ שִׁנָּה בִשְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת אֵלּוּ — עֲרִירִים "יָמֻתוּ", עֲרִירִים "יִהְיוּ", ערירים ימתו. אִם יִהְיוּ לוֹ בִשְׁעַת עֲבֵרָה לֹא יִהְיוּ לוֹ כְּשֶׁיָּמוּת, לְפִי שֶׁקּוֹבְרָן בְּחַיָּיו, ערירים יהיו. אִם אֵין לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת עֲבֵרָה, יִהְיֶה כָל יָמָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא עַכְשָׁו (ספרא; יבמות נ"ה):
21Regarding a man who takes his brother’s wife to “lie with” her, it is a repulsive act; he has “uncovered his brother’s nakedness”; they will remain childless.		כאוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִקַּ֛ח אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יו נִדָּ֣ה הִ֑וא עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֛יו גִּלָּ֖ה עֲרִירִ֥ים יִֽהְיֽוּ:
נִדָּה הִוא - means this union is contemptible and repulsive. However, our rabbis 11 expounded this verse to teach us that the state of “exposure” (הַעֲרָאָה) with this woman is forbidden just as it is with a menstruant (נִדָּה), regarding whom “exposure” is specified: “he has uncovered (הֶעֱרָה) her nakedness.” 12		נִדָּה הִוא. הַשְּׁכִיבָה הַזֹּאת מְנֻדָּה הִיא וּמְאוּסָה; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ לֶאֱסֹר הַעֲרָאָה בָהּ כְּנִדָּה שֶׁהַעֲרָאָה מְפֹרֶשֶׁת בָּהּ — אֶת מְקֹרָהּ הֶעֱרָה (יבמות נ"ד):
22You must safeguard all My rules and all My ordinances and fulfill them, so the land to which I am bringing you to dwell therein not vomit you out.		כבוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ:

Footnotes

Sanhedrin 76b.

Yevamot 55b.

Yevamot 54a.

Seventh Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 20

23You must not follow the practices of the nations whom I am sending out of Canaan from before you, for they committed all these sins, and I was disgusted with them.		כגוְלֹ֤א תֵֽלְכוּ֙ בְּחֻקֹּ֣ת הַגּ֔וֹי אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֤י אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ עָשׂ֔וּ וָֽאָקֻ֖ץ בָּֽם:
וָֽאָקֻץ - And I was disgusted. This is a term denoting repulsiveness, as in: קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי “I am disgusted with my life” 1 – like a person who is nauseated by his food.		וָֽאָקֻץ. לְשׁוֹן מִאוּס, כְּמוֹ קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי (בראשית כ"ז), כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא קָץ בִּמְזוֹנוֹ (ספרא):
24So I said to you, “You will take possession of their land in their stead, for I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and date- and fig-honey.” I am God, your God, who has distinguished you from other peoples.		כדוָֽאֹמַ֣ר לָכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֘ תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָם֒ וַֽאֲנִ֞י אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לָכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֹתָ֔הּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֲנִי֙ יְהוָֹ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּֽים:
25You must be able to distinguish between that which renders an animal spiritually undefiled and that which renders it spiritually defiled, and between that which renders a fowl spiritually defiled and that which renders it spiritually undefiled. Thus, you will not make yourselves disgusting by consuming any spiritually defiled animal or fowl, or by consuming any creature that crawls on the earth that I have distinguished by prohibiting it to you, since consuming it renders you spiritually defiled.		כהוְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה הַטְּהֹרָה֙ לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה וּבֵֽין־הָע֥וֹף הַטָּמֵ֖א לַטָּהֹ֑ר וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜ם בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה וּבָע֗וֹף וּבְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי לָכֶ֖ם לְטַמֵּֽא:
וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה לַטְּמֵאָה - (lit.) You must distinguish between a spiritually undefiled animal and a defiled one. There is no need for Scripture to prescribe distinguishing between a cow and a donkey, for they are clearly distinguishable. Rather, it is telling us to distinguish between an animal that does not render you spiritually defiled by eating it and one that does render you spiritually defiled, i.e., between an animal of which the greater part of an organ (trachea or esophagus) was cut during slaughter and one of which only half the organ was slaughtered. How much is the difference between the greater part and half? A hairbreadth!		וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה לַטְּמֵאָה. אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בֵּין פָּרָה לַחֲמוֹר, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֻבְדָּלִין וְנִכָּרִין הֵם, אֶלָּא בֵּין טְהוֹרָה לְךָ לִטְמֵאָה לְךָ — בֵּין שֶׁנִּשְׁחַט רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל סִימָן לְנִשְׁחַט חֶצְיוֹ, וְכַמָּה בֵּין רֻבּוֹ לְחֶצְיוֹ? מְלֹא שְׂעָרָה (ספרא):
אֲשֶׁר הִבְדַּלְתִּי לָכֶם לְטַמֵּֽא - (lit.) That I have distinguished to render spiritually defiled for you - i.e., to be prohibited for you to eat.		אֲשֶׁר הִבְדַּלְתִּי לָכֶם לְטַמֵּֽא. לֶאֱסֹר:
26You must be holy to Me, for I, God, am holy. I have distinguished you from all peoples by giving you all these laws in order that you be Mine.		כווִֽהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ קְדשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָֹ֑ה וָֽאַבְדִּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּ֖ים לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִֽי:
וָֽאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן־הָֽעַמִּים לִֽהְיוֹת לִי - I have distinguished you from [all] peoples in order that you be Mine. If you are distinguished from them you are Mine, but if not, you forfeit My protection and become subject to conquests by Nebuchadnezzar and his sort. Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah says: From where do we know that a person should not say, “I feel disgusted by swine’s flesh” or “I have no desire to wear clothes made of a mixture of wool and linen,” but should say, “I would desire it, but what can I do that My Father in heaven has decreed this on me”? From the fact that Scripture states: “I have distinguished you from all peoples in order that you be Mine” – your separation from them must be for My sake; i.e., he refrains from sin and accepts upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of heaven.		וָֽאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן־הָֽעַמִּים לִֽהְיוֹת לִי. אִם אַתֶּם מֻבְדָּלִים מֵהֶם הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁלִּי, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר וַחֲבֵרָיו; רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר מִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אָדָם נַפְשִׁי קָצָה בִּבְשַׂר חֲזִיר, אִי אֶפְשִׁי לִלְבֹּשׁ כִּלְאַיִם, אֲבָל יֹאמַר אֶפְשִׁי וּמָה אֶעֱשֶׂה וְאָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם גָּזַר עָלַי? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי, שֶׁתְּהֵא הַבְדָּלַתְכֶם מֵהֶם לִשְׁמִי — פּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה וּמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמָיִם (ספרא):
27Regarding a man or a woman who is a spirit-diviner or is a yadu’a-diviner, the offenders must be put to death; the people must pelt them with stones. The shedding of their blood is their own fault.’”		כזוְאִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם א֛וֹב א֥וֹ יִדְּעֹנִ֖י מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑תוּ בָּאֶ֛בֶן יִרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:
כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה בָהֶם אוֹב וגו' - Who is a spirit-diviner… Although these divinations were already discussed above, 2 here the death penalty is stated for them, whereas the above passage speaks of excision. The apparent contradiction is to be resolved as follows: If there were witnesses to these acts and the offenders were warned, they must be stoned, but if they acted intentionally but were not warned, they incur excision. However, one who inadvertently commits one of these sins does not incur excision, but must bring a sin-offering. The same rule applies regarding all offenses incurring the death penalty regarding which excision is also stated, such as those mentioned throughout this chapter: one who commits them intentionally without warning or witnesses incurs excision.		כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה בָהֶם אוֹב וגו'. כָּאן נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם מִיתָה וּלְמַעְלָה כָרֵת, עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בִּסְקִילָה, מֵזִיד בְּלֹא הַתְרָאָה בְּהִכָּרֵת, וְשִׁגְגָתָם חַטָּאת, וְכֵן בְּכָל חַיָּבֵי מִיתוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם כָּרֵת:

Footnotes

Genesis 27:46.

Leviticus 20:6.

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 28

9On the Sabbath day: two unblemished, one-year-old lambs, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain-offering, mixed with oil, and its libation.		טוּבְיוֹם֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת שְׁנֵֽי־כְבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֖ה תְּמִימִ֑ם וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֧לֶת מִנְחָ֛ה בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
10The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath, following the continual ascent-offering and its libation.		יעֹלַ֥ת שַׁבַּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ עַל־עֹלַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְנִסְכָּֽהּ:
עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ - The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath - but not the ascent-offering of this Sabbath on another Sabbath – for if he did not offer up the sacrifice on this Sabbath, I might understand that he must offer up two on the following Sabbath. Scripture therefore states: “on its Sabbath,” telling us that if the offering’s designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice the offering is cancelled.		עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ. וְלֹא עוֹלַת שַׁבָּת זוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִקְרִיב בְּשַׁבָּת זוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יַקְרִיב שְׁתַּיִם לַשַּׁבָּת הַבָּאָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ", מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ (ספרי):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד - (lit.) Besides the continual ascent-offering - i.e., these are additional offerings, besides the two lambs of the continual ascent-offering. This terminology tells us that they may only be offered between the two continual offerings. Similarly, regarding all additional offerings it says: “besides the continual ascent-offering,” in order to teach this law.		עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד. אֵלּוּ מוּסָפִין, לְבַד אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים שֶׁל עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, וּמַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין קְרֵבִין אֶלָּא בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַתְּמִידִין, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַמּוּסָפִין נֶאֱמַר עַל עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד לְתַלְמוּד זֶה:
11On your first days of the month, you must offer up an ascent-offering to God: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old lambs, unblemished,		יאוּבְרָאשֵׁי֙ חָדְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם תַּקְרִ֥יבוּ עֹלָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה פָּרִ֨ים בְּנֵֽי־בָקָ֤ר שְׁנַ֨יִם֙ וְאַ֣יִל אֶחָ֔ד כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה תְּמִימִֽם:
12and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each ram,		יבוּשְׁלשָׁ֣ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַפָּ֖ר הָֽאֶחָ֑ד וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לָאַ֖יִל הָֽאֶחָֽד:
וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים - And three-tenths - this being the prescribed libation for bulls, for so they are set in the passage regarding libations. 1		וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים. כְּמִשְׁפַּט נִסְכֵּי פַר, שֶׁכֵּן הֵן קְצוּבִין בְּפָרָשַׁת נְסָכִים:
13and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each lamb, an ascent-offering, a fire-offering pleasing to God.		יגוְעִשָּׂרֹ֣ן עִשָּׂר֗וֹן סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָֽאֶחָ֑ד עֹלָה֙ רֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
14And their libations: half a hin of wine for each bull, a third of a hin of wine for each ram, and a quarter of a hin of wine for each lamb. This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month throughout the months of the year.		ידוְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֗ם חֲצִ֣י הַהִין֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לַפָּ֜ר וּשְׁלִישִׁ֧ת הַהִ֣ין לָאַ֗יִל וּרְבִיעִ֥ת הַהִ֛ין לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ יָ֑יִן זֹ֣את עֹלַ֥ת חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה:
זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ - This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month - i.e., that if its designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice its offering is cancelled, and it cannot be made up again.		זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ. שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ וְשׁוּב אֵין לוֹ תַשְׁלוּמִין:
15One young he-goat as a sin-offering to God, and its libation, must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering.		טווּשְׂעִ֨יר עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֛ד לְחַטָּ֖את לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה עַל־עֹלַ֧ת הַתָּמִ֛יד יֵֽעָשֶׂ֖ה וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו' - One young he-goat… All additional-offering goats are brought to atone for unwittingly entering the Temple or eating consecrated food while ritually defiled, all as is explained in Tractate Shevuot. 2 However, the goat of Rosh Chodesh is unique in that it says about it: לַה׳ “to God,” to teach you that that it atones for ritual defilement of which one remained unaware both before and after transgressing, for no one was aware of the sin except the Holy One, blessed be He – and the other goats, brought as sin-offerings on the festivals, are derived from it. And its aggadic explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Bring an atonement for Me because I diminished the moon.”		וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו'. כָּל שְׂעִירֵי הַמּוּסָפִין בָּאִין לְכַפֵּר עַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּמַסֶּכֶת שְׁבוּעוֹת (דף ט'), וְנִשְׁתַּנָּה שְׂעִיר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "לַה'"; לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמְּכַפֵּר עַל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ יְדִיעָה לֹא בַתְּחִלָּה וְלֹא בַסּוֹף — שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר בַּחֵטְא אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִלְבָד, וּשְׁאָר הַשְּׂעִירִים לְמֵדִין מִמֶּנוּ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ בָּאַגָּדָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָבִיאוּ כַפָּרָה עָלַי עַל שֶׁמִּעַטְתִּי אֶת הַיָּרֵחַ (חולין ס'):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה - Must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering - i.e., this entire offering in all its constituent parts .		עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה. כָּל הַקָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה:
וְנִסְכּֽוֹ - and its libation. The word וְנִסְכּוֹ “and its libation” does not refer to the goat, for a sin-offering is not accompanied by libations.		וְנִסְכּֽוֹ. אֵין "וְנִסְכּוֹ" מוּסָב עַל הַשָּׂעִיר, שֶׁאֵין נְסָכִים לְחַטָּאת:

Footnotes

Numbers 15:9.

Shevuot 9a.

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 66

1So says the Lord, "The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?		אכֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנֽוּחָתִֽי:
The heavens are My throne. I do not need your Temple.		השמים כסאי. איני צריך לבית המקדש שלכם:
which is the house. that is fitting for My Shechinah.		איזה בית. אשר הוא כדאי לשכינתי:
2And all these My hand made, and all these have become," says the Lord. "But to this one will I look, to one poor and of crushed spirit, who hastens to do My bidding.		בוְאֶת־כָּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָדִ֣י עָשָׂ֔תָה וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ כָל־אֵ֖לֶּה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֶל־זֶ֣ה אַבִּ֔יט אֶל־עָנִי֙ וּנְכֵה־ר֔וּחַ וְחָרֵ֖ד עַל־דְּבָרִֽי:
And all these. The heavens and the earth, and for this reason I confined My Shechinah among you when you obeyed Me, for so is My wont, to look at one poor and of crushed spirit, who hastens to do My bidding. But now, I have no desire for you, for whoever slaughters an ox, has smitten its owner and robbed him of it. Therefore, whoever slaughters a lamb seems to Me as one who beheads a dog, and whoever offers up a meal offering is before Me like swine blood, and מַזְכִּיר, he who burns incense. Comp. (Lev. 5:12) “its memorial part (אַזְכָּרָתָהּ).” Also (ibid. 24:7), “and it shall be for the bread as a memorial (לְאַזְכָּרָה).”		ואת כל אלה. השמים והארץ ידי עשתה זאת אשר צימצמתי שכינתי בתוככם בהיותכם נשמעים לי לפי שכן דרכי להביט אל עני ונכה רוח וחרד על דברי אבל עתה אין לי חפץ בכם שהרי שוחט השור הכה את בעליו וגזלו ממנו לפיכך זובח השה דומה לפני כעורף את הכלב והמעלה את המנחה הרי הוא לפני כדם חזיר והמזכיר לבונה מקטיר לבונה כמו אזכרתה (ויקרא ה) והיתה ללחם לאזכרה (שם כד):
3Whoever slaughters an ox has slain a man; he who slaughters a lamb is as though he beheads a dog; he who offers up a meal-offering is [like] swine blood; he who burns frankincense brings a gift of violence; they, too, chose their ways, and their soul desired their abominations.		גשׁוֹחֵ֨ט הַשּׁ֜וֹר מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זוֹבֵ֚חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ ע֣וֹרֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַֽעֲלֵ֚ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּֽוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה:
brings a gift of violence. Heb. מְבָרֵךְ, blesses Me with a gift of violence, brings a gift of violence. This is its explanation, and the expression of בְּרָכָה applies to a gift that is for a reception. Comp. (Gen. 33:11) “Please take my gift (בִּרְכָתִי).” Also (supra 36:16), “Make peace (בְרָכָה) with me and come out to me.”		מברך און. מברך אותי בתשורת אונס מברך און מתשיר אונס זהו פירושו ולשון ברכה נופל בתשורה שהיא להקבלת פנים כמו קח נא את ברכתי (בראשית ל״ג:י״א) עשו אתי ברכה וצאו אלי:
they, too, chose their ways. They desire these evil ways, and I, too, will choose and desire their mockeries. Now if you ask the meaning of גַּם, too, so is the style of the Hebrew language to say twice גַּם one next to the other. Comp. (Deut. 32:25) “Both a young man and a virgin (גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה);” (I Kings 3:26) “neither mine nor yours (גַּם לִי גַּם לָךְ);” (Ecc. 9:1) “neither love nor hate (גַּם שִׂנְאָה גַּם אַהֲבָה);” (Num. 18:3) “and neither they nor you shall die הֵם גַּם אַתֶּם) (גַּם.” Here, too, both they chose and I will choose.		גם המה בחרו בדרכיהם. הם חפצים בדרכים הללו הרעים וגם אני אבחר ואחפוץ בתעלוליה' וא"ת מהו גם כן דרך לשון עברי לומר שני גמין זה אצל זה כמו גם בחור גם בתולה (דברים ל״ב:כ״ה) גם לי גם לך (מלכים א ב) גם אהבה גם שנאה (קהלת ט׳:א׳) ל' ולא ימותו גם הם גם אתם (במדבר י״ח:ג׳) אף כאן גם הם בחרו וגם אני אבחר:
4I, too, will choose their mockeries, and their fears I will bring to them, since I called and no one answered, I spoke and they did not hearken, and they did what was evil in My eyes, and what I did not wish they chose.		דגַּם־אֲנִ֞י אֶבְחַ֣ר בְּתַֽעֲלֻֽלֵיהֶ֗ם וּמְגֽוּרֹתָם֙ אָבִ֣יא לָהֶ֔ם יַ֚עַן קָרָ֙אתִי֙ וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶ֔ה דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֚וּ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וּבַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָפַ֖צְתִּי בָּחָֽרוּ:
their mockeries. Heb. בְּתַעֲלוּלֵיהֶם, to mock them, an expression like (ibid. 22:29) “For you mocked (הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ) me.”		בתעלוליהם. להיות עולל בם לשון כי התעללת בי (שם כ):
and their fears. What they fear.		ומגורותם. מה שהם יראים:
since I called. Hearken and return to Me.		יען קראתי. שמעו שמוע ושובו אלי:
and no one answered. saying, “I heard.”		ואין עונה. לאמר שמעתי:
5Hearken to the word of the Lord, who quake at His word, "Your brethren who hate you, who cast you out, said, "For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified," but we will see your joy, and they shall be ashamed.		השִׁמְעוּ֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה הַֽחֲרֵדִ֖ים אֶל־דְּבָר֑וֹ אָֽמְרוּ֩ אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם מְנַדֵּיכֶ֗ם לְמַ֚עַן שְׁמִי֙ יִכְבַּ֣ד יְהֹוָ֔ה וְנִרְאֶ֥ה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶ֖ם וְהֵ֥ם יֵבֹֽשׁוּ:
who quake at His word. The righteous who hasten with quaking to draw near to His words.		החרדים אל דברו. הצדיקים הממהרים בחרדה להתקרב אל דבריו:
Your brethren… said. The transgressors of Israel mentioned above. Another explanation:		אמרו אחיכם. פושעי ישראל הנזכרים למעלה, ד"א:
Your brethren… who cast you out, said. Who said to you (Lam. 4:15), “Turn away, unclean one.”		אמרו אחיכם מנדיכם. אשר אמרו לכם סורו טמא (איכה ד):
who hate you, who cast you out. Who say (supra 65:5), “Keep to yourself, do not come near me.” [Because of the confusion, we quote other readings. Some manuscripts, as well as K’li Paz, read:]		שנאיכם מנדיכם. האומרים קרב אליך אל תגש בי (לעיל סה) :
For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified. With our greatness, the Holy One, blessed be He, is glorified, for we are closer to Him than you are.		למען שמי יכבד ה'. בגדולתנו הקב"ה מתכבד שאנו קרובים לו יותר מכם:
but we will see your joy. The prophet says, But it is not so as their words, for “we will see your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Why? For sound a sound of their stirring has come before the Holy One, blessed be He, from what they did in His city, and a sound emanates from His Temple and accuses those who destroyed it, and then the voice of the Lord, recompensing His enemies.		ונראה בשמחתכם והם יבושו. הנביא אומר אבל לא כן הוא כדבריהם כי בשמחתכם נראה והם יבושו למה כי קול שאון שלהם בא לפני הקב"ה ממה שעשו בעירו וקול יוצא מהיכלו ומקטרג על מחריביו ואחרי כן קול ה' משלם גמול לאויביו:
6There is a sound of stirring from the city, a sound from the Temple, the voice of the Lord, recompensing His enemies.		וק֚וֹל שָׁאוֹן֙ מֵעִ֔יר ק֖וֹל מֵֽהֵיכָ֑ל ק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֔ה מְשַׁלֵּ֥ם גְּמ֖וּל לְאֹֽיְבָֽיו:
7When she has not yet travailed, she has given birth; when the pang has not yet come to her, she has been delivered of a male child.		זבְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּחִ֖יל יָלָ֑דָה בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָב֥וֹא חֵ֛בֶל לָ֖הּ וְהִמְלִ֥יטָה זָכָֽר:
When she has not yet travailed. When Zion has not yet travailed with birth pangs, she has borne her children; that is to say that her children will gather into her midst, which was desolate and bereft of them, and it is as though she bore them now without birth pangs, for all the nations will bring them into her midst.		בטרם תחיל. ציון חיל היולדת ילדה את בניה כלומר יתקבצו בניה לתוכה אשר הית' שוממה מהם ושכולה והרי הוא כאילו ילדתן עכשיו בלא חבלי יולדה כי כל העכו"ם יביאום לתוכה:
she has been delivered of a male child. Heb. וְהִמְלִיטָה. Any emerging of an embedded thing is called הַמְלָטָה. And הַמְלָטָה is esmoucer, or eschamocier in O.F., to allow to escape.		והמליטה זכר. כל יציאת דבר בלוע קרוי המלטה והמליטה אישקמוציי"ר בלעז:
8Who heard [anything] like this? Who saw [anything] like these? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation born at once, that Zion both experienced birth pangs and bore her children?		חמִֽי־שָׁמַ֣ע כָּזֹ֗את מִ֚י רָאָה֙ כָּאֵ֔לֶּה הֲי֚וּחַל אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד אִם־יִוָּ֥לֵֽד גּ֖וֹי פַּ֣עַם אֶחָ֑ת כִּי־חָ֛לָה גַּם־יָֽלְדָ֥ה צִיּ֖וֹן אֶת־בָּנֶֽיהָ:
Is a land born in one day?. Can a pain come to a woman in confinement to bear a land full of sons in one day?		היוחל ארץ ביום אחד. היבוא חיל ליולדת לילד מלא ארץ בנים ביום אחד:
9"Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth?" says the Lord. "Am I not He who causes to give birth, now should I shut the womb?" says your God.		טהַֽאֲנִ֥י אַשְׁבִּ֛יר וְלֹ֥א אוֹלִ֖יד יֹאמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה אִם־אֲנִ֧י הַמּוֹלִ֛יד וְעָצַ֖רְתִּי אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ:
Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth. Will I bring a woman to the birth stool and not open her womb to bring out her fetus? That is to say, Shall I commence a thing and not be able to complete it? Am I not the One Who causes every woman in confinement to give birth, and now will I shut the womb? This is a question.		האני אשביר ולא אוליד. האני אביא את האשה על המשבר ולא אפתח רחמה להוציא עוברה כלומר שמא אתחיל בדבר ולא אוכל לגמור והלא אני המוליד את כל היולדות ועכשיו שמא עצרתי בתמיה:
10Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.		ישִׂמְח֧וּ אֶת־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְגִ֥ילוּ בָ֖הּ כָּל־אֹֽהֲבֶ֑יהָ שִׂ֚ישׂוּ אִתָּהּ֙ מָשׂ֔וֹשׂ כָּל־הַמִּֽתְאַבְּלִ֖ים עָלֶֽיהָ:
11In order that you suck and become sated from the breast of her consolations in order that you drink deeply and delight from her approaching glory.		יאלְמַ֚עַן תִּֽינְקוּ֙ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֔ם מִשֹּׁ֖ד תַּנְחֻמֶ֑יהָ לְמַ֧עַן תָּמֹ֛צּוּ וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּ֖ם מִזִּ֥יז כְּבוֹדָֽהּ:
from the breast. Heb. מִשֹּׁד, an expression of breasts (שָׁדַיִם).		משד. ל' שדים:
you drink deeply. Heb. תָּמֹצּוּ, sucer in French, to suck.		תמוצו. שוציי"ר בלעז:
from her approaching glory. Heb. מִזִּיז. From the great glory that is moving and coming nearer to her.		מזיז כבודה. מכבוד גדול הזז וממשמש לבא לה:
glory. זִיז means esmoviment in O.F., movement.		זיז. אישמובימנ"ט בלעז:
12For so says the Lord, "Behold, I will extend peace to you like a river, and like a flooding stream the wealth of the nations, and you shall suck thereof; on the side you shall be borne, and on knees you shall be dandled.		יבכִּֽי־כֹ֣ה \| אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִ֣י נֹטֶֽה־אֵ֠לֶיהָ כְּנָהָ֨ר שָׁל֜וֹם וּכְנַ֧חַל שׁוֹטֵ֛ף כְּב֥וֹד גּוֹיִ֖ם וִֽינַקְתֶּ֑ם עַל־צַד֙ תִּנָּשֵׂ֔אוּ וְעַל־בִּרְכַּ֖יִם תְּשָֽׁעֳשָֽׁעוּ:
and like a flooding stream. I extend to her the wealth of the nations.		וכנחל שוטף. אני נוטה אליה כבוד גוים:
on the side. On the sides of your nurses, [in Aramaic,] גִּסְסִין.		על צד. על צדי אומניכם על גיססין:
you shall be dandled. You shall be dandled as they dandle an infant. Esbanier in O.F.		תשעשעו. תהיו משועשעין כדרך שמשעשעין את התינוק אישבניי"ר בלעז:
13Like a man whose mother consoles him, so will I console you, and in Jerusalem, you shall be consoled.		יגכְּאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִמּ֖וֹ תְּנַֽחֲמֶ֑נּוּ כֵּ֚ן אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֲנַ֣חֶמְכֶ֔ם וּבִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם תְּנֻחָֽמוּ:
14And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall bloom like grass, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, and He shall be wroth with His enemies.		ידוּרְאִיתֶם֙ וְשָׂ֣שׂ לִבְּכֶ֔ם וְעַצְמֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כַּדֶּ֣שֶׁא תִפְרַ֑חְנָה וְנֽוֹדְעָ֚ה יַד־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו וְזָעַ֖ם אֶת־אֹֽיְבָֽיו:
and the hand of the Lord shall be known. When He wreaks His vengeance and His awesome acts, His servants shall know the strength of the might of His hand.		ונודעה יד ה'. בעשותו נקמותיו ונוראותיו ידעו עבדיו את כח גבורת ידו:
15For behold, the Lord shall come with fire, and like a tempest, His chariots, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.		טוכִּֽי־הִנֵּ֚ה יְהֹוָה֙ בָּאֵ֣שׁ יָב֔וֹא וְכַסּוּפָ֖ה מַרְכְּבֹתָ֑יו לְהָשִׁ֚יב בְּחֵמָה֙ אַפּ֔וֹ וְגַֽעֲרָת֖וֹ בְּלַֽהֲבֵי־אֵֽשׁ:
shall come with fire. With the fury of fire He shall come upon the wicked.		באש יבוא. בחמת אש יבוא על הרשעים:
to render. Heb. לְהָשִׁיב, [lit. to return] to His adversaries with fury His anger.		להשיב. לצריו בחימה את אפו:
16For with fire, will the Lord contend, and with His sword with all flesh, and those slain by the Lord shall be many.		טזכִּ֚י בָאֵשׁ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה נִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּבְחַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶת־כָּל־בָּשָׂ֑ר וְרַבּ֖וּ חַלְלֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
For with fire. of Gehinnom will the Lord contend with His adversaries, and since He is the plaintiff and the judge, the expression of contending is appropriate for Him, for He, too, presents His claim to find their iniquity and their transgression. Comp. (Ezekiel 38:22) “And I will contend with him (וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי);” (Jer. 2:35) “Behold, I contend with you.” It is an expression of debate. Derajjsner in O.F. [And its simple meaning is: For with the fire of the Lord and with His sword, all flesh shall be judged. Similarly, there are many inverted verses in Scriptures.]		כי באש. של גיהנם ה' נשפט עם צריו ולפי שהוא בעל דין ודיין נופל בו ל' נשפט שאף הוא טוען טענותיו למצוא עוונם ופשעם וכן ונשפטתי אתו (יחזקאל ל״ח:כ״ב) הנני נשפט אותך (ירמיהו כ׳:ד׳) לשון וויכוח הוא דרישניי"ר בלעז, ופשוטו כי באש ה' וחרבו נשפט כל בשר וכן רבים מסורסים במקראות:
17"Those who prepare themselves and purify themselves to the gardens, [one] after another in the middle, those who eat the flesh of the swine and the detestable thing and the rodent, shall perish together," says the Lord.		יזהַמִּתְקַדְּשִׁ֨ים וְהַמִּֽטַּהֲרִ֜ים אֶל־הַגַּנּ֗וֹת אַחַ֚ר אַחַת֙ (כתיב אַחַד֙) בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ אֹֽכְלֵי֙ בְּשַׂ֣ר הַֽחֲזִ֔יר וְהַשֶּׁ֖קֶץ וְהָֽעַכְבָּ֑ר יַחְדָּ֥ו יָסֻ֖פוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:
Those who prepare themselves. Heb. הַמִּתְקַדְּשִׁים. Those who prepare themselves, “Let you and me go on such-and-such a day to worship such-and-such an idol.”		המתקדשים. המזדמנים אני ואתה נלך ליום פלוני לעבוד לעכו"ם פלונית:
to the gardens. where they plant vegetables, and there they would erect idols.		אל הגנות. שזורעין שם ירק ושם היו מעמידין עכו"ם:
[one] after one. As Jonathan renders: a company after a company. They prepare themselves and purify themselves to worship, one company after its fellow has completed its worship.		אחר. אחת כמה שת"י סיעה בתר סיעה מתקדשים ומטהרים לעבוד סיעה אחר, שגמרה חבירתה את עבודתה:
in the middle. In the middle of the garden. Such was their custom to erect it.		בתוך. באמצע הגינה כן היה דרכם להעמיד':
18And I-their deeds and their thoughts have come to gather all the nations and the tongues, and they shall come and they shall see My glory.		יחוְאָֽנֹכִ֗י מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ וּמַחְשְׁבֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם בָּאָ֕ה לְקַבֵּ֥ץ אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם וְהַלְּשֹׁנ֑וֹת וּבָ֖אוּ וְרָא֥וּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִֽי:
And I - their deeds and their thoughts have come etc.. And I What am I to do? Their deeds and their thoughts have come to Me. And that forces Me to gather all the heathens (nations [Mss. and K’li Paz]), and to let them know that their deeds are vanity and the thoughts they are thinking, “For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified,” let them understand that it is false. And where is the gathering? It is the gathering that Zechariah prophesied (14:2): “And I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem.”		ואנכי מעשיהם ומחשבותיהם באה וגו'. ואנכי מה לי לעשות מעשיהם ומחשבותיהם באה אלי והיא תזקיקני לקבץ את כל הגוים ולהודיע שמעשיהם הבל ומחשבותם שהם חושבין למען (שמי) יכבד ה' יבינו שהוא שקר והיכן הוא אותו קיבוץ הוא האסיף שניבא זכריה ואספתי את כל הגוים אל ירושלים (זכריה י״ד:ב׳):
and they shall see My glory. When I wage war with them with the plague of the following description (ibid. 14:12): “Their flesh shall disintegrate… and their eyes… and their tongue.”		וראו את כבודי. בהלחמי בהם במכת המק בשרו ועיניו ולשונו (שם):
19And I will place a sign upon them, and I will send from them refugees to the nations, Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, the distant islands, who did not hear of My fame and did not see My glory, and they shall recount My glory among the nations.		יטוְשַׂמְתִּ֨י בָהֶ֜ם א֗וֹת וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י מֵהֶ֣ם \| פְּ֠לֵיטִים אֶל־הַגּוֹיִ֞ם תַּרְשִׁ֨ישׁ פּ֥וּל וְל֛וּד מֹ֥שְׁכֵי קֶ֖שֶׁת תֻּבַ֣ל וְיָוָ֑ן הָֽאִיִּ֣ים הָֽרְחֹקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָֽׁמְע֚וּ אֶת־שִׁמְעִי֙ וְלֹֽא־רָא֣וּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִ֔י וְהִגִּ֥ידוּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִ֖י בַּגּוֹיִֽם:
And I will place a sign upon them etc.. Refugees will survive the war, and I will allow them to remain in order to go to report to the distant islands My glory that they saw in the war, and also upon those refugees I will place one of the signs with which their colleagues were punished, in order to let the distant ones know that with this plague, those who gathered about Jerusalem were smitten.		ושמתי בהם אות וגו'. פליטים ינצלו מן המלחמה ואני אשאירם כדי לילך לבשר לאיים הרחוקים את כבודי אשר ראו במלחמה ואף באותם פליטים אשים אחת מן האותות שנידונו חביריהם בהם כדי להודיע לרחוקים במגפה זו נגפו הצובאים על ירושלים:
20And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a tribute to the Lord, with horses and with chariots, and with covered wagons and with mules and with joyous songs upon My holy mount, Jerusalem," says the Lord, "as the children of Israel bring the offering in a pure vessel to the house of the Lord.		כוְהֵבִ֣יאוּ אֶת־כָּל־אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם \| מִנְחָ֣ה לַֽיהֹוָ֡ה בַּסּוּסִ֡ים וּ֠בָרֶכֶב וּבַצַּבִּ֨ים וּבַפְּרָדִ֜ים וּבַכִּרְכָּר֗וֹת עַ֣ל הַ֥ר קָדְשִׁ֛י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבִיאוּ֩ בְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֛ה בִּכְלִ֥י טָה֖וֹר בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה:
and with covered wagons. Heb. וּבַצַּבִּים. These are wagons equipped with partitions and a tent. Comp. (Num. 7: 3) “Six covered wagons (עֶגְלוֹתצָב).”		ובצבים. הם עגלות מטוקסות במחיצות ואהל ודומה לו שש עגלות צב (במדבר ז׳:ג׳):
and with joyous songs. Heb. וּבַכִּרְכָּרוֹת. With a song of players and dancers. Comp. (II Sam. 6: 14) “And David danced (מְכַרְכֵּר),” treper in O.F. [Menahem (p. 109) explains it as an expression meaning a lamb. Comp. (supra 16:1) “Send lambs (כַּר) of the ruler of the land.”]		ובכרכרות. בשיר משחקים ומכרכרים כמו ודוד מכרכר (שמואל ב ו׳:י״ד) טריפי"ר בלעז ומנחם פירשו לשון כבש כמו שלחו כר מושל ארץ (לעיל טז):
as… bring. an offering in a pure vessel for acceptance, so will they bring your brethren as an acceptable offering.		כאשר יביאו. מנחה בכלי טהור לרצון כן יביאו את אחיכם למנחת רצון:
21And from them too will I take for priests and for Levites," says the Lord.		כאוְגַם־מֵהֶ֥ם אֶקַּ֛ח לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֥ים לַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
And from them too. From the peoples bringing them and from those brought, I will take priests and Levites, for they are now assimilated among the heathens (nations [Mss. and K’li Paz]) under coercion, and before Me the priests and the Levites among them are revealed, and I will select them from among them, and they shall minister before Me, said the Lord. Now where did He say it? (Deut. 29:28) “The hidden things are for the Lord our God.” In this manner it is explained in the Aggadah of Psalms (87:6).		וגם מהם אקח לכהנים ללוים. מן העמים המביאים אותם ומן המובאים אקח כהנים ולוים ולפני גלוים הכהנים והלוים שבהם ואברור אותן מתוכן ויהיו משמשין לפני:
22"For, as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, stand before Me," says the Lord, "so shall your seed and your name stand.		כבכִּ֣י כַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם הַֽ֠חֳדָשִׁים וְהָאָ֨רֶץ הַֽחֲדָשָׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֛ה עֹֽמְדִ֥ים לְפָנַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כֵּ֛ן יַֽעֲמֹ֥ד זַרְעֲכֶ֖ם וְשִׁמְכֶֽם:
23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.		כגוְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָֹ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו‍ֹ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
24"And they shall go out and see the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring for all flesh."		כדוְיָצְאוּ֨ וְרָא֔וּ בְּפִגְרֵי֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים בִּ֑י כִּ֣י תֽוֹלַעְתָּ֞ם לֹ֣א תָמ֗וּת וְאִשָּׁם֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וְהָי֥וּ דֵֽרָא֖וֹן לְכָל־בָּשָֽׂר:
their worm. The worm that consumes their flesh.		תולעתם. רמה האוכלת את בשרם:
and their fire. in Gehinnom.		ואשם. בגיהנם:
and abhorring. Heb. דֵרָאוֹן, an expression of contempt. Jonathan, however, renders it as two words: enough (דֵּי) seeing (רְאִיָה), until the righteous say about them, We have seen enough.		דראון. לשון בזיון, וי"ת כמין שתי תיבות די ראייה, עד דיימרון עליהון צדיקיא מיסת חזינא:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 66

23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.

כגוְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָֹ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו‍ֹ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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