| 1You are the children of God, your God. You must neither cut yourselves nor make a bald spot between your eyes for the dead. |
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אבָּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ קָרְחָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין עֵֽינֵיכֶ֖ם לָמֵֽת: |
| לֹא תִתְגֹּֽדְדוּ - means: Do not make a cut or gash in your flesh in mourning for a dead person, in the manner that the Amorites do, because you are the children of the Omnipresent and must keep yourselves befittingly handsome, not with cut flesh or bald heads. |
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לֹא תִתְגֹּֽדְדוּ.
לֹא תִתְּנוּ גְדִידָה וְשֶׂרֶט בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם עַל מֵת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָאֱמוֹרִיִּים עוֹשִׂין, לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם בָּנָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם וְאַתֶּם רְאוּיִין לִהְיוֹת נָאִים וְלֹא גְּדוּדִים וּמְקֹרָחִים:
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| בֵּין עֵֽינֵיכֶם - Between your eyes - i.e., near the forehead. Elsewhere, it says: “They must not make a bald spot on their heads,” indicating that the entire head has the same law as the point between the eyes. |
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בֵּין עֵֽינֵיכֶם.
אֵצֶל הַפַּדַּחַת, וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר (ויקרא כ"א) לֹא יִקְרְחֻה בְּרֹאשָׁם – לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל הָרֹאשׁ כְּבֵין הָעֵינַיִם (ספרי):
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| 2For you are a holy people to God, your God, and God has chosen you out of all the nations upon the earth to be His treasured people. |
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בכִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וּבְךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה - For you are a holy people - referring to your inherent sanctity inherited from your forefathers, and beyond this, “God has chosen you.” |
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כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה.
קְדֻשַּׁת עַצְמְךָ מֵאֲבוֹתֶיךָ, וְעוֹד ובך בחר ה':
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| 3You must not eat any abomination. |
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גלֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל כָּל־תּֽוֹעֵבָֽה: |
| כָּל־תּֽוֹעֵבָֽה - Any abomination - refers to all that I have deemed abominable by virtue of its being produced by an act forbidden to you, even if it is not inherently forbidden, e.g., if one slit the ear of a firstborn animal with intention to slaughter it outside the Temple. This is something I deem abominable, as inflicting a blemish on consecrated animals is forbidden to you, as it is stated: “it must not have any blemish”; although usually blemished firstborn animals may be eaten, Scripture teaches you here that one may not slaughter the animal and eat its meat through inflicting that blemish. Similarly, if one cooked meat with milk, this food is something that I deem abominable, as cooking such a mixture is forbidden to you, so Scripture here prohibits the one who cooked it to eat it, in addition to the usual prohibition against this mixture applicable to all. |
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כָּל־תּֽוֹעֵבָֽה.
כָּל שֶׁתִּעַבְתִּי לְךָ, כְּגוֹן צָרַם אֹזֶן בְּכוֹר כְּדֵי לְשָׁחֳטוֹ בַמְּדִינָה הֲרֵי דָּבָר שֶׁתִּעַבְתִּי לְךָ, כָּל מוּם לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ, בָּא וְלִמֵּד כָּאן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁחַט וְיֹאכַל עַל אוֹתוֹ הַמּוּם. בִּשֵּׁל בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב הֲרֵי דָּבָר שֶׁתִּעַבְתִּי לְךָ, וְהִזְהִיר כָּאן עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ (חולין קי"ד):
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| 4The following are the land-animals that you may eat: work-bulls, lambs, kids, |
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דזֹ֥את הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֵ֑לוּ שׁ֕וֹר שֵׂ֥ה כְשָׂבִ֖ים וְשֵׂ֥ה עִזִּֽים: |
| 5deer, gazelle, fallow-deer, ibex, addax, bison, and wild sheep, |
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האַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר: |
| זאת הבהמה, אַיָּל וּצְבִי וְיַחְמוּר - This is the animal [which you may eat…] the gazelle, and the deer, and the antelope. [Since the verse begins with “This is the animal (בְּהֵמָה) …” and then goes on to enumerate types of wild beasts (חַיָּה),] we learn that the category of wild beasts (חַיָּה) is included in the category of (בְּהֵמָה), [which usually refers only to domestic animals]. - [Sifrei ; Chul. 71a] We learn also that unclean domestic and wild animals are more numerous than clean [ones] since the less numerous are always enumerated. [Therefore, the clean animals are enumerated here.] - [Sifrei; Chul. 63a] |
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זאת הבהמה, אַיָּל וּצְבִי וְיַחְמוּר.
לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַחַיָּה בִכְלַל בְּהֵמָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַבְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה טְמֵאָה מְרֻבָּה מִן הַטְּהוֹרָה, שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם פּוֹרֵט אֶת הַמֻּעָט (ספרי; חולין י"ג):
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| וְאַקּוֹ - and the ibex. Heb. וְאַקּוֹ. This is rendered by Targum [Onkelos] as יַעִלָא, [like the Hebrew יָעֵל in the expression] יַעִלֵי סָלַע (Job 39:1). This is known as estainboc [in Old French, mountain goat]. |
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וְאַקּוֹ.
מְתֻרְגָּם יַעֲלָא (איוב ל"ט) "יַעֲלֵי סָלַע", הוּא אשטנב"וק:
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| וּתְאוֹ - and the bison. Heb. וּתְאוֹ.[Onkelos renders this:] וְתוּרְבָּלָא, [which is the equivalent of] תּוֹר הַיַעַר, “the ox of the forest,” for בָּאלָא means “forest” in the Aramaic language. |
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וּתְאוֹ.
"תּוֹרְבָּלָא", תּוֹר הַיַּעַר, "בָּלָא" — יַעַר בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי:
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| 6as well as every land-animal whose feet are not only partially cloven but completely split into two sub-feet, and that regurgitates its cud. You may eat a fetus inside such an animal. |
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ווְכָל־בְּהֵמָ֞ה מַפְרֶ֣סֶת פַּרְסָ֗ה וְשֹׁסַ֤עַת שֶׁ֨סַע֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י פְרָס֔וֹת מַֽעֲלַ֥ת גֵּרָ֖ה בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה אֹתָ֖הּ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ: |
| מַפְרֶסֶת - means: split, as Onkelos translates it. |
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מַפְרֶסֶת.
סְדוּקָה, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| פַּרְסָה - “plante” in Old French (“sole of the foot”). |
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פַּרְסָה.
פלאנט"א:
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| וְשֹׁסַעַת - Completely split - means it is divided into two nails, for some feet are split above but not divided into two nails, and such a species is spiritually defiled. |
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וְשֹׁסַעַת.
חֲלוּקָה בִשְׁתֵּי צִפָּרְנַיִם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ סְדוּקָה וְאֵינָהּ חֲלוּקָה בַּצִּפָּרְנַיִם, וְהִיא טְמֵאָה:
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| בַּבְּהֵמָה - Inside an animal. This implies: You may eat an entity found inside the animal. Our sages derived from here that a fetus becomes permitted to eat through the slaughter of its mother, and need not be slaughtered separately. |
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בַּבְּהֵמָה.
מַשְׁמַע מַה שֶּׁנִּמְצָא בַבְּהֵמָה אֱכֹל, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַשְּׁלִיל נִתָּר בִּשְׁחִיטַת אִמּוֹ (חולין ס"ט):
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| 7But you must not eat—of those that regurgitate the cud or have split feet—the cloven one, the camel, the hare, and the hyrax, for they regurgitate the cud but do not have completely cloven feet. Eating them renders you spiritually defiled. |
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זאַ֣ךְ אֶת־זֶ֞ה לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמַּֽעֲלֵ֣י הַגֵּרָ֔ה וּמִמַּפְרִיסֵ֥י הַפַּרְסָ֖ה הַשְּׁסוּעָ֑ה אֶת־הַ֠גָּמָ֠ל וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְנֶ֨בֶת וְאֶת־הַשָּׁפָ֜ן כִּי־מַֽעֲלֵ֧ה גֵרָ֣ה הֵ֗מָּה וּפַרְסָה֙ לֹ֣א הִפְרִ֔יסוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם: |
| הַשְּׁסוּעָה - The cloven one. This is a creature possessing two backs and two spinal cords. Our rabbis said: Why are these lists of forbidden species repeated here? The animals are repeated for the sake of the cloven one, and the birds for the sake of the ra’ah vulture, which are not mentioned in the Book of Leviticus. |
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הַשְּׁסוּעָה.
בְּרִיָּה הִיא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ שְׁנֵי גַּבִּין וּשְׁתֵּי שִׁדְרָאוֹת (שם ס'); אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמָּה נִשְׁנוּ? בַּבְּהֵמוֹת מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁסוּעָה וּבָעוֹפוֹת מִפְּנֵי הָרָאָה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמְרוּ בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (שם ס"ג):
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| 8And the pig, because it has cloven feet but does not regurgitate the cud. Eating it renders you spiritually defiled. You must not eat of their flesh; you must not touch their carcasses. |
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חוְאֶת־הַֽ֠חֲזִ֠יר כִּֽי־מַפְרִ֨יס פַּרְסָ֥ה הוּא֙ וְלֹ֣א גֵרָ֔ה טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֥א תִגָּֽעוּ: |
| וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּֽעוּ - You must not touch their carcasses. Our rabbis explained that this prohibition applies during the pilgrim festivals, as one is obligated to be in a state of ritual purity for the pilgrim festivals. I might think that this prohibition applies throughout the year; Scripture therefore states: “Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron… ‘No one may ritually defile himself on account of a corpse.’” If regarding ritual defilement by a corpse, which is more stringent, only priests are forbidden and not a lay Israelite, all the more is this so regarding ritual defilement by a carcass, which is more lenient. |
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וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּֽעוּ.
רַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ — בָּרֶגֶל, שֶׁאָדָם חַיָּב לְטַהֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ בָּרֶגֶל, יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ מֻזְהָרִים בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹ'", וּמַה טֻּמְאַת הַמֵּת חֲמוּרָה, הַכֹּהֲנִים מֻזְהָרִים וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל מֻזְהָרִים, טֻמְאַת נְבֵלָה קַלָּה, לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן:
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| 9Among all creatures that live in the water, you may eat these: you may eat all that have fins and scales. |
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טאֶת־זֶה֙ תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם כֹּ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת תֹּאכֵֽלוּ: |
| 10But you must not eat whatever does not have fins and scales, for eating them renders you spiritually defiled. |
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יוְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֵין־ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם: |
| 11You may eat every bird that does not impart spiritual defilement. |
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יאכָּל־צִפּ֥וֹר טְהֹרָ֖ה תֹּאכֵֽלוּ: |
| כָּל־צִפּוֹר טְהֹרָה תֹּאכֵֽלוּ - Every bird that does not impart spiritual defilement. The additional word כָּל includes the bird used in the purification rite of the metzora and later released. |
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כָּל־צִפּוֹר טְהֹרָה תֹּאכֵֽלוּ.
לְהַתִּיר מְשֻׁלַּחַת שֶׁבַּמְּצֹרָע (ספרי; קידושין נ"ז):
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| 12These are those from which you must not eat: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the osprey, |
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יבוְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֹֽאכְל֖וּ מֵהֶ֑ם הַנֶּ֥שֶׁר וְהַפֶּ֖רֶס וְהָֽעָזְנִיָּֽה: |
| וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תֹֽאכְלוּ מֵהֶם - These are those from which you must not eat. This is added to forbid the slaughtered bird used in that procedure. |
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וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תֹֽאכְלוּ מֵהֶם.
לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הַשְּׁחוּטָה (שם):
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| 13the various other species of vulture, |
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יגוְהָֽרָאָה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַיָּ֔ה וְהַדַּיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ: |
| הראה והאיה - (lit.) The ra’ah, the ayah. The רָאָה, the אַיָּה, and the דַּיָּה are one and the same bird. Why is it called רָאָה? Because it has exceptional eyesight. Why did Scripture prohibit it using all its names? In order not to allow a contentious person the opportunity to argue that it is permitted – that is, so someone pronouncing it forbidden do so while calling it רָאָה and someone wishing to permit it reply, “This is called דַּיָּה or אַיָּה, and this Scripture did not forbid.” Scripture listed the spiritually defiled species of fowl individually, in order to teach us that there are more spiritually undefiled species of fowl than spiritually defiled ones, and therefore it lists the minority. |
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הראה והאיה.
הִיא רָאָה הִיא אַיָּה הִיא דַיָּה, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רָאָה? שֶׁרוֹאָה בְּיוֹתֵר, וְלָמָּה הִזְהִיר בְּכָל שְׁמוֹתֶיהָ? שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַעַל דִּין לַחֲלֹק – שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הָאוֹסְרָהּ קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ רָאָה, וְהַבָּא לְהַתִּיר אוֹמֵר זוֹ דַּיָּה שְׁמָהּ אוֹ אַיָּה שְׁמָהּ, וְזוֹ לֹא אָסַר הַכָּתוּב. וּבָעוֹפוֹת פֵּרֵט לְךָ הַטְּמֵאִים לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָעוֹפוֹת הַטְּהוֹרִים מְרֻבִּים עַל הַטְּמֵאִים, לְפִיכָךְ פֵּרֵט אֶת הַמֻּעָט (חולין ס"ג):
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| 14every type of species of crow, |
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ידוְאֵ֥ת כָּל־עֹרֵ֖ב לְמִינֽוֹ: |
| 15the ostrich, the cuckoo, the gull, the various species of sparrow hawk, |
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טווְאֵת֙ בַּ֣ת הַיַּֽעֲנָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַתַּחְמָ֖ס וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑חַף וְאֶת־הַנֵּ֖ץ לְמִינֵֽהוּ: |
| 16the screech owl, the barn owl, the bat, |
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טזאֶת־הַכּ֥וֹס וְאֶת־הַיַּנְשׁ֖וּף וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת: |
| התנשמת - The bat. “Calve soriz” in Old French. |
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התנשמת.
קלב"א שורי"ץ:
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| 17the pelican, the magpie, the cormorant, |
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יזוְהַקָּאָ֥ת וְאֶת־הָֽרָחָ֖מָה וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָֽךְ: |
| שלך - Cormorant - which draws up (שׁוֹלֶה) fish from the sea. |
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שלך.
הַשּׁוֹלֶה דָּגִים מִן הַיָּם (שם):
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| 18the stork, the various species of heron, the hoopoe, and the atalef. |
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יחוְהַ֣חֲסִידָ֔ה וְהָֽאֲנָפָ֖ה לְמִינָ֑הּ וְהַדּֽוּכִיפַ֖ת וְהָֽעֲטַלֵּֽף: |
| דוכיפת - Hoopoe. This is a wild hen, known as “herupe” in Old French, whose comb appears doubled over. |
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דוכיפת.
הוּא תַּרְנְגוֹל הַבָּר, וּבְלַעַז הרו"פא, וְכַרְבָּלְתּוֹ כְפוּלָה (גיט' ס"ח):
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| 19Every crawling creature that flies renders you spiritually defiled if eaten; they may not be eaten. |
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יטוְכֹל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם לֹ֖א יֵֽאָכֵֽלוּ: |
| שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף - Crawling creature that flies. These are low creatures that move along the earth. Flying creatures such as flies, hornets, and forbidden species of grasshopper are therefore termed שֶׁרֶץ. |
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שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף.
הֵם הַנְּמוּכִים, הָרוֹחֲשִׁים עַל הָאָרֶץ. זְבוּבִין וּצְרָעִים וַחֲגָבִים טְמֵאִים קְרוּיִים שֶׁרֶץ:
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| 20You may eat only fowl that do not render you spiritually defiled. |
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ככָּל־ע֥וֹף טָה֖וֹר תֹּאכֵֽלוּ: |
| כָּל־עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵֽלוּ - You may eat fowl that do not render you spiritually defiled - but not that which does render you spiritually defiled. Scripture thus adds an active commandment to the passive commandment stated earlier. Similarly, regarding animals, it says: אֹתָהּ תֹּאכֵלוּ (lit.) “it you may eat,” implying “but not a spiritually defiled animal,” and a prohibition derived from a positive statement has the status of an active commandment. Thus, one who eats such meat transgresses both an active and a passive commandment. |
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כָּל־עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵֽלוּ.
וְלֹא אֶת הַטָּמֵא, בָּא לִתֵּן עֲשֵׂה עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה; וְכֵן בַּבְּהֵמָה "אֹתָהּ תֹּאכֵלוּ", וְלֹא בְהֵמָה טְמֵאָה, וְלָאו הַבָּא מִכְּלַל עֲשֵׂה עֲשֵׂה, לַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם בַּעֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה:
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| 21You must not eat any carcass. You may give it to the resident alien, who is in your cities, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a non-Jew, for you are a holy people to God, your God. You must not cook a young animal in its mother’s milk. |
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כאלֹא־תֹֽאכְל֣וּ כָל־נְ֠בֵלָ֠ה לַגֵּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֜יךָ תִּתְּנֶ֣נָּה וַֽאֲכָלָ֗הּ א֤וֹ מָכֹר֙ לְנָכְרִ֔י כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּֽחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ: |
| לַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ - To the resident alien who is in your cities - i.e., a foreigner, i.e., a non-Jew, who may reside in the Land of Israel because he has undertaken not to worship idols, yet he may still eat carcasses. |
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לַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ.
גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְאוֹכֵל נְבֵלוֹת (ספרי):
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| כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לה' - For you are a holy people to God. Sanctify yourself by voluntarily abstaining from what is permitted to you as a safeguard against actual transgression. Things that are permitted, but others treat them as if they were forbidden for this reason – do not treat them as permitted in their presence. |
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כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לה'.
קַדֵּשׁ אֶת עַצְמְךָ בַּמֻּתָּר לְךָ – דְּבָרִים הַמֻּתָּרִים וַאֲחֵרִים נוֹהֲגִים בָּהֶם אִסּוּר, אַל תַּתִּירֵם בִּפְנֵיהֶם (שם):
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| לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי - You must not cook a young animal. This is stated three times in the Torah – to exclude wild animals, fowl, and impure species of animal from the prohibition. |
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לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי.
שָׁלוֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, פְּרָט לְחַיָּה וּלְעוֹפוֹת וְלִבְהֵמָה טְמֵאָה (חולין קי"ג):
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