| 1God spoke to Moses, saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When a person articulates a vow, pledging an endowment of lives to God, |
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בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יַפְלִ֖א נֶ֑דֶר בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ נְפָשֹׁ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָֽה: |
| כִּי יַפְלִא - When [a person] articulates - i.e., he states explicitly with his mouth. |
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כִּי יַפְלִא.
יַפְרִישׁ בְּפִיו:
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| בְּעֶרְכְּךָ נְפָשֹׁת - An endowment of lives - i.e., to give the assessment of his soul, saying: “I take upon myself to give the prescribed assessment of something,” that something being a vital organ of a living person. |
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בְּעֶרְכְּךָ נְפָשֹׁת.
לִתֵּן עֵרֶךְ נְפָשׁוֹת — לוֹמַר עֵרֶךְ דָּבָר שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ תְלוּיָה בוֹ עָלַי (עי' ספרא; ערכין ד'):
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| 3the fixed monetary endowment for the life of a male will be as follows: from 20 to 60 years old, the endowment will be 50 shekels of silver, the shekel being valued according to the weight of the sacred shekel. |
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גוְהָיָ֤ה עֶרְכְּךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר מִבֶּן֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וְהָיָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֗ חֲמִשִּׁ֛ים שֶׁ֥קֶל כֶּ֖סֶף בְּשֶׁ֥קֶל הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| וְהָיָה עֶרְכְּךָ וגו' - The endowment… This term עֵרֶךְ does not mean monetary value, but regardless of whether a person would fetch a higher or lower price if sold, the endowment fixed for him in this passage is dependent solely on his age. |
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וְהָיָה עֶרְכְּךָ וגו'.
אֵין עֵרֶךְ זֶה לְשׁוֹן דָּמִים, אֶלָּא בֵּין שֶׁהוּא יָקָר בֵּין שֶׁהוּא זוֹל, כְּפִי שָׁנָיו הוּא הָעֵרֶךְ הַקָּצוּב עָלָיו בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ:
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| עֶרְכְּךָ - This is a similar form to עֵרֶךְ. However the double כ at the end of the word – I do not know from which grammatical form it is derived. |
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עֶרְכְּךָ.
כְּמוֹ עֵרֶךְ, וְכֵפֶל הַכָּפִי"ן לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מֵאֵיזֶה לָשׁוֹן הוּא:
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| 4If the person is a female, the endowment will be 30 shekels. |
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דוְאִם־נְקֵבָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ שְׁלשִׁ֥ים שָֽׁקֶל: |
| 5If the person is from five to 20 years old, the endowment for a male will be 20 shekels, while that for a female will be 10 shekels. |
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הוְאִ֨ם מִבֶּן־חָמֵ֜שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים וְעַד֙ בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְהָיָ֧ה עֶרְכְּךָ֛ הַזָּכָ֖ר עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שְׁקָלִ֑ים וְלַנְּקֵבָ֖ה עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת שְׁקָלִֽים: |
| וְאִם מִבֶּן־חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים - If [the person is] from five [to 20 years old]. This does not mean that the one who vows is a minor, for the words of a minor have no effect. Rather, it refers to an adult who said, “I take upon myself to give the endowment of this minor, who is five years old.” |
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וְאִם מִבֶּן־חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים.
לֹא שֶׁיְּהֵא הַנּוֹדֵר קָטָן — שֶׁאֵין בְּדִבְרֵי קָטָן כְּלוּם — אֶלָּא גָּדוֹל שֶׁאָמַר עֵרֶךְ קָטָן זֶה שֶׁהוּא בֶן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים עָלַי (עי' ערכין ב'):
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| 6If the person is from one month to five years old, the endowment for a male will be five shekels of silver, while the endowment for a female will be three shekels of silver. |
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ווְאִ֣ם מִבֶּן־חֹ֗דֶשׁ וְעַד֙ בֶּן־חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְהָיָ֤ה עֶרְכְּךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה שְׁקָלִ֖ים כָּ֑סֶף וְלַנְּקֵבָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֔ שְׁל֥שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים כָּֽסֶף: |
| 7If the person is 60 years old or over, for a male, the endowment will be 15 shekels and for a female, it will be 10 shekels. |
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זוְ֠אִ֠ם מִבֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֤ה וָמַ֨עְלָה֙ אִם־זָכָ֔ר וְהָיָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֔ חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר שָׁ֑קֶל וְלַנְּקֵבָ֖ה עֲשָׂרָ֥ה שְׁקָלִֽים: |
| וְאִם מִבֶּן־שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וגו' - If [the person is] 60 years old or over… When she reaches old age, the woman’s status approaches that of a man. Therefore, when a man ages, he depreciates more than she does, becoming worth less than a third of his previous endowment, whereas a woman only depreciates to a third of her previous endowment. As people say: “An old man in the house is broken, in that he is not as productive as he was before in the house, but an old woman in the house is a treasure in the house and a good omen, providing blessing in the house.” |
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וְאִם מִבֶּן־שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וגו'.
כְּשֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לִימֵי הַזִּקְנָה, הָאִשָּׁה קְרוֹבָה לְהֵחָשֵׁב כְּאִישׁ, לְפִיכָךְ הָאִישׁ פּוֹחֵת בְּהִזְדַּקְּנוֹ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלִישׁ בְּעֶרְכּוֹ, וְהָאִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ פוֹחֶתֶת אֶלָּא שְׁלִישׁ בְּעֶרְכָּהּ, דְּאָמְרֵי אִינְשֵׁי "סָבָא בְּבֵיתָא, פַּחָא בְּבֵיתָא, סָבְתָא בְּבֵיתָא סִימָא בְּבֵיתָא וְסִימָנָא טָבָא בְּבֵיתָא" (ערכין י"ט):
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| 8If the pledger is too poor to pay the endowment, he must present the person before the priest, and the priest must evaluate this person in accordance with how much the pledger can afford. |
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חוְאִם־מָ֥ךְ הוּא֙ מֵֽעֶרְכֶּ֔ךָ וְהֶֽעֱמִידוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהֶֽעֱרִ֥יךְ אֹת֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן עַל־פִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר תַּשִּׂיג֙ יַ֣ד הַנֹּדֵ֔ר יַֽעֲרִיכֶ֖נּוּ הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| וְאִם־מָךְ הוּא - If he is too poor - i.e., he cannot afford to give this endowment. |
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וְאִם־מָךְ הוּא.
שֶׁאֵין יָדוֹ מַשֶּׂגֶת לִתֵּן הָעֵרֶךְ הַזֶּה.
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| וְהֶֽעֱמִידוֹ - He must present - i.e., the person whose endowment is being pledged – before the priest, and the priest must evaluate him according to how much the one who pledged the endowment can afford. |
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וְהֶֽעֱמִידוֹ.
לַנֶּעֱרָךְ לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֵן, וְיַעֲרִיכֶנּוּ לְפִי הַשָּׂגַת יָדוֹ שֶׁל מַעֲרִיךְ:
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| עַל־פִּי אֲשֶׁר תַּשִּׂיג - In accordance with how much [the pledger] can afford. The priest must assess the pledger’s means according to what he possesses, leaving him enough to live on: a bed, pillow, a blanket, and the tools of his trade, e.g., if he was a donkey-driver, he leaves him his donkey. |
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עַל־פִּי אֲשֶׁר תַּשִּׂיג.
לְפִי מַה שֶּׁיֶּשׁ לוֹ יְסַדְּרֶנּוּ, וְיַשְׁאִיר לוֹ כְּדֵי חַיָּיו: מִטָּה, כַּר וְכֶסֶת, וּכְלֵי אֻמָּנוּת; אִם הָיָה חַמָּר מַשְׁאִיר לוֹ חֲמוֹרוֹ (בבא מציעא קי"ד; ערכין כ"ג):
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| 9If a person pledges part of an animal whose type is fit to be brought as an offering to God, the value of whatever part of it the person is donating to God will become holy. |
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טוְאִ֨ם־בְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַקְרִ֧יבוּ מִמֶּ֛נָּה קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֥ן מִמֶּ֛נּוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶה־קֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ - Whatever part of it the person is donating - i.e., if he said: “The leg of this animal will be an ascent-offering,” his words are binding. The animal is sold to those needing to bring an ascent-offering, and the proceeds of the sale have no sanctity except for the value of that particular limb, which is given to the Temple treasury. |
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כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ.
אָמַר רַגְלָהּ שֶׁל זוֹ עוֹלָה, דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִין, וְתִמָּכֵר לְצָרְכֵי עוֹלָה, וְדָמֶיהָ חֻלִּין חוּץ מִדְּמֵי אוֹתוֹ הָאֵבֶר (ספרא; ערכין ה'):
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| 10He must not exchange it nor substitute it, whether a good one for a bad one or a bad one for a good one. If he does substitute one animal for another animal, both it and its replacement will be holy. |
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ילֹ֣א יַֽחֲלִיפֶ֔נּוּ וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥יר אֹת֛וֹ ט֥וֹב בְּרָ֖ע אוֹ־רַ֣ע בְּט֑וֹב וְאִם־הָמֵ֨ר יָמִ֤יר בְּהֵמָה֙ בִּבְהֵמָ֔ה וְהָֽיָה־ה֥וּא וּתְמֽוּרָת֖וֹ יִֽהְיֶה־קֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| טוֹב בְּרָע - A good one for a bad one - i.e., an unblemished one for a blemished one. |
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טוֹב בְּרָע.
תָּם בְּבַעַל מוּם.
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| אוֹ־רַע בְּטוֹב - Or a bad one for a good one - and he may certainly not exchange a ‘good’ animal for a ‘good’ one or a ‘bad’ animal for a ‘bad’ one. |
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אוֹ־רַע בְּטוֹב.
וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן טוֹב בְּטוֹב וְרַע בְּרַע (עי' תמורה ט'):
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| 11If it is a ‘defiled,’ i.e., blemished animal, which by virtue of its blemish may not be brought as an offering to God, he must present the animal before the priest. |
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יאוְאִם֙ כָּל־בְּהֵמָ֣ה טְמֵאָ֔ה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־יַקְרִ֧יבוּ מִמֶּ֛נָּה קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְהֶֽעֱמִ֥יד אֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| וְאִם כָּל־בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה - If it is a defiled animal. Scripture is speaking about a blemished animal; it is considered ‘defiled’ insofar as it is unfit for sacrifice, and Scripture is teaching you that unblemished consecrated animals cannot lose their consecrated status by redeeming them unless they developed a blemish. |
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וְאִם כָּל־בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה.
בְּבַעֲלַת מוּם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה לְהַקְרָבָה, וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאֵין קָדָשִׁים תְּמִימִים יוֹצְאִין לְחֻלִּין בְּפִדְיוֹן אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הֻמְּמוּ (שם ל"ג):
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| 12The priest must then evaluate it, deciding whether it is good or bad. According to the evaluation of the priest, so will be its redemption value. |
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יבוְהֶֽעֱרִ֤יךְ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹתָ֔הּ בֵּ֥ין ט֖וֹב וּבֵ֣ין רָ֑ע כְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן כֵּ֥ן יִֽהְיֶֽה: |
| כְּעֶרְכְּךָ הַכֹּהֵן כֵּן יִֽהְיֶֽה - According to the evaluation of the priest, so will be [its redemption value] - for any other person who wishes to buy it from the Temple treasury apart from the original owner. |
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כְּעֶרְכְּךָ הַכֹּהֵן כֵּן יִֽהְיֶֽה.
לִשְׁאָר כָּל אָדָם הַבָּא לִקְנוֹתָהּ מִיַּד הֶקְדֵּשׁ:
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| 13If the original owner redeems it, he must add its fifth to its value. |
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יגוְאִם־גָּאֹ֖ל יִגְאָלֶ֑נָּה וְיָסַ֥ף חֲמִֽישִׁת֖וֹ עַל־עֶרְכֶּֽךָ: |
| וְאִם־גָּאֹל יִגְאָלֶנָּה - If [the original owner] redeems it. Scripture was more stringent with the owner, requiring him to add a fifth of its value. The same applies to one who consecrates his house, to one who consecrates his field, and to the redemption of the second tithe: the owner must add a fifth, but not any other person. |
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וְאִם־גָּאֹל יִגְאָלֶנָּה.
בַּבְּעָלִים הֶחֱמִיר הַכָּתוּב לְהוֹסִיף חֹמֶשׁ, וְכֵן בְּמַקְדִּישׁ בַּיִת, וְכֵן בְּמַקְדִּישׁ אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה, וְכֵן בְּפִדְיוֹן מַעֲשֵֹר שֵׁנִי — הַבְּעָלִים מוֹסִיפִין חֹמֶשׁ וְלֹא שְׁאָר כָּל אָדָם (שם כ"ה):
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| 14If a man consecrates his house to be holy to God, and someone wishes to redeem it, the priest must evaluate it, deciding whether it is good or bad. Its monetary value will be established in accordance with how the priest evaluates it. |
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ידוְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יַקְדִּ֨שׁ אֶת־בֵּית֥וֹ קֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְהֶֽעֱרִיכוֹ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן בֵּ֥ין ט֖וֹב וּבֵ֥ין רָ֑ע כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲרִ֥יךְ אֹת֛וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן כֵּ֥ן יָקֽוּם: |
| 15If the person who consecrated it redeems his house, he must add to it a fifth of its valuation money, and only then will it be his. |
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טווְאִם־הַ֙מַּקְדִּ֔ישׁ יִגְאַ֖ל אֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ וְ֠יָסַ֠ף חֲמִישִׁ֧ית כֶּֽסֶף־עֶרְכְּךָ֛ עָלָ֖יו וְהָ֥יָה לֽוֹ: |
