Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 21

1God said to Moses: “Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron—you must say to them—‘No one may ritually defile himself among his people on account of a corpse,   אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו:
אֱמֹר אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים - Say to the priests. The verse uses a double expression – אֱמֹר “Say,” and וְאָמַרְתָּ “you must say” – in order to obligate adults to take care that minors also not ritually defile themselves.   אֱמֹר אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים.  אמר ואמרת, לְהַזְהִיר גְּדוֹלִים עַל הַקְּטַנִּים (יבמות קי"ד):
בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן - The sons of Aaron. I might think that this includes those demoted from the priesthood. Scripture therefore states: הַכֹּהֲנִים “the priests.”   בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן.  יָכוֹל חֲלָלִים תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הַכֹּהֲנִים:
בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן - The sons of Aaron. This implies even those who have a bodily defect.   בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן.  אַף בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין בְּמַשְׁמָע:
בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן - The sons of Aaron - but not the daughters of Aaron.   בְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן.  וְלֹא בְּנוֹת אַהֲרֹן (ספרא):
לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּֽיו - No one may defile himself among his people - i.e., as long as the corpse is “among his people.” This excludes a met mitzvah (i.e., a corpse in a deserted area where there is no one else to tend to it).   לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּֽיו.  בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַמֵּת בְּתוֹךְ עַמָּיו, יָצָא מֵת מִצְוָה (שם):
2except for his close relative, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother.   בכִּ֚י אִם־לִשְׁאֵר֔וֹ הַקָּרֹ֖ב אֵלָ֑יו לְאִמּ֣וֹ וּלְאָבִ֔יו וְלִבְנ֥וֹ וּלְבִתּ֖וֹ וּלְאָחִֽיו:
כִּי אִם־לִשְׁאֵרוֹ - Except for his close relative. The term שְׁאֵרוֹ here refers to none other than his wife.   כִּי אִם־לִשְׁאֵרוֹ.  אֵין שְׁאֵרוֹ אֶלָּא אִשְׁתּוֹ (שם; יבמות כ"ב):
3Regarding his virgin sister, as long as she was “close” to him in that she was not married to a man, he must defile himself for her.   גוְלַֽאֲחֹת֤וֹ הַבְּתוּלָה֙ הַקְּרוֹבָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־הָֽיְתָ֖ה לְאִ֑ישׁ לָ֖הּ יִטַּמָּֽא:
הַקְּרוֹבָה - (lit.) Who is close. This is said in order to include a wife to whom he is only betrothed but not yet married.   הַקְּרוֹבָה.  לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הָאֲרוּסָה (ספרא; יבמות ס'):
אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הָֽיְתָה לְאִישׁ - She was not married to a man - i.e., for marital relations.   אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הָֽיְתָה לְאִישׁ.  לְמִשְׁכָּב:
לָהּ יִטַּמָּֽא - He must defile himself for her. This is a commandment.   לָהּ יִטַּמָּֽא.  מִצְוָה (ספרא; זבחים ק'):
4A husband must not ritually defile himself for a wife who died among his people if she caused his temporary demotion from active priesthood.   דלֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ:
לֹא יִטַּמָּא בַּעַל בְּעַמָּיו לְהֵחַלּֽוֹ - means: a husband must not ritually defile himself for his forbidden wife through whom he is temporarily demoted as long as she is with (i.e., married to) him. And so is the straightforward meaning of the verse: A husband must not make himself defiled for his close relative (i.e., his wife) as long as she is among his people, i.e., she has people who can bury her and is thus not a met mitzvah. And to which close relative do I refer? To the one who is לְהֵחַלּוֹ “to his becoming demoted,” i.e., who causes him to become demoted from his priestly status.   לֹא יִטַּמָּא בַּעַל בְּעַמָּיו לְהֵחַלּֽוֹ.  לֹא יִטַּמָּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ פְּסוּלָה שֶׁהוּא מְחֻלָּל בָּהּ בְּעוֹדָהּ עִמּוֹ, וְכֵן פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא: לֹא יִטַּמָּא בַּעַל בִּשְׁאֵרוֹ בְּעוֹד שֶׁהוּא בְּתוֹךְ עַמָּיו — שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ קוֹבְרִין, שֶׁאֵינָהּ מֵת מִצְוָה, וּבְאֵיזֶה שְׁאֵר אָמַרְתִּי? בְּאוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא לְהֵחַלּוֹ — לְהִתְחַלֵּל הוּא מִכְּהֻנָּתוֹ (עי' ספרא; יבמות צ'):
5They must not make a bald spot on their heads, nor may they shave any edge of their beard, nor may they make cuts in their flesh.   הלֹֽא־יִקְרְח֤וּ (כתיב לא־יִקְרְחֻ֤ה) קָרְחָה֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֔ם וּפְאַ֥ת זְקָנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ וּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יִשְׂרְט֖וּ שָׂרָֽטֶת:
לֹא יקרחה קָרְחָה - They must not make a bald spot - in mourning for a dead person. But is not every Israelite also warned against this? Rather, the meaning is that since it says regarding an Israelite: בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם “between your eyes,” 1 I might think that one is not liable for making a bald spot anywhere else on the head. Scripture therefore states here: בְּרֹאשָׁם “on their heads,” and we learn this detail regarding an Israelite by a verbal analogy (גְזֵרָה שָׁוָה) to the prohibition regarding the priests: It says here קָרְחָה and it says there, regarding an Israelite, קָרְחָה – just as here it refers to the entire head, so does it there refer to the entire head, wherever he makes a bald spot on the head. And just as there it applies only when it is done in mourning for a dead person, so does it here apply only when it is done in mourning for a dead person.   לֹא יקרחה קָרְחָה.  עַל מֵת וַהֲלֹא אַף יִשְׂרָאֵל הֻזְהֲרוּ עַל כָּךְ? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם (דברים י"ד), יָכוֹל לֹא יְהֵא חַיָּב עַל כָּל הָרֹאשׁ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּרֹאשָׁם, וְיִלָּמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּהֲנִים בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן קָרְחָה וְנֶאֱמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל קָרְחָה, מַה כָּאן כָּל הָרֹאשׁ אַף לְהַלָּן כָּל הָרֹאשׁ בְּמַשְׁמָע — כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּקְרַח בָּרֹאשׁ, וּמַה לְּהַלָּן עַל מֵת, אַף כָּאן עַל מֵת (מכות כ'):
וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ - Nor may they shave [any] edge of their beard. Since it says regarding a lay Israelite: וְלֹא תַשְׁחִית “You must not destroy any edge of your beard,” 2 I might think that this is forbidden even if he removed the hairs from his beard with tweezers or a smoothing instrument. It therefore says here: “nor may they shave,” i.e., he is liable only for an action called “shaving” that achieves destruction of the hair near the roots, and that is only with a razor.   וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ.  לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיִשְֹרָאֵל לֹא תַשְׁחִית, יָכוֹל לִקְּטוֹ בְּמַלְקֵט וּרְהִיטְנִי יְהֵא חַיָּב, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ. שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר הַקָּרוּי גִּלּוּחַ וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ הַשְׁחָתָה, וְזֶהוּ תַעַר (שם):
וּבִבְשָׂרָם לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָֽטֶת - Nor may they make cuts in their flesh. Since it says regarding a lay Israelite: וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ לֹא תִתְּנוּ “You must not make cuts in your flesh,” 3 I might think that if he made five cuts he is liable only once. Scripture therefore states here: לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָטֶת (lit.) “nor may they scratch a cut,” to indicate that one is liable for each cut; for this word שָׂרָטֶת is superfluous and thus needs to be expounded, for it could have written just לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ “nor may they scratch,” and I would know that this refers to “a cut.”   וּבִבְשָׂרָם לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָֽטֶת.  לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ לֹא תִתְּנוּ (ויקרא י"ט), יָכוֹל שָׂרַט חָמֵשׁ שְׂרִיטוֹת לֹא יְהֵא חַיָּב אֶלָּא אַחַת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָטֶת, לְחַיֵּב עַל כָּל שְׂרִיטָה וּשְׂרִיטָה, שֶׁתֵּבָה זוֹ יְתֵרָה הִיא לִדְרֹשׁ, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ וַאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהִיא שָׂרֶטֶת (ספרא; מב' כ'):
6They must be holy to their God, and must not desecrate their God’s Name, for they offer up the fire-offerings of God—the “food” of their God—so they must be holy.   וקְדשִׁ֤ים יִֽהְיוּ֙ לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א יְחַלְּל֔וּ שֵׁ֖ם אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם כִּי֩ אֶת־אִשֵּׁ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה לֶ֧חֶם אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֛ם הֵ֥ם מַקְרִיבִ֖ם וְהָ֥יוּ קֹֽדֶשׁ:
קְדשִׁים יִֽהְיוּ - They must be holy - i.e., even against their will, the court must make sure that they remain holy with regard to this, i.e., if a priest attempts to ritually defile himself against these rules, the court must prevent him.   קְדשִׁים יִֽהְיוּ.  עַל כָּרְחָם יַקְדִּישׁוּם בֵּית דִּין בְּכָךְ (ספרא):
7They must not marry a woman who has acted like an unfaithful woman or who is demoted from being eligible to marry a priest. They must not marry a woman who was divorced from her husband, for he is holy to his God.   זאִשָּׁ֨ה זֹנָ֤ה וַֽחֲלָלָה֙ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֔חוּ וְאִשָּׁ֛ה גְּרוּשָׁ֥ה מֵֽאִישָׁ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֑חוּ כִּֽי־קָד֥שׁ ה֖וּא לֵֽאלֹהָֽיו:
זֹנָה - An unfaithful woman - is one who had relations with an Israelite who is forbidden to her, such as those men whom she is forbidden to marry under penalty of excision, a natin (i.e., a descendant of the Gibeonites), or one born of a forbidden union.   זֹנָה.  שֶׁנִּבְעֲלָה בְעִילַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאָסוּר לָהּ, כְּגוֹן חַיָּבֵי כָּרֵתוֹת אוֹ נָתִין אוֹ מַמְזֵר (ספרא; יבמות ס"א):
חֲלָלָה - Demoted - is one who was born from a union forbidden to priests, such as the daughter of a widow by a high priest, or the daughter of a divorcee or chalutzah (one who underwent the shoe-removal ceremony) by a regular priest; and similarly one who became demoted from the priesthood by having forbidden marital relations with a priest.   חֲלָלָה.  שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה מִן הַפְּסוּלִים שֶׁבַּכְּהֻנָּה, כְּגוֹן בַּת אַלְמָנָה מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל אוֹ בַת גְּרוּשָׁה (וַחֲלוּצָה) מִכֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט, וְכֵן שֶׁנִּתְחַלְּלָה מִן הַכְּהֻנָּה עַל יְדֵי בִיאַת אֶחָד מִן הַפְּסוּלִים לִכְהֻנָּה (עי' ספרא, קידושין ע"ז):
8You, through the court, must sanctify him, for he offers up the “food” of your God. He must be treated as holy by you because I, God, who sanctifies you, am holy.   חוְקִ֨דַּשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־אֶת־לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא מַקְרִ֑יב קָדשׁ֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם:
וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ - You must sanctify him - even against his will, that if he does not wish to divorce this forbidden woman, give him lashes and flog him until he divorces her.   וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ.  עַל כָּרְחוֹ, שֶׁאִם לֹא רָצָה לְגָרֵשׁ הַלְקֵהוּ וְיַסְּרֵהוּ עַד שֶׁיְּגָרֵשׁ (ספרא; יבמות פ"ח):
קָדשׁ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּךְ - (lit.) He must be holy for you - i.e., treat him in a holy manner, that he open discussion in any matter first and have priority in reciting the blessing at a meal.   קָדשׁ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּךְ.  נְהֹג בּוֹ קְדֻשָּׁה, לִפְתֹּחַ רִאשׁוֹן בְּכָל דָּבָר וּלְבָרֵךְ רִאשׁוֹן בַּסְּעוּדָה (הוריות י"ב):
9If a priest’s daughter becomes desecrated on account of committing adultery, she thereby desecrates her father. She must be burned in fire.   טוּבַת֙ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּהֵ֔ן כִּ֥י תֵחֵ֖ל לִזְנ֑וֹת אֶת־אָבִ֨יהָ֙ הִ֣יא מְחַלֶּ֔לֶת בָּאֵ֖שׁ תִּשָּׂרֵֽף:
כִּי תֵחֵל לִזְנוֹת - means “who becomes desecrated through fornication,” i.e., she was legally attached to a husband and had illicit relations, either after betrothal or after full marriage. Our rabbis 4 differed in this matter, but all agree that Scripture here is not speaking of an unmarried woman.   כִּי תֵחֵל לִזְנוֹת.  כְּשֶׁתִּתְחַלֵּל עַל יְדֵי זְנוּת, שֶׁהָיְתָה בָהּ זִקַּת בַּעַל וְזָנְתָה, אוֹ מִן הָאֵרוּסִין אוֹ מִן הַנִּשּׂוּאִין; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ נֶחְלְקוּ בַדָּבָר וְהַכֹּל מוֹדִים שֶׁלֹּא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בִּפְנוּיָה (עי' סנהדרין נ"א):
אֶת־אָבִיהָ הִיא מְחַלֶּלֶת - She desecrates her father - means she has profaned and denigrated his honor, for people say about him: “cursed is he who fathered this girl; cursed is he who brought up this girl.”   אֶת־אָבִיהָ הִיא מְחַלֶּלֶת.  חִלְּלָה וּבִזְּתָה אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁאוֹמְרִים עָלָיו אָרוּר שֶׁזּוֹ יָלַד, אָרוּר שֶׁזּוֹ גִּדֵּל (שם):
10The priest who has been elevated above his brothers—the anointment oil having been poured upon his head or who has been installed by being chosen to wear the garments of a high priest—must not leave his hair uncut nor rend his garments.   יוְהַכֹּהֵן֩ הַגָּד֨וֹל מֵֽאֶחָ֜יו אֲשֶׁר־יוּצַ֥ק עַל־רֹאשׁ֣וֹ | שֶׁ֤מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה֙ וּמִלֵּ֣א אֶת־יָד֔וֹ לִלְבּ֖שׁ אֶת־הַבְּגָדִ֑ים אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֙ לֹ֣א יִפְרָ֔ע וּבְגָדָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִפְרֹֽם:
לֹא יִפְרָע - He must not leave [his hair] uncut - i.e., he may not let it grow wild in mourning. And what constitutes letting it grow wild? If it is left for more than 30 days.   לֹא יִפְרָע.  לֹא יְגַדֵּל פֶּרַע עַל אֵבֶל, וְאֵיזֶהוּ גִּדּוּל פֶּרַע? יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם (שם):
11He must not come into any roofed structure in which any dead bodies are present. He must not ritually defile himself for his father or his mother.   יאוְעַ֛ל כָּל־נַפְשֹׁ֥ת מֵ֖ת לֹ֣א יָבֹ֑א לְאָבִ֥יו וּלְאִמּ֖וֹ לֹ֥א יִטַּמָּֽא:
וְעַל כָּל־נַפְשֹׁת מֵת וגו' - (lit.) [He must not enter] upon any dead person - means: he must not enter under the same roof as a dead person.   וְעַל כָּל־נַפְשֹׁת מֵת וגו'.  בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת:
נַפְשֹׁת מֵת - (lit.) Any dead person. The word נַפְשֹׁת is added to include the law that a quarter of a log of blood from a dead person also causes ritual defilement under its roof.   נַפְשֹׁת מֵת.  לְהָבִיא רְבִיעִית דָּם מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁמְּטַמֵּא בָאֹהֶל (שם):
לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּֽא - He must not defile himself for his father or his mother. This is written here merely to permit him to ritually defile himself for a met mitzvah.   לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּֽא.  לֹא בָא אֶלָּא לְהַתִּיר לוֹ מֵת מִצְוָה (ספרא; נזיר מ"ז):
12He must not leave the Sanctuary. He does not desecrate the holy things of his God by officiating while in mourning, for the crown of his God’s anointing oil is upon him; I am God.   יבוּמִן־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יֵצֵ֔א וְלֹ֣א יְחַלֵּ֔ל אֵ֖ת מִקְדַּ֣שׁ אֱלֹהָ֑יו כִּ֡י נֵ֠זֶר שֶׁ֣מֶן מִשְׁחַ֧ת אֱלֹהָ֛יו עָלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וּמִן־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא יֵצֵא - He must not leave the Sanctuary - i.e., he may not even follow the coffin. Furthermore, our rabbis 5 learned from here that a high priest may offer up sacrifices when he is an onen (one in the initial stage of mourning, whose close relative died that day), and thus, this is the verse’s meaning: Even if his father or mother died, he need not leave the Sanctuary, but may carry out the service.   וּמִן־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא יֵצֵא.  אֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הַמִּטָּה (סנהדרין י"ח), וְעוֹד מִכָּאן לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מַקְרִיב אוֹנֵן, וְכֵן מַשְׁמָעוֹ: אַף אִם מֵתוּ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֶלָּא עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה:
וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֵת מִקְדַּשׁ - means: he does not thereby disqualify the service, for Scripture has permitted him to perform it. From this we may infer that a regular priest who officiates as an onen does disqualify it.   וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֵת מִקְדַּשׁ.  שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחַלֵּל בְּכָךְ אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה, שֶׁהִתִּיר לוֹ הַכָּתוּב, הָא כֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט שֶׁעָבַד אוֹנֵן חִלֵּל (זבחים ט"ז; סנהדרין פ"ח):
13He must marry a woman who is a virgin.   יגוְה֕וּא אִשָּׁ֥ה בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָ יִקָּֽח:
14He must not marry the following: a widow, a divorcée, a woman who is demoted from being eligible to marry a priest, or a woman who has acted like an unfaithful woman. He may only take a virgin as a wife from any of his people.   ידאַלְמָנָ֤ה וּגְרוּשָׁה֙ וַֽחֲלָלָ֣ה זֹנָ֔ה אֶת־אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֣א יִקָּ֑ח כִּ֛י אִם־בְּתוּלָ֥ה מֵֽעַמָּ֖יו יִקַּ֥ח אִשָּֽׁה:
וַֽחֲלָלָה - Demoted - i.e., she was born from a union forbidden to priests.   וַֽחֲלָלָה.  שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה מִפְּסוּלֵי כְהֻנָּה (קידושין ע"ז):
15He must not cause his offspring to be demoted from the priesthood by fathering them by any woman from among his people who is prohibited to him, for I am God, who sanctifies him.’”   טווְלֹֽא־יְחַלֵּ֥ל זַרְע֖וֹ בְּעַמָּ֑יו כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ:
וְלֹֽא־יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ - And he must not cause his offspring to be demoted - but if he did marry one of the women forbidden to him in marriage, his offspring by her is demoted from the holy status of the priesthood.   וְלֹֽא־יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ.  הָא אִם נָשָׂא אַחַת מִן הַפְּסוּלוֹת, זַרְעוֹ הֵימֶנָּה חָלָל מִדִּין קְדֻשַּׁת כְּהֻנָּה (שם):