Chapter 19 - Text Notes
1 Of the entire congregation, as the verse
testifies; in other cases, where the introduction does not stress that
Moshe spoke to the "entire congregation," not everyone was
required to come, and those who had pressing business elsewhere did not
(G.A.).
2 For example, as R. Levi points out in Midrash
Vayikro Rabbo 24, most of the Ten Commandments are included in this
parashoh.
3 That is, they are derived from it, and are
thus included in it at least implicitly.
4 Sifra Kedoshim,
par. 1, 1.
5 Even though they are not listed here (in this
chapter), they appear in the last chapter, and in order to maintain the
level of holiness which is reached by observing these prohibitions,
Rashi emphasizes that the transgressions listed below must also
be avoided (G.A.).
6 An attempt to keep from violating a
primary commandment by erecting a "fence," a secondary commandment,
to protect the first. In this case, an example would be the rabbinic
sanctions against marriage with relatives of the second degree, {Hebrew Ref} such as paternal and maternal grandmothers,
who are "secondary" to the prohibition of incest with one's mother.
7 A woman who has had relations with a man forbidden to
her in marriage under penalty of {Hebrew Ref} (death in his fifties
without surviving offspring), see Yevomos 61b.
8 That is,
the offspring of the marriage of a kohein and a woman forbidden
to him, such as a divorcee.
9 Vayikro 21, 7--8 below.
10 Vayikro 21, 15 below, referring to those women whom a
kohein may not marry.
11 Vayikro 21, 6--8 below.
12 Rashi here rephrases the verse slightly to explain the
alternation of second and third person ("you...his").
13
In plural form.
14 He is not subject to another's control
to the extent that his wife is, and so can devote time and energy to
honoring his parents.
15 She must consult her husband about
her activities outside the house; Sifra Kedoshim, par. 1, 3.
16
Now Rashi emphasizes the latter part of the phrase, to show the
connection between "father" and "fear."
17 As opposed
to the order in the fifth of the Ten Commandments, where the father
appears first ("Honor your father and mother," Shemos 20, 12).
18
Literally, "revealed before," as an expression of respect toward
G-d.
19 Before G-d.
20 The mitzvoh to
honor one's parents.
21 Literally, "revealed before," as
an expression of respect toward G-d.
22 Kiddushin 30b-31a.
23 Bovo Metzi'o 32a.
24 Literally, "in My honor."
25 What does
the mitzvoh of fearing one's parents consist of?
26
Nor take his place in public deliberations. In the Talmud, the reading
is: "He must not stand in his place [in public deliberations, see
Rashi there], nor sit in his place"---and so too in Shulchon Oruch
, Yoreh De'oh 240, 2.
27 If they are too weak to
walk by themselves. Rashi here quotes from Kiddushin 31b.
28
I.e., as though it does not exist.
29 Sifra Kedoshim, par.
1, 12.
30 Shemos 20, 2.
31 You may not make them for yourselves nor have others
make them for you; "you must not have"---they must not come into your
possession in any way.
32 I.e., the time indicated in verse
6.
33 And there is no need for such repetition.
34
Vayikro 7, 16 above. There the time of eating is fixed as two days and
the night in between.
35 Regarding the slaughtering,
meaning, as the next verse explains, that the intention of the person
slaughtering the sacrifice must be that the flesh be eaten within the
proper time, and any thought of eating it beyond that time
invalidates the sacrifice.
36 "Appeasement."
37
That is, idly slaughtering the animal without any thought.
38
Zevochim 47a, Chullin 13b.
39 Vayikro 7, 18 above.
40 As for example
eating festival offerings outside Jerusalem, which is forbidden.
41
Dying in his fifties without surviving offspring.
42
Literally, "its."
43 Vayikro 7, 18 above.
44
That is, one who slaughters it with the intention of eating it outside
its proper place is not liable to koreis (dying at age fifty to
sixty without offspring), though one who slaughters with the intention
to eat the resulting sacrificial flesh beyond its proper time does
become liable to that penalty (Zevochim 28a).
45
Yeshayoh 65, 4.
46 "Left overs," sacrificial flesh which
has not been completely consumed in the prescribed time, and which must
be burnt.
47 Dying in one's fifties without offspring.
48
Kerisos 5a. Verse 6 deals with the prohibition of slaughtering with the
intent to eat the flesh beyond its time, and verse 7 deals with the
prohibition of slaughtering with intent to eat the flesh outside its
proper place, which, as Rashi noted in his comments to that verse, is
not punished with {Hebrew Ref} . The question then arises as to what
our verse, verse 8 refers? It cannot refer back to the immediately
preceding verse, since the prohibition of "outside its place" is not
punished with {Hebrew Ref} . Rashi explains that it refers to eating
absolute {Hebrew Ref} , and we learn that from a {Hebrew Ref} .
The word {Hebrew Ref} , "holy thing" is mentioned here and in
Shemos 29, 34: "You must burn the leftovers in fire; it must not be
eaten for it is sacred ( {Hebrew Ref} )." Just as {Hebrew Ref} there
refers to {Hebrew Ref} , so too here.
49 See Sifra
Kedoshim, per. 1, 9. Rashi wishes to emphasize that the word "corner"
here defines the mitzvoh, for without that word, we might have
thought that the farmer fulfills the mitzvah as long as he does not
completely reap his field, that is, that he leaves some part of it
for the poor. The word "corner" here indicates that this is not
enough, and he must actually leave a corner for the poor, so that they
will know where to look for their due share (L.B.).
50
Mishnah Peah 6, 5; Sanhedrin 99a.
51 An "arm" refers to grapes which lie one upon the
other in a cluster on a stem which grows out of the central stalk.
52 "Drippings" are grapes which hang directly from the
central stem.
53 Otherwise, why the title "Judge"? Even
without acting as Judge, G-d can restore the lost income to the poor.
Thus Rashi explains that G-d will not only compensate the poor but also
punish the guilty farmer (L.B.).
54 Mishlei 22, 23.
55
And so, since stealing objects does not warrant the death penalty,
the {Hebrew Ref} there, must refer to kidnapping and not
burglary. "You must not steal" is the Eighth Commandment of the Ten,
following "you shall not murder" and "you shall not commit
adultery," and the rule that a verse is interpreted according to its
context is the twelfth rule ( {Hebrew Ref} ) of R. Yishmo'el.
56 Vayikro 5, 22, referring to a denial of a claim
regarding objects stored with him, or lost objects which he has found,
etc.
57 Bringing a guilt-offering as described in chapter 5
above, and paying both the principal---the worth of the object
wrongfully taken---and an additional fifth.
58 Since
punishment cannot be exacted unless the violator has been warned, there
must be a verse giving the warning as well as one setting out the
punishment.
59 And so the prohibition is here.
60
Vayikro 5, 22. This refers to a false oath regarding something which
came into his possession illegally, while "you must not deny [a
rightful claim]" refers to swearing falsely regarding an object which
came into his possession legally (L.B.).
61 Vayikro 5, 24
above.
62 The last prohibition is in the next verse.
63
And that is why these prohibitions are linked by "and" (K.A.).
64 Shemos 20, 7.
65 The one who swears falsely.
66 That is, the Name that is properly applied only to Me.
The noun {Hebrew Ref} can be either holy or profane, depending on
whether it is applied to G-d or to idols; the Shem Havayo, the
four-letter Name, can only refer to Him.
67 Such as {Hebrew Ref} , "the Merciful," etc.
68 Sifra Kedoshim, par. 2,
6. And "My Name" is thus explained in the second half of the verse,
"profaning the Name of your G-d---I am Ad-noy," thus indicating the
Unique Name; "My Name" in the first half of the verse must therefore
include the Attributes (L.B. in the name of the Rosh on Shevu'os 36a).
69 Literally, "you shall not oppress your fellow[-Jew]."
70 Bovo Metzi'oh 61a. This is made clear by the context
(L.B.).
71 Which is also feminine. The verb {Hebrew Ref}
may be understood in four ways: either as a second person masculine or
third person singular feminine, both kal, with the meaning of
"remaining overnight," or as a second person masculine or third
person singular feminine, both hif'il, with the meaning of
"causing to remain overnight." Ordinarily, we might expect Rashi to
choose a second person masculine, since the rest of the verse and
surrounding verses as well use that form: "you shall not." Because of
the context, this case would require a hif'il, and the meaning
of the phrase would then be "you shall not withhold the wages...."
However, that would require the word es, which marks direct
action, and so Rashi opted to interpret the verb as a kal third
person feminine, referring to the singular feminine noun {Hebrew Ref}
(M.).
72 Literally, "whose going out is from [the time]
the sun sets."
73 Devorim 24, 14.
74 I.e., the employer.
75 Either a day or a night.
76 Bovo Metzi'o 110b.
Literally, "to search for the necessary coins," since banks and
coinage (i.e., money-changers) were not readily available.
77
That one should not curse any person.
78 Shemos 22, 27; the
phrase is taken slightly out of context for midrashic purposes.
79
Sifra Kedoshim, par. 2, 13. There is nevertheless a cherem
against speaking ill of the dead.
80 That is, you are
"setting him up" in order to benefit from the advice you give him
even though it is not in his best interest; Sifra Kedoshim, par. 2, 14.
81 Since a human court cannot judge you on your intent.
82 Devorim 25, 16. Since he is called an "abomination,"
he is also detestable, as the next verse cited proves.
83
Devorim 7, 26, referring to idols.
84 And not have to go
begging; Sifra Kedoshim, per. 4, 2.
85 Shevuos 30a. It might be thought that {Hebrew Ref} ,
which means "justice," would indicate judging your fellow-Jew
severely, without taking any mitigating circumstances into account.
However, our Rabbis understood that "in justice" can also mean
"charitably," just as the word {Hebrew Ref} , which originally
meant "justice," came to refer to "charity." True justice involves
charity, but it requires a fine sense of judgement to combine the two.
86 Or: street.
87 "Spying."
88 In
our verse.
89 Yirmiyohu 6, 28.
90 Tehillim 101, 5.
91 Tehillim 120, 2.
92 Tehillim 12, 4.
93 In the mouth or throat.
94 Shmuel II, 19, 28.
95 And thus "to spy" and
"to slander" are closely related.
96 Tehillim 15, 3.
97 To buy, in order to sell it later.
98 Women used
to hang a vial of perfume around their necks.
99 Out
merchandise.
100 On our verse.
101 Doniel 3, 8.
All these have the meaning of "slander."
102 In the
Aramaic of the Talmud, in Berochos 58a.
103 Which means,
literally, "they ate a snack."
104 The words of the
report.
105 Mishlei 6, 13.
106 Sanhedrin 73a.
107
Punishment. Here Rashi does not state: "a Judge Who will punish,"
because the Tetragrammaton, which represents G-d's Attribute of Mercy,
appears here, while above (in verse 10), the Name is joined with {Hebrew Ref} , which represents the Attribute of Justice. In this mode,
even the punishment He exacts is not as a Judge (L.B.).
108
Sifra Kedoshim, per. 4, 8. Even though I have instructed you to reprove
him when necessary, it should be done in private and in a way which is
not embarrassing to him (L.B.).
109 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 4, 11; Yoma 23a.
110
Fundamental.
111 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 3, 12. As Hillel said,
"what is hateful to you, do not do the your fellow"---just as you
judge yourself charitably, so too judge your friend; perhaps he had a
good reason for not lending his axe to you (L.B.).
112
Literally, "for the matter."
113 Since the same prohibition appears in Devorim 22, 21.
114 Devorim 22, 21.
115 Our verse specifies that
the prohibition refers to garments, and not merely tufts of wool and
stalks of flax loosely held together.
116 Which is one step
closer to being made into material than tufts of wool and stalks of
flax loosely held together; the felt has been pressed.
117
The word " {Hebrew Ref} " is thus a compounded word made up of the
elements {Hebrew Ref} , {Hebrew Ref} and {Hebrew Ref} ,
referring to the three operations needed to convert flax into usable
fiber for weaving after it has been washed and dyed. First, the flax is
pressed and combed to clean and straighten it ( {Hebrew Ref} ), then
the fine fibers are twisted and woven to make stronger threads, after
which these threads are again twisted and woven to make them strong
enough to use for weaving (Bartinoro, L.B.). (However, the {Hebrew Ref} that Rashi cites here is problematic in terms of Halochoh, since
most Rishonim, among them the Ramban, hold that felt is not prohibited
by Torah law, but rather by Rabbinic decree, though the Rambam holds
that it is indeed {Hebrew Ref} (see Hilchos Kila'yim 10:2), and
the Mechabber follows him in Shulchan Oruch Yoreh
De'oh 300:1 (see B.Y.). The Ramban interprets the {Hebrew Ref} ,
which appears in Sifra, as using felt as an example of a material which
is not quite cloth, and so does not fully fall under the category of
"garment," but not that felt is actually forbidden by Torah law.
Accepting this interpretation, M. suggests that Rashi also understood
the {Hebrew Ref} in this way. So interpreted, the {Hebrew Ref}
quoted here agrees with the view of most Rishonim).
118 See
Moed Koton 12a, where Abaye asks R. Yosef how R. Yehuda could permit
plucking sesame seeds on Chol Hamoed, since they have no
immediate use. R. Yosef answered that the dried seeds could be used to
make oil. Rashi here quotes this phrase from the Talmud to explain the
meaning of {Hebrew Ref} , which is related to a word meaning
"withered," referring to the seeds used for oil; however, dried and
withered seeds hardly produce much oil ! D.H. suggests that
"withered" refers to the condition of the seeds after their oil has
been pressed out.
119 That is, its plain meaning is as the verse in Devorim
22, 21 has it, even though the Sages interpreted it midrashically
as referring to different types of weaving and twining.
120
Non-Jewish; the verse does not refer to a Jewish maid-servant, who is
always termed an {Hebrew Ref} .
121 I.e.,
half-slave. She has not yet managed to buy her freedom, and so is still
half-slave.
122 See Rashi on Shemos 21, 4.
123
Ordinarily, the double use of the verb indicates intensity
---"she is certainly not redeemed." However, Rashi here, following R.
Akiva in Kerisos 11a, divides it into two phrases: "redeemed, she is
not redeemed," meaning that she is half-redeemed and half-slave.
However, here the entire phrase is unnecessary, since the verse states
clearly that she is a maid-servant; why go on to say that she is
certainly not redeemed? That is obvious. Therefore, the phrase is
interpreted as Rashi gives it (M.L., following the view of R. Eleazar
ben Azariyo in Kerisos 11a).
124 See Kerisos 11a; the Talmud
there explains the word bikores as "punishment," and it would
seem that Rashi here follows that analysis. According to verses 21--22,
he must bring a guilt-offering for atonement; if so, the lashes called
for here must refer to her and not him.
125 So long as she has not been freed. When she obtains
her freedom, either by redeeming herself or being freed by her master,
she may become a convert by immersing in a mikveh for that
purpose. Upon becoming a hand-maid, she had immersed for the purpose of
accepting her servitude, and for accepting the mitzvos to which
women are bound, except that she is not considered Jewish for purposes
of marriage; with her freedom and further immersion, she becomes Jewish
in all respects (L.B.).
126 In Kerisos 11a.
127
Devorim 28, 58--59.
128 The sentence in parentheses does not
appear in the first printing of Rashi's commentary.
129 For
committing adultery with a married woman.
130 As explained
above; see Sifra Kedoshim, per. 5, 5.
131 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 5, 7. This apparently unnecessary
phrase comes to teach us something we might not know otherwise.
Usually, the punishment of lashes implies that the sin was committed
intentionally, but the bringing of a guilt-offering implies an
unintentional sin, since nearly all sin- and guilt-offerings come to
atone for unwitting violations. The redundant phrase comes to teach us
that this guilt-offering is different in that it must be brought
even if the man sinned with the maid intentionally. On the other hand,
if she sinned unintentionally, she does not receive lashes
(L.B.).
132 I.e., when does this three-year period begin?
133 Literally, "it shall be in its being"---its state of
being forbidden, even if it is stored for three years.
134
Vayikro 27, 30 below.
135 Literally, "with redemption." The second tithe
("tenth") is taken from the crops after the {Hebrew Ref} is
given to the priest and the first tithe to the Levite, the owner
separates a tenth of the remainder for himself, either to be brought up
and eaten in Jerusalem, or to be redeemed for money, by adding a fifth
to its value. He then takes the money up to Jerusalem and buys food
which had to be eaten within the walls of Jerusalem. These laws apply
to all the years of the {Hebrew Ref} period, except for the fourth
and sixth years, when a tithe is separated for the poor, and the
seventh year, of course, when it is {Hebrew Ref} .
136
See Berochos 35a.
137 Literally, "for its reward."
138
Literally, "speaks in regard to."
139 Sifra Kedoshim,
par. 3, 9. So that a person will realize that he will gain more than he
has lost.
140 Literally, "on the blood."
141 Which serves to permit the flesh to be eaten.
142
That is, not holy flesh, but ordinary meat.
143
Sanhedrin 63b.
144 They take these sounds as indicating
future events. Sifra Kedoshim, per. 6, 2.
145 And this is
considered "ominous," significant for forecasting the future.
146
Sanhedrin 65b.
147 Sanhedrin 65b.
148 That
is, he shaves the "excess" hair and in so doing destroys his
sideburns.
149 The "hairline."
150 And it is
only the hair at his temples (just over the "sideburns") and the back
of his head which prevent the hairline from forming an uninterrupted
circular line going round his skull.
151 Makkos 20a.
152 I.e., the temples.
153
Thus making four on the two sides.
154 Shevu'os 3a.
155 Literally, "when a dead person dies for them."
156
As opposed a mark made in ink on the skin, which can be washed off.
157 Bemidbar 25, 4.
158 Shmuel II, 21, 6.
159
Pierced, dug in.
160 Sanhedrin 76a. That is, who gives her over to a man
without insuring that she is properly married.
161 Yirmiyohu
3, 2--3; Tosefta Kiddushin 1.
162 Berochos 54a, Yevomos 6b.
163 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 7, 7.
164 He pretends to
"raise the dead" and cause them to speak of future events.
165 Through the oracle's ventriloquism. Sifra Kedoshim,
per. 7, 10.
166 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 7, 11.
167
One knowledgable in Torah; Kiddushin 32b.
168 So as not to
rise up before him.
169 Literally, "heart."
170 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 7, 14.
171 Bovo
Metzi'o 59b.
172 Literally, "which is in you." See Sifra
Kedoshim, per. 8, 4.
173 You both worship the same G-d and
so you should treat him as you do Jews from birth.
174 Verse 15 above.
175 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 8,
5.
176 Length, breadth and area.
177 Bovo Metzi'o
61b.
178 About 33 dry quarts.
179 About
six-and-a-half quarts.
180 Of acting justly and fairly.
181 Literally,
"a drop of semen of the firstborn"---that would engender a firstborn
son, who deserved to be killed during the Tenth Plague.
182
Literally, "and a drop [of semen] which was not of the
firstborn"---that did not engender a firstborn son.
183
Bovo Metzi'o 61b. The salt makes the weight heavier, and the merchant
overcharges his customers (Rashi in Bovo Metzi'o).
Chapter 20 - Text Notes
184 That
is, the prohibitions which have been given above in chapter 18; now it
is time to spell out what punishments lay in store for the one who
violates them. According to B.B., it is in this way that Rashi explains
the use of the vov in the first word of our verse, {Hebrew Ref} ,
"and to [Bnei Yisroel say]" as indicating that in addition to the
prohibitions above, this chapter spells out the punishments. However,
the punishments listed here are those meted out by a court; the
punishment of {Hebrew Ref} , being "cut off" without children, is
prescribed a the end of Acharei Mos, in 18, 19 above. This punishment
is repeated four times in our chapter (20), and Rashi explains some of
the reasons for these repetitions; see his comments on verses 20 and
21, and the notes thereto. The repetitions in verses 17 and 18 are
accounted for in Yevomos 55a.
185 Sifra Kedoshim, par. 10, 4.
186 Ibid.
187 Literally, "My Face," {Hebrew Ref} , which Rashi
interprets as related to {Hebrew Ref} , "free time," in a "play
on words" ( {Hebrew Ref} ). However, Rashi does not
mean to connect the two words and imply that they are equivalent
(G.A.).
188 Literally, "activities."
189 To
punish him. Sifra Kedoshim, par. 10, 5.
190 Ibid. That is,
even if the entire congregation has sinned in this manner, they are not
punished with koreis (N.Y.).
191 Devorim 18, 10.
192 In our verse, and because of this additional verse (aside
from Devorim 18, 10), his grandchildren are included in the prohibition
(M.).
193 Offspring of a forbidden marriage, who are not
considered his offspring in the same way that his legitimate
grandchildren are; this additional stipulation requires another
inclusionary phrase, which is supplied in the next verse (M.).
194
In the next verse; Sifra Kedoshim, par. 10, 7, Sanhedrin 64b.
195 Vayikro 21, 23 below. The word "Sanctuary" here refers not
to the Mishkan or the Temple, but to the people of Israel, who are
defiled by this sin, even if done by an individual. This is because
otherwise it is difficult to understand why this sin would defile the
{Hebrew Ref} , which ordinarily is defiled only by impurity
which is brought within its precincts (B.B., D.H.).
196 Once
they fail to exercise vigilance in the matter of Molech, this
will gradually cause negligence in other areas.
197 Of
twenty-three members, this Sanhedrin met in every town in Israel.
198 Of seventy members, which met in Jerusalem.
199
Sifra Kedoshim, par. 10, 9--11. Rashi wishes to point out that if "the
people of the land" do not give up the sinners, and each family
protects its own, in the end the Great Court will have to take up the
case of a tribe or a city of idolators---and they too will be helpless
to deal with the problem in the ordinary way; instead, they will have
to resort to extraordinary measures. Uprooting evil is a communal
responsibility (M.L.).
200 Who oppressed the people in the name of the Roman
government. Tax farmers would contract with the government to collect
taxes in a certain amount; anything above this amount was profit. This
system was open to great abuse and led to oppressive and brutal
extortion of the populace by these "farmers." They came to represent
the essence of evil-doing.
201 Sifra Kedoshim par 10, 12,
Shevu'os 32a.
202 Since {Hebrew Ref} was already
prescribed for him in verse 3, and moreover, this verse speaks of the
punishment meted out to his family and not him (L.B.).
203
For covering his misdeeds and collaborating with him; Sifra Kedoshim,
par. 10, 14.
204 Sifra Kedoshim, par. 10, 15; Sanhedrin 64a.
The rule is that one is not liable to {Hebrew Ref} if one worships
an idol in a manner which is unusual for it; for in that case, the
penalty is lashes, unless the idolatrous worship is similar to one
which one performs in the Temple (in particular the four services of
offering sacrifices, incense, drink-offerings and prostration). This
inclusion adds another type of worship to the first category; if one
passes his child through the fires for an idol other than Molech,
he is still liable to {Hebrew Ref} , even though that idol
worship does not ordinarily include Molech-type services (M.,
see Ramban).
205 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 9, 2.
206
Which occurs in roughly the same words at the beginning of the verse.
207 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 9, 10, Sanhedrin 85b.
208
Verse 27 below; see Sifra Kedoshim, per. 9, 7, Kerisos 5a.
209
Yehoshua 2, 19.
210 In other words, the plain sense of the
expression, "his blood is on him" is that "his blood is on his
shoulders," he caused his own blood to be shed, rather than specifying
the way in which he is to be executed. Nevertheless, the
midrashic interpretation is necessary even to understand the plain
meaning of this verse; since if indeed the expression refers only to
his own responsibility in this, why single out these few transgressions
as being his own responsibility; aren't all sins due to a person's free
will? Thus, the phrase refers both to his responsi-
bility for his own death and the means in which the death
penalty is carried out (M.L.).
211 According to Jewish law;
see Sifra Kedoshim, per. 9, 11, Sanhedrin 52b. This is not to say that
a Jew who has relations with a non-Jewish woman, married or not, is not
guilty of a sin, but only that there is no death penalty involved;
instead he receives lashes. Moreover, in certain circumstances he may
be killed for his action in any case; see Mishnah Sanhedrin 9, 6.
212 I.e., whether stoning, "burning" (which is not "burning
at the stake" which involves prolonged agony, and is against Jewish
law), strangulation, or beheading by the sword.
213 Not
hanging, as in done by non-Jews, but by having two cloths wrapped
around his neck, and being strangled from both sides simultaneously
(Sanhedrin 52b).
Morever, before execution, the prisoner was drugged (Sanhedrin
43a). It should be borne in mind that the death penalty was hardly ever
carried out; "a court which sentences a person to death [as often as]
once in seventy years is called an injurious court" (Makkos 7b).
214 That is, the word {Hebrew Ref} comes from the root
bolal, "to mix," since the child's father is also his
grandfather.
215 Thus explaining the plural "manners
" (literally, "lyings"). In ancient times a woman's make-up came in
a tube, and the tip of a "painting stick" was inserted into the tube
in order to apply the make-up (L.B.).
216 Both of whom are forbidden to him.
217 That
is, he married a woman legally, and then her mother illegally, but the
phrase "a woman and her mother" does not refer to two illegal
marriages.
218 Since only one of them is forbidden to him,
according to this opinion.
219 That is, the word {Hebrew Ref} is interpreted as two words, {Hebrew Ref} and {Hebrew Ref} ,
with {Hebrew Ref} meaning "one," hence "one of them" is
forbidden, though the other is not.
220 Sanhedrin 76b. The
entire comment on this verse does not appear in the first printing of
Rashi's commentary.
221 How much more than the animal, which
cannot distinguish between good and evil, and yet is punished, should a
human who causes others to sin be punished!
222 Devorim 12,
2.
223 The way of Torah.
224 Sifra Kedoshim, per.
10, 5--6.
225 And so such an action should be permitted.
226 Tehillim 89,3; see Sifra Kedoshim, per. 11, 11, Sanhedrin
58b. In order to allow humankind to increase, G-d permitted Cain to
marry the twin sister who was born with him, an act which would
otherwise be considered shameful. Therefore, nothing more can be
learned from this precedent (L.B.).
227 Literally, "descends."
228 "Trembling."
229 Esther 5, 9.
230 "Brotherhood."
231
"Brother."
232 Of the membrum.
233 Literally,
"crown"---of the membrum. The dispute appears in Yevomos 55b.
234
Although it has already appeared above, at 18, 12--13. Now, while
Rashi already explained that these prohibitions are repeated here in
order to set forth the exact punishment exacted by a court, there is
still the question of why this verse uses the expression "you shall
not uncover," which does not appear elsewhere in this chapter. That
repetition, thus, touches on the exact limits of the prohibition,
as Rashi explains.
235 Of the same father as his
father, as when his grandfather had two wives; with one wife he had his
father, with the other his father's sister, his paternal aunt.
236
That is, if his aunt shares a father with his father even
though they have different mothers, as when his grandfather had two
wives.
237 As when either his father or mother shared a
mother with their sister, but not a father; his paternal grandmother
was married twice, with one husband she had his father, with the other,
his father's sister, his paternal aunt, or when his maternal
grandmother was married twice, having his mother with one husband and
his mother's sister, his maternal aunt, with the other.
238
His paternal uncle's wife.
239 See Yevomos 54b. This is
in regard to Torah law; rabbinically, the mother's side is also
forbidden (S.Z., E.H.).
240 In 18, 29.
241 For in 18, 29 the verse
states: "For all who do any of these abominations, their souls will be
cut off," but nothing is said of their children; the penalty of
koreis is repeated here to include that specification (G.A.).
242 Bereishis 15, 2.
243 Verses 20--21.
244
In our verse.
245 In the next verse. Since 18, 29 above
prescribes {Hebrew Ref} for all the sexual crimes listed there, why
repeat the penalty here and in two other cases? Rashi thus explains,
according to the interpretation of Rabbah in Yevomos 55a, that the two
phrases, {Hebrew Ref} (in our verse) and {Hebrew Ref} (in the next verse) are to be understood as Rashi explains.
246 Literally, "be."
247 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 11,
7; Yevomos 55a.
248 See Rashi on 15, 19 above.
249 Yevomos 54a.
250 Bereishis 27, 46.
251 Sifra Kedoshim, per.
11, 16.
252 That is, "for you," that distinction which depends
on your actions, as Rashi proceeds to explain (M., G.A.).
253
The windpipe and gullet.
254 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 11, 19.
255 But not to cause ritual impurity, which an animal
incorrectly slaughtered (a {Hebrew Ref} ) causes. The reason is that
this verse is essentially a reprise of 11, 47, regarding which Rashi
made a similar comment: "Does one need to pronounce on the difference
between a donkey and a cow---are they not already explicit? Rather,
[this refers] to [the difference] between that which is unclean to you
and that which is clean to you---between [an animal] whose wind-pipe
has only been cut through half-way and [one] the greater part of [whose
wind-pipe] has been cut through." However, here the emphasis is on the
prohibition of eating, while there, the emphasis is on the uncleanness
a {Hebrew Ref} causes (G.A.).
256 L.B. wonders why Nebuchadnezzar has been singled out
for mention, when the clear intent is to emphasize that the Jews are
not counted as one of the nations. He suggests that Nebuchadnezzar is
mentioned in this context because of his animal-like nature, as
explained in Doniel 4, where he is condemned to spend seven years with
the beasts of the field.
257 Sifra Kedoshim, per. 11, 22.
258 In 20, 6.
259 Before
committing the sin he has been told that what he intends to do is
forbidden and that the penalty is death by stoning.
Return to Main Search Form
Sources