Vayikro
Book 3: Leviticus
KEDOSHIM - RASHI COMMENTARY
Chapter 19 - Rashi
Verse 2: Speak to the entire congregation
[of] Bnei Yisroel.
[This] teaches that this parashoh was said
during an assembly,1
since most essentials of the Torah2 are dependent3 on it.
4
You shall be holy.
Separate yourselves from sexual crimes,5
and from transgression,
for wherever you find a fence6 against sexual crime,
you find holiness [mentioned]:
"A harlot7 or a profaned woman8 [they shall not marry]...
for I, Ad-noy, am Holy, [the One] Who makes you holy,"9
"He shall not profane his offspring [among his people],
for I am Ad-noy, [the One] Who makes him holy,"10
"They shall be holy...
a harlot or a profaned woman [they shall not marry]."11
Verse 3: A man---you shall fear his mother and father.
Each one of you shall fear his father and mother,12
this is the plain meaning.
And its midrashic interpretation:
I [know this] of a man,
where [do I know this of] a woman?
When it says: "You shall fear,"13 two are [implied].
If so, why is "man" mentioned?
For it is in a man's power to do,14
but a woman is under the control of others.15
You shall fear his mother and father.16
Here [G-d] placed the mother before the father,17
because it is known to18 Him19
that a son fears his father more than his mother,
[while] in regard to honor20
He placed the father before the mother,
since it is known to21 Him
that a son honors his mother more than his father,
because she wins him over with words.22
And keep My Sabbaths.
Keeping the Sabbath is placed adjacent
to the fear of [your] father [in order] to tell [you]:
Even though I warned you
regarding the fear of [one's] father,
if he should say to you: "Violate the Sabbath,"
you must not listen to him---
and so in regard to all the other mitzvos.23
I am Ad-noy your G-d.
You and your father are obligated [to] honor Me,24
therefore you must not listen to him
[when he tells you] to violate My words.
What is fear?25
He may not sit in his place, nor speak in his place,26
nor contradict his words.
And what is honor?
He provides food and drink,
clothes and shoes,
helps them go out and helps them come in.27
Verse 4: Do not turn to the idols
to worship them.
[The word] "idols" is an expression of {Hebrew Ref} , "not,"
It is considered as though it were not.28
And molten gods.
First they are [called] idols,
[but] when you turn to follow them,
in the end you will make them gods.29
Do not make for yourselves.
Do not make [molten gods] for others,
nor may [others] make [them] for you.
And if you say [the verse means]:
Do not make [them] for yourselves,
but others may make [them] for you,
behold, it was already said: "You must not have"30---
not of your own nor of others.31
Verse 5: When you slaughter.
This parashoh was said only to teach
that they should be slaughtered
only with the intention that they be eaten
during this time;32
for if [it comes] to set a time of eating for them,
it was already said:33
"If he made either a vow or a voluntary offering, etc."34
You shall slaughter it to be acceptable for you.
From the very beginning, his slaughtering should be
for the purpose of giving [Me] satisfaction,
that it should be favorable for you,
so that if you think
any invalidating thought regarding it,35
it will not be considered favorable for you before Me.
to be acceptable for you.
Apayement [in Old French],36
that is according to its plain meaning.
And our Rabbis learned from here
that if one handles holy offerings [without thought]37
it is invalid,
for he must have the intention to slaughter.38
Verse 6: On the day it is slaughtered it may be eaten,
when you slaughter it,
you should slaughter it for the purpose of eating it
in this time that I already set for you.
Verse 7: And if it should be eaten, etc.
If this does not refer to [the prohibition] of
[eating] it beyond its [proper] time,
since that was already stated:
"if any of the flesh of the peace-offering is eaten,39 etc."---
let it be in reference to [the prohibition] of
[eating the sacrificial flesh] outside its [proper] place.40
Perhaps they should be liable to koreis41 for42 eating?
The verse says:
"And anyone who eats from it
shall bear the burden of iniquity"43
"from it"---and not from a related [prohibition];
[this] excludes [a sacrifice] slaughtered with the intention
[of eating it] outside its [proper] place.44
An abomination.
Abominable, as in [the verse]:
"And broth of abominable things is in their vessels."45
Verse 8: Whoever eats from it shall bear his iniquity.
The verse speaks of absolute {Hebrew Ref} ,46
and he is not punished with {Hebrew Ref} 47 for [a
sacrifice]
which has been slaughtered outside its [proper] place,
for the verse already excluded it;
this [therefore] speaks of absolute {Hebrew Ref} ,
and in Maseches Kerisos [our Rabbis] derived it
from a {Hebrew Ref} .48
Verse 9: You shall not completely reap
a corner of your field,
that one should leave a corner at the end of his field.49
Gleanings of your harvest,
sheaves which fall down during harvesting.
One or two [of them constitute gleanings],
but three are not [considered] "gleanings."50
Verse 10: You shall not glean,
you must not take [the] gleanings that are in it,
and they are recognizable.
What are "gleanings"?
Whatever [clusters] have no "arms" 51 or "drippings."52
Fallen grapes of your vineyard,
[the single] berries of the grapes which fall [to the ground]
during the [grape-]gathering.
I am Ad-noy, your G-d,
a Judge Who punishes [wrongdoers],
and [for this sin] I exact from you,53
nothing less than [your] souls
as it is said: "Do not rob the poor, etc.,
for G-d will plead their cause, etc."54
Verse 11: You shall not steal.
[This is] a prohibition against one who steals money,
but [the prohibition] of "you shall not steal"
in the Ten Commandments
is a prohibition against one who kidnaps people.
This matter is deduced from its context---
a matter for which he is liable
to a court-exacted death penalty
[as are the preceding Commandments].55
You shall not deny [a rightful claim].
Because it is said, "and denies it"56
[and] he pays the principal plus a fifth,
we have learned [the] punishment,57
from where [do we derive] the prohibition?58
The verse says: "You must not deny [a rightful claim]."59
And each one of you shall not lie.
Since it is said, "and swears falsely,"60
"he shall pay its price and an additional fifth,"61
we have learned [the] punishment,
from where [do we derive] the prohibition?
The verse says: "And you shall not lie."
You shall not steal and you shall not deny
and each one of you shall not lie to each other
and you shall not swear [falsely].62
If you steal, in the end you will deny,
in the end you will lie, in the end you will swear falsely.63
Verse 12: You shall not swear [falsely] by My Name.
Why is this said?
Since it was said:
"Do not take the Name of Ad-noy, your G-d, in vain,"64
perhaps he65 will be liable
only for [swearing] with the Unique Name,66
from where do we include all the Attributes?67
The verse says:
"You shall not swear falsely by My Name---
[by] whatever Name I have.68
Verse 13: You shall not withhold wages69
This refers to one
who withholds the wages of a hired hand.70
Shall not remain overnight.
[This verb] is feminine, referring to [the word] {Hebrew Ref}
["wages, accomplishment"].71
Until morning.
The verse speaks of a day-laborer,
who leaves [work] when the sun sets.72
Therefore, the time of collecting his wages is all night.
And in another place it states:
"and the sun shall not set on him."73
[This verse] speaks of a night-laborer,
the end of [whose] work [time] is at dawn,
[and] therefore the time of collecting his wages is all day.
Because the Torah gave the owner74---
a half-day period75---to obtain the necessary cash.76
Verse 14: You shall not curse a deaf person.
I [know this of] a deaf person,
from where [do I know to] include everyone?77
The verse says: "Do not curse among your people."78
If so, why is "a deaf person" mentioned?
Just as a deaf person is special in that he is alive,
so too anyone who is alive---
excluding the dead, who are not alive.79
And before a blind person
you shall not place a stumbling block.
Before someone blind in the matter [at hand]
you shall not give advice which is unsuitable for him;
do not say: "Sell your field and buy a donkey,"
[while] you maneuver against him
and take it from him.80
You shall fear your G-d,
since this matter is not given over to people [to decide],
to know if [the] intention of this one was for good or evil,
and he can evade [the charge of evil intent] by saying:
"My intent was for the best,"
therefore it is said about it:
"you shall fear your G-d"---
the One Who discerns your thoughts.
Similarly every matter
which is given over to the heart of the person
who does it,
[while] other people cannot discern [his real intent],
it is said: "you shall fear your G-d."81
Verse 15: You shall not commit injustice in judgement.
[This] teaches that the judge who corrupts a case
is called an unjust person, hateful and detestable,
doomed to destruction and an abomination.
For the unjust person is called an abomination,
as it is said:
"for abomination to G-d...is anyone who does injustice."82
And an abomination is called accursed and detestable,
as it is said:
"and you shall not bring an abomination into your house
[to] become doomed to destruction like it;
you shall consider it detestable," etc.83
You shall not favor a poor man,
that you must not think, "This one is a poor man,
and the rich man is required to support him;
I will rule in his favor in [this] law suit,
with the result that he be supported
in a respectable way."84
You shall not show honor to a powerful man,
that you must not think, "This one is rich,
he is from a prominent family, how can I embarrass him
and behold him in his humiliation?
This [humilation] is worthy of punishment!"
Therefore it says:
"And you shall not show honor to a powerful man."
With righteousness shall you judge your fellow,
according to its plain meaning.
Another interpretation:
Judge your fellow favorably.85
Verse 16: Do not be a tale-bearer.
I say that [that the word {Hebrew Ref} refers to tale-bearing]
because all those who cause arguments and speak slander
go to their friends' houses to spy what evil they can see,
or whatever evil they can hear,
[in order] to tell it in the marketplace,86
[thus] they are called
"those who go around tale-bearing"---
those who go around spying,
espiement87 in Old French.
[As] proof for my words,
[is the fact] that we do not find [the term] {Hebrew Ref}
written without and expression of "going":
"you shall not go {Hebrew Ref} ,"88
"those who go {Hebrew Ref} , they are brass and iron,"89
while [regarding] other [cases] of slander it is not written
[an expression of]
"going."
[Thus,] "who in secret slanders his neighbor,"90
"a false tongue,"91
"a tongue that speaks arrogantly."92
Therefore I say that the expression [ {Hebrew Ref} ]
[means] "going about and spying,"
since the kof interchanges with the gimmel,
for all letters whose source is one place93
interchange one with the other:
beis with peih, gimmel with kof and kuf
,
nun with lammed, and zayin with tzaddi,
and so "He spied against your servant,"94
[meaning:] "he spied me out shrewdly
in order to speak evil against me,"95
and so [too] "that has no slander on his tongue."96
Again, [the word] {Hebrew Ref} ,
"a peddler," who travels and spies out merchandise,97
and so [too] one who sells spices
[to women] with which to adorn themselves,98
because he constantly goes around villages---
is called a {Hebrew Ref} , denoting a {Hebrew Ref} , ["one who
spies."99]
And its Targum:100 {Hebrew Ref} ,
as: {Hebrew Ref} ("who slandered the Jews,"
101)
{Hebrew Ref} ("he slandered him to the king,"102
)
It seems to me [in relation to this Aramaic expression]103
that their custom was to eat
in the house of one who accepted their reports
a little snack,
and that [constituted] the final confirmation
that his report was well-founded,
and he considers them104 as true.
That little snack is called {Hebrew Ref}
an expression of "he winks with his eyes,"105
for it is the way of all those who slander
to wink with their eyes
and to hint at their slanderous reports,
that the other listeners should not understand.
You shall not stand idly by
[when] the blood (life) of your fellow [is in danger].
to behold his death
[when] you are able to save him,
as for example one drowning in a river,
or if a wild beast or robber attack him.106
I am Ad-noy, etc.,
faithful to reward
and faithful to exact payment.107
Verse 17: You shall not bear a sin on his account,
do not shame him in public.108
Verse 18: You shall not take revenge.
He said to him: "Lend me your scythe."
"No!" says [the other].
The next day [the second one] says [to the first]:
"Lend me your axe."
[The latter] says: "I will not lend it to you,
just as you did not lend it to me"---
this is taking revenge.
And what is "bearing a grudge?"
He said to him: "Lend me your axe."
"No!" says [the other].
The next day [the second one] says [to the first]:
"Lend me your scythe."
[The latter] says: "Here it is, I am not like you,
that you did not lend me"---
that is "bearing a grudge,"
for he keeps the hatred in his heart,
even though he does not take revenge.109
You shall love your fellow[-Jew] as yourself.
Said Rabbi Akiva:
This is a great110 principle in the Torah.111
Verse 19: Keep My statutes---
and these are:
Do not cross-breed your animals
with different species, etc.
These statutes are a royal decree
without [a humanly understandable] reason for them.112
A garment which contains shaatnez
[a forbidden mixture of linen and wool].
Why is this said?113
Because it is said [in Devorim]:
"You must not wear {Hebrew Ref} , wool and linen together."114
Perhaps [this means] that he should not wear
wool-shearings and flax-stalks?
The verse says: "A garment."115
From where [do I know the prohibition applies] to felt?116
The verse [in Devorim] says: " {Hebrew Ref} "---
something that is combed, woven and twisted together.117
And I say that nuz is an expression of something rubbed [between
the fingers to make into threads]
and woven together to be joined,
tistre in Old French,
like "fit for the dried seeds (nezoy) which are in them,"118
which we interpret as an expression of "withering,"
flestre in Old French.
[The word] {Hebrew Ref} Menachem defines as a
combination of wool and flax.119
Verse 20: Designated for a [specific] man.
Designated and singled out for a man;
I know of no similar term in Tanach.
[It is] of a Canaanite120 maid-servant,
half maid-servant121 and half free woman,
who is engaged to a Hebrew slave
who is permitted [to remain with such] a maid-servant
[that] the verse speaks.122
And she has certainly not been redeemed.
[She is] redeemed and not redeemed;123
generally, redemption is by money.
Or her freedom,
by deed [of manumission].
There shall be an investigation.
She suffers [lashes] and not he;124
it is obligatory for the Court to investigate the matter
[in order] not to require her [to be put to] death,
for her freedom was not given to her,
and her marriage is not a completely valid marriage.125
And our Rabbis learned from here126
that whoever [suffers the punishment of] lashes
[is subject] to a proclamation;
the judges who have him whipped
call out to the one lashed:
"If you are not careful to fulfill
[all the words of the Torah],
Ad-noy will make your plagues noteworthy."127
[And he explained: "There shall be a {Hebrew Ref} "---
it shall be {Hebrew Ref} , ("with calling out.)"]128
For her freedom was not given to her.
Therefore, he is not liable to the death penalty for her,129
for her marriage is not considered a [valid] marriage;
thus, if she was freed,
her marriage is considered a marriage
and he is liable to the death penalty.130
Verse 22: And he will be forgiven for the sin
which he committed.
[This] includes one who sinned intentionally
as one who sinned unwittingly.131
Verse 23: You shall regard its fruit as closed off.
You shall close off its closing:
it should be closed off and blocked off
from having benefit there from.
[For] three years it shall be closed off to you.
From when does he count it?132
From the time of its planting.
Perhaps if he stored it [=the fruit],
it should be permitted after three years?
The verse says: "it shall be"---
it remains in its [original] state.133
Verse 24: All of its fruits shall be holy---
like [the] second tithe regarding which it is written:
"All tithings of the land, etc.
[are] sacred to Ad-noy."134
Just as [the] second tithe
is not eaten outside the walls of Jerusalem
except when redeemed,135
so also this,
and this matter is praise to Ad-noy,
that he carries it there to praise and glorify Heaven.136
Verse 25: So that it will increase its produce for you.
This mitzvoh that you should keep
will be in order to increase its produce,
for in reward [for the fulfillment of the mitzvoh of {Hebrew Ref} ]137
I will bless the fruits of planting for you.
Rabbi Akiva used to say:
"The Torah pays regard138 to [a person's] evil inclination,
that a person should not say:
'Behold, I have troubled myself for four years for nothing!'
Therefore, it is said: 'To increase its produce."'139
I am Ad-noy,
I am Ad-noy who promises regarding this,
and am faithful to fulfill My promise.
Verse 26: You shall not eat on the blood.140
[This] is expounded in many ways in
[Maseches] Sanhedrin:
[It is] a prohibition against one who eats of holy flesh
before the sprinkling of the blood,141
and a prohibition against one who eats [flesh]
from a common142 animal, before its soul [life] leaves it,
and many more.143
You shall not act on the basis of omens.
Such as those who look to omens,
[interpreting the cry of a] mole
and [the twittering of] birds;144
his bread falls from his mouth,145
a deer crossed his path.146
Nor act on the basis of auspicious times.
An expression of "times and hours"---
that he says: "This day is good for beginning a job,
this hour is bad for going out."147
Verse 27: Do not round the corners of your heads.
[This] refers to one who makes [the hair of] his temples
[similar] to [the hairless state] of the back of his ear
and to [the hairless state of] his forehead,148
so that the circumference of his head149
is circular all around,
[since] on the back of his ears
the roots of his hair are much higher than his temples.150
The edges of your beard.
The tip of the beard and its "borders,"151
and they are five:
two on each cheek,
above, near the head,152
where [the cheek] is broad and has two corners,153
and one at the bottom, on the chin,
the place at the joint of the two cheeks.154
Verse 28: Gashes for the dead,
such is the custom of the Amorites,
to cut [gashes] in their flesh
when one [of the family] dies.155
Tattoo marks,
a writing engraved and sunk [into the flesh]
[and] which [therefore] can never be erased,156
because he tattoos it with a needle
and it remains black forever.
Tattoo,
an expression [similar to] "and hang them,"157
and "and we will hang them."158
They stick a pole in the ground,
and hang them on it;
as a result, they were sunk in and stuck into the ground,
pourpoynt159 in Old French.
Verse 29: You shall not defile your daughter
by causing her to engage in harlotry.
[This refers] to one who hands over his single daughter
for sexual relations not for the purpose of marriage.160
Lest the land turn astray---
if you do this, the earth will cause its fruits to go astray,
to produce them in another place, and not in your land.
And so it says:
"[You have polluted your land with harlotry]...,
and therefore the showers have been withheld."161
Verse 30: You shall fear My Sanctuary.
One may not enter [the Sanctuary] with his staff,
his shoe[s], his money belt, [or] the dust on his feet.162
And even though I warn your
regarding [proper respect for] the Sanctuary,
you shall keep My Sabbaths.
The building of the Temple
does not supersede [the] Shabbos [laws].163
Verse 31: You shall not turn to mediums.
[This is] a warning to mediums and oracles.
A {Hebrew Ref} [=a medium]---
this is a magician who speaks from his armpit.164
And an {Hebrew Ref} ---one who puts the bone of an animal
whose name is Yadu'a into his mouth,
and the bone "talks."165
Do not seek [them] out,
to be occupied with them,
for if you occupy yourselves with them,
you become defiled before Me,
and I make you abominable.
I am Ad-noy your G-d.
Know Who you exchange for whom.166
Verse 32: In the presence of the elderly you shall rise.
Perhaps even an ignorant old man?
The verse says: "elder"
only one who has acquired wisdom is [called] an elder.167
You shall respect an elder.
What is respect?
One should not sit in his place,
and not contradict his words.
Perhaps he is permitted to close his eyes
as though he does not see him?168
Therefore it is said,
And you shall have fear of your G-d---
for this matter is given over to the discernment169
of the one who does [the action],
for no one but he recognizes [what is in his heart];
and in regard to everything given over to the discernment
[of the person doing the action],
it is said, "And you shall have fear of your G-d."170
Verse 33: Do not cause him anguish,
the anguish of [wounding] words.
Do not say to him: "Yesterday you were an idolator,
and now you have come to study Torah
that was given from the mouth of the Most High?171
Verse 34: For you were strangers in the land of Egypt---
do not remind your fellow of a defect which you have.172
I am Ad-noy your G-d.
I am your G-d and his G-d!173
Verse 35: You should not commit injustice
in judgement.
If [this refers to] judgement [in court],
behold, it was already said:
"You shall not commit injustice in judgement."174
What then is the "justice" repeated here?
It [refers to] land-measure, weight and volume-measure.
[This] teaches that one who measures is termed a judge,
[so] that if he acts falsely in measure,
he is as one who corrupts judgement,
and is called corrupter, hateful, detested,
doomed to destruction and abomination,
and causes five [catastrophic] matters
which are said regarding a judge [who judges unjustly]:
He defiles the land,
profanes the Name [of G-d],
causes the Shechinah to depart,
causes [the] Israel[ites] to fall by the sword,
and causes them to be exiled from their land.175
Measure,
this [refers] to land measure.176
Weight,
according to its plain meaning.
Volume,
that is liquid and dry measure.177
Verse 36: Just weights,
they are the weights
against which one weighs [objects on a balance].
Ephah [of],
that is a dry measure.178
And a hin,
that is a liquid measure.179
Who has taken you out [of the land of Egypt]---
for this purpose.180
Another interpretation:
I distinguished in Egypt between the firstborn181
and those who were not firstborn,182
and I am faithful to exact punishment from
one who dips his weights in salt
to cheat people who do not recognize [the deceit].183
Chapter 20 - Rashi
Verse 2: And to Bnei Yisroel you shall say:
the punishments for the prohibitions [already given].184
He shall surely be put to death---
by a court.
And if the court does not have the power,
the people of the land shall assist them.185
The people of the land,
the people for whose sake the land was created,
the people who are destined to take possession of the land through
these mitzvohs.186
Verse 3: I shall direct My wrath,
187
My "free time"---
I will turn from all My [other] concerns188
and concern Myself with him.189
That man---
and not a congregation,
for an entire congregation is not cut off.190
For he gave of his children to Molech.
Because it is said:
"Who causes his son and his daughter to pass
through fire,"191
his son's son and his daughter's son---
from where [do we know that they are included?]
The verse says:
"For he gave of his children to Molech."192
From where [do we know this of] illegitimate offspring?193
The verse says:
"When he gives of his children to Molech."194
In order to defile My Sanctuary---
the Community of Israel, which is sanctified to me,
as in the expression:
"That he not profane My Sanctuary."195
Verse 4: And if they hide [their eyes],
if they hide [their eyes] in one matter,
in the end they will hide [their eyes] in many matters.196
If a minor Sanhedrin197 hide [their eyes],
in the end the Great Sanhedrin198 will hide [its eyes].199
Verse 5: And [against] his family.
Said Rabbi Shimon:
"What sin did the family commit?
Rather, [this] teaches you that there is no family
which has a tax-farmer200 in it
that is not entirely [made up] of tax-farmers---
for each of them hide [the misdeeds] of [the others].201
I shall cut him off.
Why is this said?202
Since it is said, and against his family,
perhaps the entire family will be [punished] with koreis?
The verse says: him---he [will be punished] with koreis,
but the entire family [will] not [be punished] with koreis,
but with suffering.203
To go astray after Molech.
[This phrase] includes worship of any other idol
which he served in this way
[passing children between the fires],
even if this is not [its usual] worship.204
Verse 7: You shall sanctify yourselves---
this [refers to] separation from idolatry.205
Verse 9: He has cursed his father or mother---
[the repetition of] this phrase206 comes] to include
[cursing them] after [the] death [of either].207
His blood is on him---
this [refers to] stoning,
and so too every place it is said "his blood is on him,"
"their blood is on them," [it refers to stoning].
And we have learned this from
[the punishment of] an {Hebrew Ref} and {Hebrew Ref} ,
regarding whom it is said:
"You shall stone them to death, their blood is on them."208
[However,] the plain sense of the verse is similar to
"his blood is on his head,"209
[i.e., the responsibility is his,]
no one deserves punishment for his death but himself---
he brought it upon himself that he should be executed.210
Verse 10: A man,
excluding a minor.
Who commits adultery with another man's wife,
excluding a
minor's wife [from the death penalty].
This teaches us
that there is no legal marriage for a minor.
[If so,] regarding which married woman have I required you [to exact
the death penalty]?
Who commits adultery with the wife of his fellow,
excluding a non-Jew's wife;
this teaches us
that there is no [binding] marriage for non-Jews.211
They shall surely be put to death---
the adulterer and the adulteress.
Any death penalty mentioned in the Torah
without [further] specification [as to its nature],212
[refers] only to strangulation.213
Verse 12: They have committed an act of perversion,
disgrace.
Another interpretation:
They mix the seed of the father
with the seed of the son.214
Verse 13: In the same manner as with a woman,
[as] one inserts the painting stick in the tube.215
Verse 14: They shall be burnt in fire, he and them.
You cannot say that they should burn his first wife,
for he married her legally,
and she was [never] forbidden to him,
[but] rather "a woman and her mother,"
which are written here
[is when] both [were] forbidden [to him to begin with]---
if he married his mother-in-law and her mother.216
There are those of our Rabbis who say:
Only his mother-in-law is [mentioned] here;217
[to] what [then does] "them" [refer]?218
[It means] "one of them,"219
[as] in the Greek language" hen is "one."220
Verse 15: And you shall also kill the animal.
If the man sinned, what sin did the animal commit?
Rather, because a mishap occured through it,
the verse said: "Let it be stoned."
[This may be argued as] a kal vo-homer
[All the more so] a human [should be punished],
who knows how to distinguish between good and evil,
and causes evil to his fellow to commit a sin.221
Similar to this matter do you say:
"You should certainly destroy
all the places
[where the nations worshiped their gods]."222
Behold, the matter [gives rise to a] kal vo-homer:
If trees, which cannot see and cannot hear,
[if] because a mishap occured through them,
the Torah said:
"Destroy, burn and put an end to"---
one who turns his fellow away
from the way of life223 to paths of death,
how much more so [should be be punished]!"224
Verse 17: It is a shameful perversion.
An Aramaic expression: shamefulness.
And its midrashic interpretation:
And if you argue that Cain married his sister,225
[I can reply] that G-d performed an act of kindness
to build up the world through him,
as it is said:
"The world is built [in] kindness."226
Verse 18: And uncover,
"uncover,"
and so every expression of "nakedness"
is [an expression] of "uncovering."
The vov enters227 the word {Hebrew Ref} [to convert it]
into a noun,
like {Hebrew Ref} 228
from the root "he did not rise and did not tremble ( {Hebrew Ref} ),"
229
and so {Hebrew Ref} 230 from the root {Hebrew Ref} .231
As to "uncovering," our Rabbis disagreed about it.
Some say that this [refers] to entrance of the very tip,232
and other say this [refers] to entrance of the top.233
Verse 19: The nakedness of your mother's sister, etc.
The verse repeated its prohibition,234
to say that he is prohibited regarding them---
whether [it involves] his father's or mother's sister235
from the father's side,236
or [it involves] their sisters from [the same] mother,237
but regarding the nakedness
of the wife of his father's brother,238
he was prohibited only concerning
the wife of his father' brother from [the same] father.239
20. Who will lie [conjugally] with his aunt.
This verse comes to teach
regarding koreis mentioned above,240
that it [involves] the punishment
of remaining childless.241
Without children,
as its Targum, "without offspring."
Similar to it: "Since I continue to be childless."242
[If] he has children, he buries them;
[if] he does not have children, he dies without children.
Therefore [the Torah] repeats these two verses:243
"they will die childless,"244 "they will remain childless."245
They will die without children.
If he has [children] at the time of the sin,
he will not have any when he dies,
for he will bury them in his own lifetime.
They will die without children.
If he has none at the time of the sin,
he will remain246 all his life as he is now.247
Verse 21: Who must be [conjugally] avoided [by him].
This cohabitation
is to be kept at a distance248 and is loathsome.
And our Rabbis expounded [this verse] to forbid
[intimate] contact with her as with a menstruant woman,
in regard to whom contact is specified:
"he uncovered her source [=her womb]."249
Verse 23: I became disgusted,
an expression of disgust,
like "I am disgusted with my life,"250
as a person who is disgusted with his food.251
Verse 25: You shall distinguish between
a [ritually] clean animal and an unclean one.
It is not necessary to state:
between a cow and a donkey,
for they are clearly differentiated [in feature and form],
but between that which is [ritually] pure for you252
and that which is [ritually] impure for you---
between [an animal] which has been slaughtered
by cutting the greater part of each organ,253
and one which has been slaughtered [by cutting] half.
And how much is there
between the greater part and half?
A hair's-breadth.254
Which I have distinguished for you
as being unclean---
to forbid.255
Verse 26: And I have distinguished you
from the [other] peoples to be mine.
If you are separated from them
[by not performing forbidden acts],
behold, you are Mine,
but if not,
behold, you are Nebuchadnezzar's256 and his cohorts.
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariyoh says:
From where [do we know] that a person should not say:
"I am disgusted with pig meat,
it is impossible for me to wear {Hebrew Ref} ,"
but rather he should say: "I can, but what can I do,
[now] that my Father in Heaven has decreed upon me [that I may not]?
The verse says:
"And I have distinguished you from the other peoples
to be mine,"
that your separation from them
should be for My Name's sake---
he separates himself from sin
and [thus] accepts on himself
the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven.257
Verse 27: If there be among them a medium, etc.
Here the death penalty is stated for them,
and above258 [the penalty is] {Hebrew Ref} .
[If there are] witnesses and proper warning,259
[he is liable] to stoning;
[if he does it] intentionally,
[but] without [proper] warning,
he [receives] {Hebrew Ref} ;
and for an unintentional sin,
[he must bring a] sin offering,
and so in regard to all [sins which involve]
liability to the death penalty,
regarding which {Hebrew Ref} is stated.
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