אמור, שלישי

נדריהם. הֲרֵי עָלַי:

נדריהם THEIR VOWS — [An animal is termed נדר when an obligation is entered into by the words:] Behold, I take it upon myself [to bring a burnt-offering].

נדבותם. הֲרֵי זוֹ:

נדבותם THEIR FREE-WILL OFFERINGS — [it is a נדבה when one states:] Behold, this animal [shall be a burnt-offering] (Megillah 8a).

לרצנכם. הָבִיאוּ דָּבָר הָרָאוּי לְרַצּוֹת אֶתְכֶם לְפָנַי, שֶׁיְּהֵא לָכֶם לְרָצוֹן, אפיי"מנט בְּלַעַז, וְאֵיזֶהוּ הָרָאוּי לְרָצוֹן?

לרצנכם — The meaning is: bring such a thing (animal) as is fitted to cause רצון, propitiation for you before Me. The word לרצנכם means: so that it may be to you for propitiation; apaisement in old French And which animal is it that is fitting to effect propitiation?

תמים זכר בבקר בכבשים ובעזים. אֲבָל בְּעוֹלַת הָעוֹף אֵין צָרִיךְ תַּמּוּת וְזַכְרוּת, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְסָל בְּמוּם אֶלָּא בְּחֶסְרוֹן אֵבֶר (ספרא):

תמים זכר בבקר בכבשים ובעזים A MALE WITHOUT BLEMISH OF THE CATTLE, OF THE SHEEP, OR OF THE GOATS — but in the case of a burnt-offering that consists in a bird, the unblemished condition and the male sex are not essential, and it does not become unfit for sacrifice by reason of a mere blemish (a bodily defect), but only by reason of the loss of a limb (Sifra, Emor, Section 7 2).

לפלא נדר. לְהַפְרִישׁ בְּדִבּוּרוֹ:

לפלא נדר means, expressing it by speech (not expressing it mentally,‎ בלב).

עורת. שֵׁם דָּבָר שֶׁל מוּם עִוָּרוֹן בְּלָשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה — שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בוֹ מוּם שֶׁל עִוָּרוֹן:

‎עורת is a noun denoting the blemish of blindness (עִוָּרֹן), being, however, a feminine form of the latter. The text therefore means that there shall not be the defect of blindness in it (in the sacrifice).

או שבור. לֹא יִהְיֶה:

או שבור nor shall it be a broken animal.

חרוץ. רִיס שֶׁל עַיִן שֶׁנִּסְדַּק אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְגַּם וְכֵן שְׂפָתוֹ שֶׁנִּסְדְּקָה אוֹ נִפְגְּמָה (בכורות ל"ח):

חרוץ CHAPPED — an eye-lid that is split or has a piece cut out of its edge; and similarly, its (the animal’s) lip that is split or has a piece cut out of its edge (Sifra, Emor, Section 7 12; Bekhorot 38a).

יבלת. ורו"אה בְּלַעַז:

יבלת is called verrue in old French, (English = wart).

גרב. מִין חֲזָזִית וְכֵן יַלֶּפֶת, וּלְשׁוֹן יַלֶּפֶת כְּמוֹ וַיִּלְפֹּת שִׁמְשׁוֹן (שופטים ט"ז), שֶׁאֲחוּזָה בוֹ עַד יוֹם מִיתָה, שֶׁאֵין לָהּ רְפוּאָה:

גרב is a kind of lichen and so too is ילפת. The word ילפת is connected in meaning with (Judges 16:29) “And Samson took hold (וילפת) [of the two middle pillars]”. The blemish is so called because it keeps its grasp on him (the sick person) until the day of his death, since there is no cure for it (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 21:20).

לא תקריבו. שָׁלוֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, לְהַזְהִיר עַל הַקְדָּשָׁתָן וְעַל שְׁחִיטָתָן וְעַל זְרִיקַת דָּמָן (תמורה ו'):

לא תקריבו YE SHALL NOT OFFER — Three times is the expression לא תקריבו used in this section (here and in v. 20 and 24), in order to lay down a separate prohibition regarding designating them (blemished animals) as sacrifices, slaughtering them and sprinkling their blood (cf. Temurah 6b).

ואשה לא תתנו. אַזְהָרַת הַקְטָרָתָן:

ואשה לא תתנו YE SHALL NOT MAKE A FIRE-OFFERING [OF THEM] — This contains the prohibition of burning them on the altar (Temurah 6b).

שרוע. אֵבֶר גָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ:

שרוע is an animal that has one limb larger than its fellow-limb (Bekhorot 40a).

וקלוט. פַּרְסוֹתָיו קְלוּטוֹת (בכורות מ'):

וקלוט is an animal which has uncloven hoofs (the sign of uncleaness; cf. Leviticus 11:4—6. It is a שור or a שה which, being a clean animal, is fitted to be sacrificed, but abnormally its hoofs are uncloven) (Bekhorot 40a).

נדבה תעשה אתו. לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת:

נדבה תעשה אתו THOU MAYEST DESIGNATE IT FOR A FREE-WILL OFFERING for the purpose of repairing the breaches in the Temple from the proceeds of its sale,

ולנדר. לַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

ולנדר BUT AS A VOW — i. e. as an animal vowed for the altar (for sacrifice), it shall not be accepted.

לא ירצה. אֵי זֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ בָּא לְרַצּוֹת? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (תמורה ז'):

לא ירצה [BUT AS A נדר] THERE SHALL NOT BE PROPITIATION — What dedicated thing is it that is intended to effect propiation? You must admit that it is something dedicated to the altar. Consequently נדר can only mean a sacrifice for the altar (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 7 6).

ומעוך וכתות ונתוק וכרות. בַּבֵּיצִים אוֹ בַגִּיד:

ומעוך וכתות ונתוק וכרות are forbidden as sacrifices whether the mutilation be in the testicles or the membrum.

מעוך. בֵּיצָיו מְעוּכִין בַּיָּד:

מעוך means, one whose testicles have been pressed by hand.

כתות. כְּתוּשִׁים יוֹתֵר מִמָּעוּךְ:

כתות CRUSHED — it implies more severely crushed than מעוך.

נתוק. תְּלוּשִׁין בַּיָּד עַד שֶׁנִּפְסְקוּ חוּטִים שֶׁתְּלוּיִים בָּהֶן, אֲבָל נְתוּנִים הֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַכִּיס, וְהַכִּיס לֹא נִתְלַשׁ:

נתוק — they have been torn off by the hand, so that the threads on which they hang have snapped but they are still in the scrotum, the scrotum itself not having been torn off.

וכרות. כְּרוּתִין בִּכְלִי וְעוֹדָן בַּכִּיס (בכורות ל"ט):

וכרות — they have been cut away by an instrument but are still in the scrotum (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 7 9; Bekhorot 39b).

[ומעוך. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדִי מְרִיס, זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹנוֹ בַּאֲרָמִית, לְשׁוֹן כְּתִישָׁה:

[ומעוך — Its translation in the Targum is, ודי מריס; this is its exact translation in Aramaic, because this Aramaic root has the meaning of pounding.

וכתות תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדִי רְסִיס, כְּמוֹ "הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל רְסִיסִים" (עמוס ו') — בְּקִיעוֹת דַּקּוֹת, וְכֵן "קָנֶה הַמְרֻסָּס" (שבת פ'):]

וכתות, however, is translated by the Targum ודי רסיס “and that which is smashed”, (a stronger term than מרס), similar to, Amos 6:11) “The great house shall be smitten into רסיסים‎” i. e. into small fragments; similar is the Talmudical expression (Shabbat 80b) a reed crushed to pieces (מרוסס‎‎‎‎)].

ובארצכם לא תעשו. דָּבָר זֶה לְסָרֵס שׁוּם בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ טְמֵאָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בְּאַרְצְכֶם לְרַבּוֹת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצְכֶם, שֶׁאִאֶ"לֹ לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ עַל הַסֵּרוּס אֶלָּא בָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהֲרֵי סֵרוּס חוֹבַת הַגּוּף הִיא וְכָל חוֹבַת הַגּוּף נוֹהֶגֶת בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ:

ובארצכם לא תעשו NEITHER SHALL YE DO IN YOUR LAND this thing — to castrate any cattle or beast even if it be unclean. That is why Scripture adds “in your land” — to include every animal that is in your land under this law (cf. Chagigah 14b and Tosafot there). For it is impossible to say that they are here commanded to abstain from mutilating animals in the Land of Israel only, (and that the word must be translated: “In your land you must not do this”, implying, but you may do it elsewhere) for surely the command regarding mutilation is a personal duty and any personal duty has to be practiced both in the Land and outside the Land (Kiddushin 36b; cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 7 11).

ומיד בן נכר. שֶׁהֵבִיא קָרְבָּן בְּיַד כֹּהֵן לְהַקְרִיבוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם לא תקריבו לוֹ בַּעַל מוּם; וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֶסְרוּ בַעֲלֵי מוּמִים לְקָרְבַּן בְּנֵי נֹחַ אֶלָּא אִ"כֵּ מְחֻסְּרֵי אֵבֶר, זֹאת נוֹהֶגֶת בְּבָמָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת, אֲבָל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן לֹא תַקְרִיבוּ, אֲבָל תְּמִימָה תְקַבְּלוּ מֵהֶם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לְמַעְלָה אִישׁ אִישׁ, לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁנּוֹדְרִים נְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל (חולין י"ג):

ומיד בן נכר AND FROM ANY STRANGER’S HAND who has brought a sacrifice through the agency of a priest to offer it to the Lord, לא תקריבו YOU SHALL NOT OFFER a blemished animal on his behalf. And though blemished animals are not forbidden as sacrifices of the “Sons of Noah” (the non-Israelite world) except such as lack one of their limbs (as derived from the text: Genesis 6:19; cf. Avodah Zarah 5b) — this rule applies only to animals offered to God by the “Sons of Noah” themselves on a Bamah (an altar, lit., an elevated place) in the open field, but on the altar in the Tabernacle shall you not offer blemished animals on their behalf (cf. Temurah 7a). An animal, however, that has no blemish you may accept from them as an offering on your altar. It is for this reason that Scripture says above (v. 18): איש “Any man… who offers”, in order to include in this law the heathens also — that they, too, are permitted to undertake to bring vowed animals (נדרים) and free-will offerings (נדבות) just the same as the Israelites (Chullin 13b).

משחתם. חִבּוּלְהוֹן:

משחתם THEIR CORRUPTION — Translate this as the Targum does: חבולהון, their wound (defect).

לא ירצו לכם. לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם:

לא ירצו לכם THEY SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR YOU — i. e. to atone for you.

כי יולד. פְּרָט לְיוֹצֵא דֹפֶן (שם ל"ח):

כי יולד WHEN [ANY OX etc.] IS BORN… [FROM THE EIGHTH DAY, AND THENCEFORTH, IT SHALL BE FAVOURABLY ACCEPTED AS A FIRE OFFERING…] — The expression יולד “that is born” excludes the case of an animal delivered through the abdominal wall (i. e. by Caesarian section) (Chullin 38b).

אתו ואת בנו. נוֹהֵג בַּנְּקֵבָה — שֶׁאָסוּר לִשְׁחֹט הָאֵם וְהַבֵּן אוֹ הַבַּת, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג בַּזְּכָרִים, וּמֻתָּר לִשְׁחֹט הָאָב וְהַבֵּן (שם ע"ח):

אתו ואת בנו [AND WHETHER IT BE AN OX OR A SHEEP YE SHALL NOT SLAUGHTER] IT AND ITS YOUNG [BOTH IN ONE DAY] — This law applies only to the female parent, although Scripture uses the masculine term אתו — that it is forbidden to slaughter the dam and its male or female young in one day, but it does not apply to the male parent, and it is permissible to slaughter the father animal and its young whether male or female in one day (Chullin 78b; cf. also Onkelos).

אתו ואת בנו. אַף בְּנוֹ וְאוֹתוֹ בְּמַשְׁמָע (שם פ"ב):

אתו ואת בנו IT AND ITS YOUNG — The prohibition of slaughtering the young first and then it (the dam) in one day is also implied (Chullin 82a).

לרצנכם תזבחו. תְּחִלַּת זְבִיחַתְכֶם הִזָּהֲרוּ שֶׁתְּהֵא לְרָצוֹן לָכֶם, וּמַהוּ הָרָצוֹן?

לרצנכם תזבחו‎ ‎ [AND WHEN YE WILL SLAUGHTER A SACRIFICE OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT UNTO THE LORD], SLAUGHTER IT SO THAT IT MAY EFFECT PROPITIATION FOR YOU — i. e. take care from the very outset of your slaughtering that it should effect acceptance for you; and wherein consists the assurance of its acceptance?

ביום ההוא יאכל. לֹא בָא לְהַזְהִיר אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּהֵא שְׁחִיטָה עַל מְנָת כֵּן — אַל תִּשְׁחֲטוּהוּ עַל מְנָת לְאָכְלוֹ לְמָחָר, שֶׁאִם תַּחְשְׁבוּ בוֹ מַחֲשֶׁבֶת פְּסוּל לֹא יְהֵא לָכֶם לְרָצוֹן; דָּ"אַ לרצנכם — לְדַעְתְּכֶם, מִכָּאן לַמִּתְעַסֵּק שֶׁפָּסוּל בִּשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים; וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶּׁפֵּרֵט בַּנֶּאֱכָלִים לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים, חָזַר וּפֵרֵט בַּנֶּאֱכָלִין לְיוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁתְּהֵא זְבִיחָתָן עַל מְנָת לְאָכְלָן בִּזְמַנָּן:

ביום ההוא יאכל in the intention that IT SHALL BE EATEN ON THE SAME DAY — Scripture intends by these words only to express the warning that the slaughtering shall be made with this intention: — do not slaughter it with the intention of eating it on the morrow, because if you then harbour any intention which will lead to its disqualification it shall not be favourably accepted for you. Another explanation of לרצנכם is: sacrifice it wittingly (with full knowledge of what you are doing); hence we may derive that if one is “handling” the sacrifices when slaughtering them (i. e. when he does the act of שחיטה without the intention of doing this) they become invalid (Chullin 13a). And (referring again to the first explanation) though Scripture has already specifically stated this (the fact that the slaughtering must be made with the clear intention not to eat the flesh beyond the prescribed time) with regard to such offerings that may be eaten during two successive days (cf. Leviticus 7:18), it specifically states here again of those sacrifices which are permitted to be eaten on one day only that their slaughtering must take place with the clear intention to eat them within the time prescribed for them.

ביום ההוא יאכל. לֹא בָא לְהַזְהִיר אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּהֵא שְׁחִיטָה עַל מְנָת כֵּן, שֶׁאִם לִקְבֹּעַ לוֹ זְמַן אֲכִילָה, כְּבָר כָּתוּב וּבְשַׂר זֶבַח תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו וְגוֹ' (ויקרא ז'):

ביום ההוא יאכל IT SHALL BE EATEN ON THE SAME DAY — Scripture only intends by these words to express the warning that the slaughtering shall be done with this in mind (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 2), for if it intended to fix the time for eating it they would be redundant, since it is already stated (Leviticus 7:15) “And the flesh of the sacrifice of his feast offerings for acknowledgment [shall be eaten the same day that it is offered]”.

אני ה'. דַּע מִי גָזַר עַל הַדָּבָר וְאַל יֵקַל בְּעֵינֶיךָ:

אני ה׳ I AM THE LORD — Know Who it is that has decreed this matter, and let it, therefore, not be a light thing in your eyes!

ושמרתם. זוֹ הַמִּשְׁנָה:

ושמרתם — This implies the study of the commandments,

ועשיתם. זֶה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה (ספרא):

ועשיתם, the doing of them (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 3).

ולא תחללו. לַעֲבֹר עַל דְּבָרַי מְזִידִין; מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ מַה תַּ"לֹ וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי? מְסֹר עַצְמְךָ וְקַדֵּשׁ שְׁמִי. יָכוֹל בְּיָחִיד, תַּ"לֹ בתוך בני ישראל; וּכְשֶׁהוּא מוֹסֵר עַצְמוֹ יִמְסֹר עַצְמוֹ עַל מְנָת לָמוּת, שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹסֵר עַצְמוֹ עַל מְנָת הַנֵּס, אֵין עוֹשִֹׁין לוֹ נֵס, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בַחֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה שֶׁלֹּא מָסְרוּ עַצְמָן עַל מְנָת הַנֵּס, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל נ'), "וְהֵן לָא יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵא לָךְ מַלְכָּא" וְגוֹ', מַצִּיל וְלֹא מַצִּיל — "יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵא לָךְ" וְגו' (ספרא):

ולא תחללו YE SHALL NOT PROFANE [MY HOLY NAME], by transgressing My commands willfully. Having regard to what is implied in the statement: You shall not profane [My holy name] (viz., that it must be hallowed), what is the meaning of ונקדשתי? But, this implies a positive act of sanctification: Abandon yourself to martyrdom and hallow My name! I might think that this command applies even to the Israelite when he is alone (i. e., when no other Israelites are present when the heathen bids him transgress a Divine command)! Scripture, however, states: בתוך בני ישראל [AND I SHALL BE SANCTIFIED] AMIDST THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. — And when offering oneself to martyrdom, one should offer himself with the firm determination (lit., under the condition) to die if necessary, for he who abandons himself on condition (i. e. cherishing the hope) that God will not exact the sacrifice and that a miracle will happen to save him will have no miracle wrought for him; for thus we find in the case of Chananyah, Mishael and Azariah that they did not offer themselves for martyrdom expecting a miracle, as it is said (Daniel 3:17, 18) “[And God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us out of thy hand, O king]. But if not, be it known unto thee that we will not serve thy gods etc. — Whether He saves us or whether he does not save, “be it known unto thee etc.” (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 5)

המוציא אתכם. עַל מְנָת כֵּן:

המוציא אתכם THAT HATH BROUGHT YOU OUT [OF THE LAND OF EGYPT] — for the sake of this (that you should hallow His name).

אני ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר (שם):

'אני ה‎‎ I AM THE LORD — Who is faithful in paying you your reward (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 6).