SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. After charging the Israelites, and the sons of Aaron who are included among them, to be holy,¹ the Lord told the sons of Aaron that they are commanded to keep themselves from other things, for they are the ministers of God. It is possible that speak unto the priests refers to the section which is mentioned above,² for the Torah is in the hands of the kohanim.³ to teach these laws to the children of Israel. See Deut. 31:9; 17:8-13.

footnotes: ¹ In chapters 18, 19, and 20. ² That is, in the above-noted chapters. ³ It is the duty of the kohanim

AND SAY UNTO THEM. This refers to the commandments which they alone are obligated to keep.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ The laws, which follow.

FOR THE DEAD. Le-nefesh (for the dead) refers to the dead.⁵ usually refers to a living body.

footnotes: ⁵ The word nefesh

The word yittamma (defile) is a hitpa’el. The tet⁶. receives a dagesh because the tav⁷. is, swallowed.⁸. In other words, the dagesh compensates for the missing tav of the hitpae’el form.

footnotes: ⁶ Of yittamma ⁷ Of the hitpa’el ⁸ By the tet

The meaning of be-amav (among his people) is among all of Israel, who are his people.⁹ (among his people) literally means in his people. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁹ Be-amav

EXCEPT FOR HIS KIN. It had appeared to us that the meaning of she’ero (His kin) is similar to she’er (near of kin) in None of you…to any that is near of kin to him (Lev. 18:6). In other words, she’ero is a general term,¹⁰ with the details for his mother, and for his father following.

footnotes: ¹⁰ Meaning a close relative.

The meaning of ba’al be-amav (a chief man among his people) (v. 4) is that a husband¹¹. shall not defile himself for his wife. However, since we saw that our teachers transmitted to us the law that a kohen is permitted to defile himself for his wife,¹² 22b. the first interpretation falls away. They employed the word she’er as a support,¹³ (his kin) literally means his flesh. According to the rabbis the reference is to a wife. The sages render ki im le-she’ero (except for his kin), except for his wife. According to I.E. the plain meaning of she’ero is not his wife. He believes that the rabbis used this verse as a support for a law which they knew by tradition. as I explained in my comments on the phrase unto a foreign people (Ex. 21:8).¹⁴ means to any stranger. According to I.E. this is not the literal meaning of this phrase. The rabbis merely used this verse as a support. See I.E. on Ex. 21:8 (Vol. 2, pp. 458,459). The rabbis said that the meaning of ba’al is, a chief who rules over the people, as in the owner thereof (be-alav) not being with it (Ex. 22:13).¹⁵ (He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people) is: “Seeing that he is fit to become the highest and most honored one among his people [i.e., a high priest], it (Scripture) warns him not to profane his distinction with the impurity of the dead” (Nachmanides, Chavel translation). The reason Scripture mentions the mother of the kohen before the father is that in most cases the male lives longer than the female.¹⁶ will mourn for his mother before he does so for his father. Hence she is mentioned first.

footnotes: ¹¹ Who is a kohen ¹² Yevamot ¹³ She’ero ¹⁴ According to the rabbis unto a foreign people ¹⁵ According to the rabbis the meaning of lo yittamma ba’al be-amav ¹⁶ In most cases the kohen

THAT IS NEAR UNTO HIM. In that she is his sister from his father and his mother.¹⁷ indicates that the sister spoken of is a full sister. Now, aside from those mentioned,¹⁸ a chief (v. 4) shall not defile himself for any of his people, be they kohanim or Israelites.

footnotes: ¹⁷ That is near ¹⁸ In verses 2 and 3.

TO PROFANE HIMSELF. The lamed¹⁹. has a dagesh in it to compensate for the missing other lamed.²⁰ is spelled with one lamed. However, it comes from a root that has two lameds. The dagesh in hechallo compensates for the missing root letter. Le-hechallo (to profane himself) is an infinitive in the nifal.

footnotes: ¹⁹ Of le-hechallo ²⁰ Hechallo

THEY SHALL NOT MAKE BALDNESS UPON THEIR HEAD. Over the dead.

THE CORNERS OF THEIR BEARD. Over the dead, as is the practice in places in the land of the Chaldeans. The meaning of the corners of thy beard (Lev. 19:27) is thus clarified.²¹

footnotes: ²¹ It too refers to an act of mourning. See I.E. on Lev. 19:27.

Saratet (cuttings) means even one cut.²² (cuttings) is singular. Hence I.E’s. comment. Israel has already been cautioned not to do these things.²³ The reason Scripture warns the kohanim²⁴ about this is that one who has a bald head, or whose beard has been shorn, or whose flesh is cut shall not serve before the Lord.

footnotes: ²² Saratet ²³ Not to cut their flesh, to shave the corners of their beards, or to make themselves bald. See Lev. 19:27,28. ²⁴ After already having told the Israelites.

AND NOT PROFANE THE NAME OF GOD. The reason being, for the offerings made by fire…they do offer.²⁵ refers to and not profane the name of God, not to They shall be holy unto their God.

footnotes: ²⁵ For the offerings made by fire…they do offer

WOMAN THAT IS A HARLOT. If we follow the plain meaning of the text then we do not find in all of Scripture the word zonah (harlot) to have any but its literal meaning.²⁶ is a woman who sells her body. According to the rabbis a zonah is a woman who had intercourse with an individual whom she is not permitted to marry, i.e., a woman who has relations with a close relative or with a non-Jew. Such a woman is considered a zonah even if the intercourse was not with her consent. Hence I.E.’s comment. The meaning of and have given a boy for a harlot (zonah) (Joel 4:3) is also as I have explained.²⁷ in Joel 4:3 refers to a harlot. It means that they gave a young man in payment for sexual favors.

footnotes: ²⁶ That is, a zonah ²⁷ In other words, zonah

OR PROFANED. A woman who is not known as a harlot.²⁸. It is also possible that I.E. refers to a woman who is promiscuous but not a prostitute. It should be noted that according to the rabbis the reference is to a woman born of a marriage between a kohen and a woman prohibited to him (Kiddushin 77a). According to the plain meaning, it would appear from the words of Ezekiel²⁹ that the widow of a kohen³⁰. is permitted to marry other kohanim.³¹ may marry is the widow of another kohen, for Ezekiel states, Neither shall they take for their wives a widow…but they shall take…a widow that is the widow of a priest. The words of tradition³² may marry any widow. See Kiddushin 78b. are thus true.³³ from marrying any widow. We thus must interpret Ezek. 44:22 as follows: Neither shall a kohen gadol take for their wives a widow…but some of the kohanim, that is, a common kohen, may take a widow (any widow, not only the widow of a kohen). See Kiddushin 78b.

footnotes: ²⁸ A woman who is not a harlot but has been defiled. I.E. does not define how the woman was profaned. However, from the context it appears that I.E. refers to a woman who is not a prostitute but had intercourse with someone who is not a kohen ²⁹ Ezek. 44:22. ³⁰ That is, only the widow of a kohen ³¹ Ezek. 44:22 seems to imply that the only widow a kohen ³² To the effect that a kohen ³³ Despite the plain meaning of Ezek. 44:22, for our chapter (v. 7) does not prohibit a kohen

THOU SHALT SANCTIFY HIM THEREFORE. In mind³⁴ in a respectful manner. and in speech.

footnotes: ³⁴ Think of the kohen

THE BREAD³⁵. OF THY GOD. Food³⁶ usually refers to bread. Hence I.E.’s comment. which is offered to God.

footnotes: ³⁵ Hebrew, lechem ³⁶ Lechem

I THE LORD, WHO SANCTIFY YOU.³⁷, which is plural. All of you.

footnotes: ³⁷ Hebrew, lakhem

IF SHE PROFANE HERSELF BY PLAYING THE HARLOT. Many believe that techel (profane) is related to techillah (beginning).³⁸ (if she profane herself by playing the harlot) as if she begins to play the harlot. However, I believe that it is related to the word chillul (profane) but it is a hifil. Compare, he shall not break (yachel)³⁹ his word (Num. 30:3). According to both interpretations the word comes from a double root.⁴⁰. However, it is irregular.⁴¹ rather than with a kamatz as similar roots are in the hifil. Compare, achel (I will begin), tachel (she will begin), etc. It is possible that the word hechel (profaned) (Ezek. 20:9) and the word techel are both irregular in that the tav⁴² of techel is vocalized with a tzereh⁴³. so that it not is confused in meaning with techillah (beginning).⁴⁴. If both were similarly vocalized, we would confuse them. Similarly, hechel (profaned)⁴⁵ is vocalized with a tzere rather than with a kamatz so that it not be confused with hachel (begin) (Deut. 2:24). in that it should not be profaned (Ezek. 20:9).

footnotes: ³⁸ This interpretation renders ki techel li-zenot ³⁹ Or profane. ⁴⁰ Its root is chet, lamed, lamed ⁴¹ For its prefix is vocalized with a tzere ⁴² The tav ⁴³ Literally, a small kamatz ⁴⁴ Beginning and profane both come from the same root, chet, lamed, lamed ⁴⁵ Hechel

AND THE DAUGHTER OF ANY PRIEST…SHE SHALL BE BURNT WITH FIRE. If she profaned herself by harlotry, for she profaned the honor of her father.

SHE SHALL BE BURNT WITH FIRE. Whether she is either married or betrothed.⁴⁶. The reference is to the first stage of marriage. During this phase the woman lives in the house of her parents.

footnotes: ⁴⁶ Hebrew, arusah

THE GARMENTS. The reference is to the holy garments.

SHALL NOT LET THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD GO LOOSE, NOR REND HIS CLOTHES. We learn from this verse what our sages transmitted regarding the laws of mourning.⁴⁷

footnotes: ⁴⁷ According to the rabbis a mourner has to rend his garments and is prohibited from cutting his hair. Our verse shows that the latter are mourning practices.

NEITHER SHALL HE GO IN TO ANY DEAD BODY. Nafshot met is to be read as if written nafshot guf met (dead body). The word guf (body)⁴⁸ is masculine. is missing, for met (dead) is an adjective.⁴⁹ is masculine. It cannot modify nafshot, which is feminine. Hence I.E.’s comment. Similarly, But the rich answers impudent⁵⁰ (Prov. 18:23)⁵¹ and and their food plenteous⁵² (Hab. 1:16),⁵³ should be read as if written: and his food a fat lamb. where the word lamb is missing.

footnotes: ⁴⁸ Guf ⁴⁹ Modifying guf. Met ⁵⁰ Translated literally. ⁵¹ The term “words” is missing from the verse. The clause should be read as if written: But the rich answers [with] impudent words. ⁵² Literally, and his food fat. ⁵³ And his food fat

The meaning of he shall [not] go in is, he shall not go into a tent or a house where the dead body is located.

The meaning of for his father, or his mother is, for his father and mother, whom he is obligated to respect while they live and after their death. The kohen gadol may certainly not defile himself over his brother or his son.⁵⁴’s father and mother. However, if he cannot defile himself over the latter he certainly cannot defile himself for his brother or son.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Our verse only mentions the kohen gadol

NEITHER SHALL HE GO OUT OF THE SANCTUARY. After the dead, so said the transmitters of tradition.⁵⁵ 18a. Also see Rashi. What they said is correct. Some say that the reference is to the seven days of consecration. However, this cannot be so, for Scripture has already stated, and [the kohen] that is consecrated (v. 10).⁵⁶ who is already consecrated. It is also possible that the meaning of our verse is that the kohen gadol shall not go out of the sanctuary except for the purpose of observing a precept.

footnotes: ⁵⁵ San. ⁵⁶ In other words, our verse speaks of a kohen

IN HER VIRGINITY. There are nouns in Hebrew that never come in the singular. Compare, ne’urim (youth), zekunim (old age), alumim (youth), and betulim (virginity). There are other words which never come in the plural, i.e., taf (children), shekhem (shoulder), zahav (gold), and barzel (iron).

A WIDOW, OR ONE DIVORCED. Any woman widowed or divorced from a kohen or an Israelite.

OR A PROFANED WOMAN, OR A HARLOT. The connective vav before the word zonah (harlot) is missing.⁵⁷ (harlot). Our verse reads, va-chalalah zonah. This literally means or a profaned woman harlot. I.E. believes that the latter should be read as if written, va-chalalah ve-zonah (or a profaned woman or a harlot). Compare, The sun moon (shemesh yare’ach) stand still in their habitation⁵⁸ (Hab. 3:11).⁵⁹ is missing. The verse should be read as if written: The sun and moon (shemesh ve-yare’ach) stand still in their habitation.

footnotes: ⁵⁷ From before the word zonah ⁵⁸ Translated literally. ⁵⁹ Here too a vav

The reason Scripture reads but a virgin⁶⁰ may only marry a virgin was stated in the previous verse. Why repeat it again in our verse? is that it wants to add of his own people, for a captive virgin⁶¹ and a convert⁶² are prohibited to him.

footnotes: ⁶⁰ The law mandating that a kohen gadol ⁶¹ A foreign woman taken captive as a result of war. See Deut. 21:10-14. ⁶² Who is a virgin.

AND HE SHALL NOT PROFANE HIS SEED. By taking a widow or a divorced woman in secret. These shall he not take (v. 14) means he shall not publicly take any of these women.⁶³ After Scripture mentions the sanctity of the kohanim it begins to list the blemishes.⁶⁴ from offering sacrifices.

footnotes: ⁶³ Since Scripture has already stated that he may not publicly take a divorced woman, a widow, a harlot, or a profaned woman. Hence our verse refers to secret intercourse with these women. ⁶⁴ Which disqualify a kohen

THE BREAD OF HIS GOD. The reference is to the sacrifices offered on the altar. The kohanim spoken of in our verse refer to common priests. Scripture therefore states anyone who is of the seed of Aaron the kohen.

MAIMED. Charum (maimed) is the reverse of saru’a (too long). Note, charum is related to the word cherem (destruction).⁶⁵ refers to a person who has an extra-large limb while charum refers to a person who has a limb that is undersized.

footnotes: ⁶⁵ According to I.E. saru’a

TOO LONG. Saru’a (too long) is related to the word me-histare’a (to stretch himself) (Is. 29:20).

OR CROOK-BACKED. The word gibben (crook-backed) is most probably related to the word gavnunnim (peaks) in ye mountains of peaks (Ps. 68:17).⁶⁶ is someone who is extremely tall. The nun⁶⁷. is a root letter.⁶⁸ (crook-backed) to gavnunnim (peaks). Gibben is an adjective. Similarly the word dak (a dwarf) is to be interpreted according to the plain meaning.⁶⁹

footnotes: ⁶⁶ According to I.E. gibben ⁶⁷ Of gibben ⁶⁸ Hence we can relate gibben ⁶⁹ Of the verse.

Dak means short of stature.⁷⁰ stands in contrast to gibben. If gibben means a peak, then dak is its opposite.

footnotes: ⁷⁰ Dak

HATH HIS EYE OVERSPREAD. Some say that tevallul (overspread) is related to the word tevel (corruption) in they have wrought corruption (Lev. 20:12). Tevallul means a corruption.⁷¹ Others say that tevallul is related to the word belullah (mingled) in mingled with oil (Lev. 2:5).⁷²). According to both interpretations the tav of tevallul is superfluous.⁷³ is bet, lamed, lamed.

footnotes: ⁷¹ A blemish. ⁷² A streak of white going into the iris or pupil. See Rashi and Ibn Janach (Sefer Ha-Rikmah ⁷³ For the root of tevallul

According to the opinion of many the scab (garav) is also in the eye.

OR SCURVY. Yalefet (scurvy) means sticking.⁷⁴ It is related to the word va-yilpot (took fast hold) in And Samson took fast hold (Jud. 16:29). There are others who say that yalefet means crooked.⁷⁵ with a crooked hand, foot, fingers, etc. It is related to the word va-yillafet (turned) in that the man was startled, and turned (Ruth 3:8). The yod of yalefet is superfluous.⁷⁶. It is like the yod of yitzhar (oil) (Num. 18:12).⁷⁷.

footnotes: ⁷⁴ It refers to boils which stick to the body. ⁷⁵ A kohen ⁷⁶ For its root is lamed, peh, tav ⁷⁷ The root of which is tzadi, heh, resh

CRUSHED. Mero’ach (crushed) is an adjective. It is related to the word ru’ach (wind).⁷⁸

footnotes: ⁷⁸ See Nachmanides: “One who has wind [and a result of which] his testicles are swollen” (Chavel translation).

STONES. Ashekh (stones) refers to the testicle. After listing specific blemishes the Torah issues a general statement and says, no man…that hath a blemish (v. 21).

The meaning of hath a blemish is similar to he hath cursed his father or his mother (Lev. 20:9).⁷⁹

footnotes: ⁷⁹ The repetition is for emphasis. See I.E. on Lev. 20:9.

THE BREAD OF HIS GOD…OF THE MOST HOLY. The showbread, the guilt offering, and the sin offering, which in comparison to the peace offerings are most holy, for the peace offerings are also holy.

AND OF THE HOLY. The tithe and the first-born.

ONLY HE SHALL NOT GO IN UNTO THE VEIL. Although he is a kohen gadol.⁸⁰ is struck with a blemish he is prohibited from going unto the veil. A common kohen may not go unto the veil. Hence I.E.’s comment. He shall also not approach the altar.

footnotes: ⁸⁰ If the kohen gadol

[AND UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.] If it were not for the tradition⁸¹ who are blemished to slaughter peace offerings for the children of Israel we would interpret and unto all the children of Israel as meaning that those who are blemished should not slaughter peace offerings for the children of Israel. Now, since Scripture mentions that a blemished kohen may eat that which is holy, it warns⁸² that the one who eats sacred food must be clean.

footnotes: ⁸¹ Which permits kohanim ⁸² In the section which follows.