THE INIQUITY OF THE SANCTUARY. Which is on the inside of the veil.¹ Its meaning is, if you do not guard the sanctuary the sin is upon you.

footnotes: ¹ Which hung in front of the Holy of Holies. See Ex. 26:31-36 and Lev. 16:1-3.

[AND THY FATHERS’ HOUSE.] For they carried the sanctuary.²

footnotes: ² The children of Kohath carried the tabernacle (Num. 10:21). Kohath was the father of Amram, the father of Aaron.

THE INIQUITY OF YOUR PRIESTHOOD. If you do not keep the laws of the priesthood, the sin is upon you.

THE TRIBE OF THY FATHER. The reference is to Levi.³ is to be understood as the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your patriarch Levi. Our sages say that the tribe of thy father is to be taken at face value.⁴ However, I believe that it is to be explained in keeping with my earlier interpretation. Our verse is to be read as if written, the tribe of Levi which is the tribe of your father.⁵ is to be read as if written, matteh levi she-hu shevet avikha.

footnotes: ³ In other words, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father ⁴ The reference being to Amram. ⁵ Matteh levi shevet avikha

THAT THEY MAY BE JOINED. The meaning of ve-yillavu is similar to ve-nispechu (and they shall join) (Is. 14:1). So too the word yillaveh (be joined) in Now this time will my husband be joined (Gen. 29:34). Look, the Levites are joined by their names.⁶. Their name indicates that they have joined Aaron. Some editions read, ke-shemam. In this case I.E. reads: The Levites are joined [to Aaron] as their names [indicate].

footnotes: ⁶ Hebrew, bi-shemam

THOU AND THY SONS WITH THEE. You and your sons, and not the Levites, shall abide before the tent of meeting.

NEITHER THEY, NOR YE.⁷ (literally, also they, also you). It is the way of Scripture to speak in this manner.⁸). Compare, Rule thou over us, also you, also thy son⁹ (Jud. 8:22). That means this one is like this one.¹⁰

footnotes: ⁷ Hebrew, gam hem, gam attem ⁸ To say also…also… (gam… gam… ⁹ Translated literally. ¹⁰ In other words, the same law applies to them and to you.

[AND THEY SHALL BE JOINED UNTO THEE.] So that you do not need the services of a stranger, namely, an Israelite.

AS A SERVICE OF GIFT. And someone who is a common man in regard to the priesthood even if he be a Levite [shall be put to death]. The burnt offering of Samuel, who was a Levi, is no argument¹¹ may offer a burnt offering, for Samuel offered a burnt offering. See I Sam. 7:9. for it was a temporary ruling, as was the case of Gideon.¹²

footnotes: ¹¹ That a person who is not a kohen ¹² Gideon, who was from the tribe of Manasseh, was commanded by God’s angel to personally offer a burnt offering. See Jud. 6:26.

FOR A CONSECRATED PORTION.¹³. I have already explained this.¹⁴ means for greatness.

footnotes: ¹³ Hebrew, le-moshchah ¹⁴ According to one of I.E.’s interpretations in Lev. 7:35, the word le-moshchah

OF THE MOST HOLY THINGS. For there are offerings that have a lesser degree of sacredness.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ Such as peace offerings.

RESERVED FROM THE FIRE.¹⁶. Of all that they sanctify,¹⁷ for isheh (fire-offering)¹⁸ and esh (fire) mean the same,¹⁹ (esh) means reserved from the fire offerings. the heh of isheh being superfluous.

footnotes: ¹⁶ Hebrew, esh ¹⁷ That they offer on the altar. ¹⁸ A common term for a sacrifice. ¹⁹ Thus reserved from the fire

AND EVERY MEAL-OFFERING OF THEIRS. After they sanctify the memorial part thereof.²⁰. The latter refers to the portion of the meal offering offered on the altar. See Lev. 2:2. [AND EVERY SIN-OFFERING OF THEIRS, AND EVERY GUILT-OFFERING OF THEIRS.] After they offer the designated organs of the sin offering and the guilt offering.²¹ WHICH THEY MAY RENDER²² (literally, which they return).

footnotes: ²⁰ Hebrew, azkarah ²¹ On the altar. ²² Hebrew, yashivu

UNTO ME. The reference is to a trespass.²³). See Lev. 5:15. Now the meal offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering are holier than the peace offerings.²⁴), are mentioned in our verse, which speaks of the more holy sacrifices.

footnotes: ²³ Money paid in restitution for the unauthorized use of sacred property (me’ilah ²⁴ Thus they, not the peace offerings (shelamim

IN A MOST HOLY PLACE SHALT THOU EAT THEREOF. Even in a most holy place, namely, in the tent of meeting shalt thou eat thereof. The tent of meeting is called a most holy place in contrast to the courtyard of the tabernacle.²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ However, it is not considered a most holy place in contrast to the Holy of Holies. Thus the sacrifices listed in our verse cannot be eaten in the Holy of Holies.

THEIR GIFT. A tav is missing in the word mattanam (their gift).²⁶. Thus the word for their gift should be mattanatam rather than mattanam. Mattanam is similar to the word pinnah (corner), which has the meaning of pinnatah (her corner) in Passing²⁷. Some texts have holekhat (going). However, Prov. 7:8 reads over. through the street near her corner (Prov. 7:8).²⁸ is analogous to mattanam in that it is a feminine noun, but it is connected to the pronominal suffix as if it were masculine. On the other hand, we may be dealing with two forms.²⁹ and mattnah). Mattanam is the word mattan plus the pronominal suffix.

footnotes: ²⁶ The usual Hebrew word for gift is mattanah ²⁷ Reading over ²⁸ In other words, pinnah ²⁹ For the word gift (mattan

ALL THE BEST OF THE OIL. Chelev (the best) means the most precious, the best. The reference is to the cream of the oil,³⁰ for the word yitzhar (oil) means light.³¹. Others read nahor. Both mean light. Its root is tzadi, heh, resh.³² The reference is to the fat of the olive oil.

footnotes: ³⁰ The top of the oil. ³¹ Hebrew, tzahor ³² The same root as the one for light.

THE FIRST-RIPE FRUITS OF ALL THAT IS IN THEIR LAND.³³ The first of all the fruits of the ground.

footnotes: ³³ The Hebrew literally reads: The first of all that is in their land. Hence I.E.’s comment.

[EVERY ONE THAT IS CLEAN IN THY HOUSE MAY EAT THEREOF.] This verse warns that only the clean in your house may eat of fat things³⁴ and of the breast of waving³⁵ and the thigh of heaving³⁶. and also everything dedicated³⁷ by an Israelite. The Israelite shall not eat of the latter, for it belongs to God. You [the kohen] may eat of it.

footnotes: ³⁴ Mentioned in verse 12. ³⁵ See Lev. 7:34. ³⁶ Ibid ³⁷ Anything set aside for God.

SHALT THOU SURELY REDEEM. You shall accept the redemption money of the first-born. You shall similarly accept the redemption of the first-born of the unclean beast.³⁸.

footnotes: ³⁸ See Ex. 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb

AND THEIR REDEMPTION-MONEY. This only refers to the first-born of humans.³⁹

footnotes: ³⁹ See previous verse.

THOU SHALT NOT REDEEM. For they are holy. You shall not accept their redemption money. Many say that the word redeem⁴⁰ refers to the Israelite. He shall not buy back the animal from the kohen. See Filwarg and Weiser. refers to the Israelites. However,⁴¹ the reverse is true for the word tokhelunu (thou shalt eat it) (Deut. 15:20), in which the prefix thou refers to the kohen, for Thou shalt eat it refers to the one who is obligated to eat it.

footnotes: ⁴⁰ That is, the statement thou shalt not redeem ⁴¹ This is either a continuation of the previous opinion or I.E.’s comment upon it.

COVENANT OF SALT. A “cut covenant.”⁴² The word melach (salt) is related to the word melechah (salt)⁴³ in A fruitful land turned into salt (Ps. 107:34). A salted place is said to be cut off, for nothing grows there. Compare, brimstone, and salt⁴⁴. (Deut. 29:22).

footnotes: ⁴² The Biblical term for making a covenant is, to cut a covenant. Hence I.E.’s note that a salt covenant is a variant of a cut covenant. ⁴³ In that both words have the meaning of cut. ⁴⁴ The verse reads: brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth

IN RETURN. The word chelef means in return.

AND HENCEFORTH…SHALL NOT COME NIGH. This⁴⁵ was written because of Korah’s assembly.

footnotes: ⁴⁵ The word henceforth.

BUT THE LEVITES ALONE SHALL DO THE SERVICE.⁴⁶) shall do the service of the tent of meeting. Hence the interpretations which follow. The word hu means himself. Others say that hu is the object.⁴⁷ as it. It maintains that But the Levites he (hu) shall do the service of the tent of meeting should be interpreted: But the Levites shall do the service of it (hu), namely, the tent of meeting (Weiser). Filwarg claims that hu refers to the kohen. In this case, But the Levites he (hu) shall do the service of the tent of meeting should be interpreted: But the Levites shall do the service of him (the kohen) and of the tent of meeting. However, this is incorrect, for the service of the tent of meeting is the object.⁴⁸ (shall do the service).

footnotes: ⁴⁶ Our clause literally reads, But the Levites he (hu ⁴⁷ This interpretation renders hu ⁴⁸ Of ve-avad

AND THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITY. If they do not keep the charge. Now, the tithe is their inheritance. I therefore stated: [and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance].

AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING. To Moses, not to Aaron, for Scripture goes on to say that the Levites are to give a tithe to Aaron from the tithe [they received].⁴⁹

footnotes: ⁴⁹ It would be out of place for Aaron to issue such a command.

AND AS THE FULNESS. I have already explained the meaning of the word mele’ah (fullness).⁵⁰ as referring to wine.

footnotes: ⁵⁰ See I.E. on Ex. 22:25, where he explains mele’ah

OF ALL THE BEST THEREOF.⁵¹). Hence I.E.’s explanation. The meaning of mi-kol chelbo is, of all the best thereof. And ye shall eat the fat (chelev) of the land (Gen. 45:18) is similar.⁵²

footnotes: ⁵¹ Literally, of all the fat thereof (chelbo ⁵² Its meaning is, And you shall eat of the best of the land.

EVEN THE HALLOWED PART THEREOF. For the tenth part thereof is the holy part.⁵³ refers to its tithe.

footnotes: ⁵³ Thus the hallowed part thereof

[WHEN YE SET APART THE BEST THEREOF.] This has already been mentioned by Scripture.⁵⁴ It is repeated in order to connect it to that which follows. Its meaning is, you⁵⁵ are prohibited to eat of it⁵⁶ until you set apart the best thereof,⁵⁷ and afterwards it⁵⁸ shall be counted [as the grain of the threshing floor] and you⁵⁹ may eat it in every clean place.⁶⁰ as in every clean place. However, according to the halakha the Levite may eat the remaining tithe even in a cemetery. See Rashi.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ In the previous verse. ⁵⁵ The Levites. ⁵⁶ From the tithe given to you. ⁵⁷ A tenth thereof. ⁵⁸ The remainder. ⁵⁹ The Levites. ⁶⁰ I.E. interprets every place

AND YE SHALL BEAR NO SIN BY REASON OF IT. This means when you set apart the best of it⁶¹ you shall bear no sin through it.⁶² Furthermore, when you give the hallowed part thereof,⁶³. the sacred donations of the children of Israel will be preserved.⁶⁴ However, if you do not offer to tithe, then you will bear a sin, for you will have trespassed the commandment and profaned the holy things of the children of Israel because you ate its holy part.

footnotes: ⁶¹ A tenth of the tithe. ⁶² By not tithing (Rashi). ⁶³ To the kohen ⁶⁴ The tithes which the children of Israel gave to the Levites will not be desecrated.