EVERY LEPER, AND EVERY ONE THAT HATH AN ISSUE,¹. A zav or a zavah is a person who has an abnormal discharge from the genital organs. AND WHOSOEVER IS UNCLEAN BY THE DEAD. These are states of uncleanliness that last for seven days. They also render others unclean.² and the zavah, see Lev. 15:1-28. For the uncleanliness of those who come into contact with the dead, see Num. 19:1- 22. Therefore a person who had a seminal omission does not leave the camp.³ Similarly, no place was setaside outside the camp⁴ for the performing of bodily functions.⁵ On the contrary, each person dug in his own tent⁶ as is the custom with all the camps, for there were children among them.⁷ Now the section which opens with When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies (Deut. 23:10) speaks of a small camp wherein there are no women, and the ark is among them and they do not surround the ark.⁸ [They have to leave the camp],⁹ for God’s presence is in the center of any Israelite camp. I will explain this in its proper place.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹ Hebrew, zav ² For the uncleanliness of the zav ³ The camp discussed in our chapter, i.e., the camp of the entire people of Israel. I.E. comments thus because one who has a seminal mission is obligated to leave a camp of soldiers who go to war. See Deut. 23:10-14. ⁴ See note 3. ⁵ As there was in the case of a camp of soldiers. See Deut. 23:10-14. ⁶ Dug a pit for his bodily excretions. ⁷ It would be very difficult to take children outside of the camp every time they had to relieve themselves. ⁸ With a fence as they do in a large camp (see I.E. on Deut. 23:10). Thus in a small camp, or a war camp, the ark is exposed. Some manuscripts read, and they surround the ark; i.e., they are in close proximity to the ark. ⁹ A war camp. ¹⁰ See I.E. on Deut. 23:10. For another interpretation, see Weiser.

FEMALE. A woman who has an irregular menstrual flow,¹¹ a normal menstrual flow,¹² a woman who is a leper¹³ or who was made unclean by a dead body.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹¹ See Lev. 15:25-28. ¹² Lev. 15:19-24. ¹³ See Lev. 13:1-46. ¹⁴ Num. 19:11-22.

AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SO. Immediately, before they journeyed. When the unclean journeyed, they journeyed between the standard of Ephraim¹⁵ and the standard of Dan.¹⁶ The aforementioned is based on logic,¹⁷ for this is not explained in Scripture. The section that begins with When a man or woman [shall commit any sin that men commit, to commit a trespass against the Lord]¹⁸ follows the previous chapter¹⁹ because leprosy and unclean issue²⁰. are brought about by trespassing against the Lord.²¹ 16b. The reason this section is repeated²² is that the Torah wants to mention but if the man have no kinsman (v. 8).²³

footnotes: ¹⁵ The standard of Ephraim journeyed in front of the standard of Dan. ¹⁶ The standard of Dan journeyed at the rear. See Num. 10:25. ¹⁷ For it is hard to believe that the unclean traveled outside of the standards and were thus exposed to danger. ¹⁸ Verses 6-10. ¹⁹ Verses 1-4. ²⁰ Hebrew, zav ²¹ They are punishments for sin. See Arakin ²² The material in verses 5-10 repeats what has already been stated in Lev. 5:20-26. ²³ This law is not mentioned in Lev 5:20-26.

THEN THEY SHALL CONFESS. Whichever one it be, a man or a woman.

IN FULL. Be-rosho (in full) means as it is, not less than it is.²⁴ literally means at its head, or at first. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ²⁴ Be-rosho

AND ADD UNTO IT THE FIFTH PART. If he confesses on his own. However, if there are witnesses then he shall add two fifths. Those who transmitted the law²⁵ say a fifth of a fifth.²⁶ 108a. See Rashi on Lev. 5:24, “If he denies the fifth (i.e., he asserts that he has repaid both capital and fifth, but has not really paid the latter, for which a claim is now made against him) and takes an oath that he has paid it but afterwards admits the claim, then he must now bring (pay) a fifth in addition to this fifth (a fifth of the original fifth which now become the keren (capital) in addition to it).” (Rosenbaum and Silbermann translation). Their minds are greater than ours.

footnotes: ²⁵ The Talmudic sages. ²⁶ See Baba Kamma

THE RESTITUTION…SHALL BE THE LORDS. For he made restitution because of his fear of the Lord.²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ He confessed because of his fear of the Lord.

AND EVERY MAN’S HALLOWED THINGS SHALL BE HIS. Its meaning is that they belong to the one who hallows them. He may give them to any kohen that he wants to. This is noted because Scripture mentions the gifts given to the kohanim.²⁸

footnotes: ²⁸ In verse 9.

The portion dealing with a straying wife follows²⁹ because the straying wife commits a trespass against her husband.³⁰

footnotes: ²⁹ The portion that deals with one who trespasses against the Lord. ³⁰ They are thus thematically connected.

IF ANY MAN’S WIFE GO ASIDE. Tisteh means will go aside from the right way.³¹ means to go aside. Here, to go aside from the right path. Similarly seteh (go aside) in Go aside from it (Prov. 4:15).

footnotes: ³¹ In other words, the word tisteh

CARNALLY. Shikhvat zera (carnally) refers to carnal laying. It is called shikhvat zera³² because its purpose is for seed.³³

footnotes: ³² Literally, laying of seed. ³³ Its purpose is for ejaculation (Weiser). Or its purpose is to produce children.

AND IT BE HID. She did not reveal the matter. There is not even one witness through whom she is suspect.

NEITHER SHE BE TAKEN IN THE ACT. By witnesses, men or women, so that she be suspected.

AND THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY COME UPON HIM. Ru’ach (spirit) is masculine here.³⁴ (come upon), the verb governing ru’ach, is masculine. Similarly ru’ach (wind) in and a great and strong wind (I Kings 19:11).³⁵ (strong), one of the verbs governing ru’ach, is masculine.

footnotes: ³⁴ Avar ³⁵ Here too chazak

COME. Come upon his mind.

BRING. Against her will.

FOR HER. Aleha (for her) means with her or because of her.³⁶ is, upon her. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ³⁶ The usual meaning of aleha

BARLEY MEAL. Our rabbis said, she acted like a beast, let her bring the food of a beast.³⁷ 2:1. A free-will meal offering consists of pure wheat flower so that the celebrant will be remembered for good. However, this meal offering recalls a sin, if a sin was committed. Hence it is an inferior offering and consists of barley without oil and without frankincense.

footnotes: ³⁷ Mishnah, Sotah

AND THE PRIEST SHALL BRING HER NEAR. Her³⁸. refers to the meal offering.³⁹ literally means her. However, it also means it.

footnotes: ³⁸ Hebrew, otah ³⁹ Not the woman. The word otah

AND SET HER⁴⁰ is to make the woman stand before the Lord. BEFORE THE LORD. Before the altar.

footnotes: ⁴⁰ The meal offering. I.E. explains our verse in this way because verse 18 tells us that the kohen

HOLY WATER. From the basin, for it has already become holy.⁴¹

footnotes: ⁴¹ By being in the basin.

ON THE FLOOR OF THE TABERNACLE. The reference is to the well-known floor.⁴² (dust) has a definite article before it, a heh with a segol beneath it. Hence I.E.’s comment. The word afar (dust) has a definite article before it. It refers to the earth which is beneath the floor.⁴³ (in the dust) refers to the earth which is beneath the floor of a certain spot in the tabernacle. See Mishnah Sotah 2:2.

footnotes: ⁴² The word afar ⁴³ In other words, be-afar

AND LET THE HAIR OF THE WOMAN’S HEAD GO LOOSE. Para (go loose) means he shall uncover.⁴⁴. However, I believe that it means he shall take out the hair of the woman, which was covered, and let it go loose.

footnotes: ⁴⁴ According to this opinion the meaning of our verse is, and he shall uncover (u-fara) the hair of the woman

THE WATER OF BITTERNESS. It is my opinion that the word me (water) is in the construct⁴⁵ and the word ha-marim is an adjective.⁴⁶ If so, then its secret is known.⁴⁷ is short for me ha-sammim ha-marim (the water containing the bitter ingredient). See Sotah 20a. It is also possible that the waters were so called because of their ultimate taste.⁴⁸ Compare, And stripped the naked of their clothing (Job 22:6).⁴⁹ And the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter (v. 24) is proof of this, for this verse indicates that the oaths,⁵⁰ which they that cause the curses⁵¹ refers to, will make the sweet waters bitter.

footnotes: ⁴⁵ With a missing word. ⁴⁶ Describing the missing word. ⁴⁷ We know what word is missing. According to I.E. the phrase me ha- marim ⁴⁸ The waters were not yet bitter. They only turned bitter at the end. Hence I.E. explains that they are called the bitter waters because they were ultimately bitter. ⁴⁹ One cannot strip a naked person. Thus what Scripture means is that the one who was ultimately naked was stripped. ⁵⁰ Mentioned in verse 19. The waters turned bitter after the oaths were dissolved in it. ⁵¹ The curses come about through her false swearing.

The word ha-me’arerim (that causeth the curse) is a pi’el. It is like the word erarah (cursed) in which the Lord hath cursed (Gen. 5:29).⁵². The root alef, resh, resh usually comes in the kal. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁵² It too is a pi’el

[SHALL CAUSE HER TO SWEAR.] Its meaning is that the woman shall answer, Amen, Amen.

IF NO MAN HAVE LAIN WITH THEE. Its meaning is, if another man has not forced himself upon you.⁵³ cannot be taken literally because we are dealing with a married women. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁵³ If no man have lain with thee

AND IF THOU HAST NOT GONE ASIDE. Willingly. Satit means you have gone aside and committed an unclean act.⁵⁴ is short for satit tume’ah. It is similar to thou shalt not build it of hewn stones (Ex. 20:25).⁵⁵. I.E. believes that this is short for: you shall not build a hewn structure out of them. See I.E. on Ex. 20:25 and the notes thereto (Vol. 2, p. 443-4).

footnotes: ⁵⁴ In other words, satit ⁵⁵ Ex. 20:25 literally reads, you shall not build them uncut stones

BE THOU FREE. The meaning of hinnaki is, be thou free.⁵⁶ is an imperative. It literally means free yourself. However, it cannot mean that here, for it is not in the power of the woman to free herself. Hence hinnaki must be taken as an imperfect rather than as an imperative, even though it has the form of the latter. It is similar to and die in the mount (Deut. 32:50).⁵⁷ (and die), an imperative, must be interpreted as if written ve-tamut (and you will die), for the time of one’s natural death is not in one’s hands. See I.E. on Gen. 1:22 and the notes thereto (Vol. 1, p. 42). It is possible that the first time Scripture says, and the priest shall cause her to swear⁵⁸ means, and the priest shall cause her to swear by invoking God’s name. The second time this phrase is used⁵⁹ it means, as Scripture notes,⁶⁰ via the curses.

footnotes: ⁵⁶ Hinnaki ⁵⁷ U-mot ⁵⁸ That is, in our verse. ⁵⁹ That is, in verse 21. ⁶⁰ In verse 21.

THY THIGH…THY BELLY. They are the neighbors.⁶¹

footnotes: ⁶¹ They are near the genital organs.

TO SWELL. The word tzavah means to swell. The word is not found anywhere else in Scripture.⁶²

footnotes: ⁶² Literally, has no neighbor except in this chapter. Neither this word nor any word with the same root is found any where else in Scripture, only here.

TO FALL AWAY. The lamed of lanpil (to fall away) is vocalized with a pattach because the heh of the form⁶³. is missing.⁶⁴ is short for le-hanpil. The same is true of the word lashmid (to destroy) (Is. 23:11).⁶⁵ is short for le-hashmid.

footnotes: ⁶³ The hifil ⁶⁴ Lanpil ⁶⁵ Lashmid

AMEN, AMEN. The word amen is repeated for emphasis.⁶⁶ says.

footnotes: ⁶⁶ To indicate that the woman fully agrees with what the kohen

[IN A SCROLL.] They had a specific scroll for curses.⁶⁷ (in a book). Ba-sefer literally means in the book. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁶⁷ According to I.E. they had a special book which was used for this ritual. Our verse reads ba-sefer

THE MEMORIAL-PART THEREOF.⁶⁸. This literally means her memorial. Hence I.E.’s comment. That which served as her memorial, for good or bad in accordance with her deeds.

footnotes: ⁶⁸ The Hebrew reads azkaratah

AND HAVE ACTED UNFAITHFULLY. Va-timal ma’al (and have acted unfaithfully) is to be understood here as I have explained.⁶⁹ It refers to something covered.⁷⁰ means to remove a cover (me’il), to uncover that which should remain covered. Va-time’ol ma’al thus means, and have committed an act of treachery.

footnotes: ⁶⁹ See I.E. on Lev. 5:15. ⁷⁰ According to I.E. on Lev. 5:15, the phrase li-me’ol ma’al

AND SHALL CONCEIVE SEED. God will give her seed in recompense for the shame which befell her.

SHALL BEAR HER INIQUITY. If she was defiled.

Our verse states, And the man shall be clear from iniquity.⁷¹ For if a spirit of jealousy came upon him she is prohibited to him. He is not allowed to be with her.⁷² If he sleeps with her, he is guilty of sin. Some say that the section dealing with the Nazirite follows the section dealing with the wife who is accused of adultery because if the latter was not defiled, then she will have a son who is a Nazirite. However, I believe that the chapter dealing with the Nazirite follows [the chapter dealing with the wife who is accused of adultery] because it lays down the law regarding a female Nazirite who is the reverse of the unfaithful wife. Now wine⁷³ causes most sins. Furthermore, a woman who does not fix her hair⁷⁴ does not seek sexual relations.⁷⁵

footnotes: ⁷¹ If the woman is exonerated and he has relations with her. ⁷² If a man suspects his wife of adultery, he is prohibited from having sexual relations with her until she is exonerated. ⁷³ Which the Nazirite forswears. ⁷⁴ The Nazirite is prohibited from cutting hair. ⁷⁵ Thus the female Nazirite who abstains from wine and does not cut her hair is the reverse of the unfaithful wife who drinks wine and does cut her hair.