Rashi on TanakhLeviticus 22

And let them keep away, [The word] נְזִירָה refers to “separation,” and so too [the verse] says: “And he separates himself from following Me,” “They are gone away backward,” [thus implying here:] they shall separate [themselves] from holy things in the days of their impurity. And let them keep away from the holy offerings of Bnei Yisroel, which they sanctify for Me, and not profane My Holy Name. Reverse the verse and expound it.

Which they sanctify for Me, [this redundancy comes] to include the holy offerings of the kohanim themselves.

Any person who shall draw near. This [expression of] “drawing near” refers to eating, and so we have found that the prohibition of eating holy flesh while [in a state of ritual] uncleanness is expressed by [a word implying] “touching”: “Anything holy she shall not touch” — which is a prohibition for one who eats [the flesh], and our Rabbis derived it from a gezeroh shovoh. And it is impossible to say that he is liable for touching, since koreis is mentioned regarding eating in [the Sidroh] of Tzav es Aharon: Two kerisos are [mentioned] next to one another, and if he is liable for touching, it would not have been necessary to make him liable for eating± so is it expounded in Toras Kohanim: Is then a kohein who [merely] touches [sacrificial flesh when he is unclean] liable [to koreis]? If so, why does the verse say: “who draws near” [rather than “who eats”]? [It is said in order to teach that] once it is fit to be offered [= brought near], they [= those who eat it] are not liable for uncleanness unless that which makes it permissible is offered. And if you say: Why are three kerisos regarding impurity of kohanim? [They] were already expounded in Maseches Shevu’os: One is [to teach] a general rule [regarding all sacrifices], one [teaches the rule regarding] a particular case, etc. [and one to teach regarding a sliding-scale sacrifice, which is recorded only to prescribe atonement for the uncleanness of the Temple and its holy food].

While his impurity is on him — and the impurity of a human being is on him. Perhaps the verse speaks of the impurity of flesh — “and the impurity of the [sacrificial] flesh is on it”? — And regarding a clean [kohein] who ate unclean [flesh], does scripture speak? [No.] You are forced to learn from what is implied in it. Of one whose impurity passes away from him, does the verse speak. And this refers to a human being whose purification is by immersion.

Shall be cut off. Perhaps [he shall be uprooted] from this side [of the world] to the [other] side [of the world]? [Perhaps] he will be cut off [= exiled] from his [native] place and be settled in another place? The verse says: “I am Adonoy” — [he will be cut off] from wherever I am.

Anything defiled by the dead, [referring] to one who becomes [ritually] impure by [contact] with the dead.

Any creeping creature that causes impurity to him, in the minimum size which is capable of causing impurity, [that is, the size of] a lentil.

Or any person, a dead body.

Who causes impurity to him, in [the] minimum size to cause impurity, and that is [the volume of] an olive’s-bulk.

[With] whatever impurity he has, this includes one who touches a zov, or a zovoh, or a niddoh, or a woman who has just given birth.

Anyone touching [that person] — any of these [ritually] unclean [persons].

And afterwards, he may eat of the holy things. [This] is expounded in [Maseches] Yevomos [as concerning] terumoh, which [kohanim] are permitted to eat at sunset.

Of the holy things. but not all the holy things.

An animal which has died on its own, or an animal that was fatally maimed, he must not eat to defile himself with it. [This verse] warns regarding the matter of uncleanness. That if he ate the carcass of a [ritually] clean bird, which has no [rule of] uncleanness of touch and carrying, except for the uncleanness [caused by] eating as soon as it is in the gullet — he is forbidden to eat holy things. [Furthermore,] it was necessary to state u’trefah, [to indicate that the word neveiloh] [refers to] an animal whose species includes a trefah — excluding the carcass of an unclean bird which does not include a trefah within its species.

They shall keep My charge not to eat terumoh while [in a state of] bodily uncleanness.

And die because of it. This has taught us that [violation of this prohibition] is [punishable] by death at the hands of Heaven.

No stranger (non-kohein) may eat holy things. The verse speaks of terumoh, for the whole passage speaks of it.

One indentured to a kohein or one hired — [that is,] the indentured servant of a kohein or his hired hand. That is why [the word] “ תּוֹשַׁב “ is vocalized with a פַּתַּח, because it is connected [to the following word]. And what is a תּוֹשָׁב ? This is [a Hebrew servant] who [has had his ear] pierced, who belongs [to his master] until the Jubilee year. And what is a שָׂכִיר ? One who belongs [to his master] for [a period] of years, who leaves [his master’s service] in six years. The verse has come and taught you here, that he does not belong bodily to his master [which would allow him to] eat terumoh.

If a kohein shall purchase a person [as a slave], a Canaanite slave who belongs bodily [to his master].

And the [slave] born in his house, these are the children of the maidservants. [Furthermore, the law that] the wife of a kohein may eat terumoh [is derived] from this verse, for she too is an acquisition obtained with his money. and [this law] is also learned from another verse: “Every [ritually] clean person in your house [may eat of it]” — in Sifrei.

To a non-kohein, [that is,] to a Levite or an Israelite.

Widowed or divorced — from the non-kohein.

And she has no children from him.

And she returns — therefore, if she has children from him, she is forbidden [to eat] terumoh as long as the children live.

No non-kohein may eat of it, [this repetition] comes only to exclude an onein [from the prohibition] — for he is permitted [to eat] terumoh. I said to you: A non-kohein [is forbidden to eat terumoh], but not an onein.

If a man eats of holy things — terumah.

And give to the kohein the holy thing. Something which is fit to become holy — that he not pay him in coin, but in common [i.e., non-holy] produce, which becomes terumoh.

They shall not profane, etc. To feed them to strangers.

They burden them[selves] [they] themselves will bear the sin — when they eat their holy things, that were separated for the sake of terumoh and became holy and were forbidden to them [= the strangers]. And Onkelos who translated “in their eating [of it] in impurity,” translated it thus unnecessarily.

They burden them[selves]. This is one of three [mentions of the word] es in the Torah which R. Yishmo’el would expound [as though the verses] were speaking of the person himself; and so [too]: “on the day in which the time of his nezirus is fulfilled, he shall bring him” — he shall bring himself; and so [too]: “and he buried him in the valley” — he buried himself. So is it expounded in Sifre.

Vows — [he says:] “I am obligated [to bring this sacrifice].”

Free-will-offerings, [he says:] “Behold, this [I will bring].”

To gain acceptance — bring something fit to ingratiate yourselves before Me, that [the offering] should be acceptable for you, apayement in Old French. And what is fitting for acceptance?

An unblemished male of cattle, sheep or goats. But a bird burnt-offering does not require an unblemished state and masculinity, and is not invalidated by a blemish, but [rather] by loss of a limb.

To fulfill an articulated vow, to express [clearly] by his speech.

Blind, [this is] the noun [denoting] the blemish, “blindness” in a feminine form. It shall not have the blemish of blindness.

Or broken-limbed it shall not be.

Or cracked, an eye-lid which is split or nipped, and so [too if] its lip is split or nipped.

Wart. Verue in Old French.

Scurf, a type of lichen and so [too] scab, and the expression of “scab” is like [= related to] “And Samson took hold [of the two middle pillars].” [It is so called because] it keeps its hold on him [= the sick peron] to the day of his death, for it has no cure.

You shall not bring — [this is mentioned] three times, [once] to forbid its designation [as an offering], [once to forbid] its slaughter, [and once to forbid] the sprinkling of its blood.

And as a fire-offering you shall not place — a prohibition [against] burning them [on the altar].

Soru’o. [where] one limb is larger than the other.

Or kolut. [an animal] whose hooves are uncloven.

You shall make it as a free-will-offering — for the repair of the Temple.

[But] for [the fulfillment of] a vow — for the altar,

it will not be favorably accepted. What dedicated thing comes to gain acceptance? Say: this is the dedicated [animal intended] for the altar.

And crushed, mangled, torn or cut off — [referring to the animal’s] testicles or organ.

Crushed, its testicles are crushed by hand.

Mangled, cut off to a greater extent [than the cutting described] by “crushed.”

Torn, torn by hand until the threads by which they hang are separated, but they are still in the pouch, and the pouch is not cut off.

Cut off, cut off with an instrument, but they are still in the pouch.

And crushed, its Targum is “and which is bruised,” this is its meaning in Aramaic — an expression of “crushing.”

And mangled, its Targum is “and which is smashed,” as [in the verse]: “The great house shall be smitten into fragments” — into small pieces, and so [too in the Talmudic expression]: “a reed broken into small pieces.”

In your land shall you not do this thing, to castrate any animal or beast, even a [ritually] unclean one — therefore it is said, “in your land,” to include all that is in your land, for it is impossible to say that they were commanded regarding castration only in the land [of Israel], for [the prohibition of] castration is an obligation [pertaining to] the person, and every obligation [pertaining to] the person applies both in the land and outside the land.

From a stranger’s hand [you shall not bring], that he brought a sacrifice by the hand of a kohein, to offer it to Heaven. You shall not bring on his behalf a blemished [animal]. And even though blemished [animals] were not forbidden as an offering from the sons of Noach, except if they were missing a limb, this applies only to altars in the fields, but [animals brought] on the altar of the Tabernacle you should not bring, though unblemished [offerings] you may accept from them. Therefore it was said above: “Any man” — to include non-Jews who may make vows and bring free-will-offerings as [do] Israelites.

Wounds, wounds, (quoting Targum).

They will not be favorably accepted for you, to atone for you.

When it is born, excluding a Caesarian section.

It and its offspring. [This rule] applies to a female [animal], for it is forbidden to slaughter the mother [together with] the son or daughter [on the same day]. It does not apply to male [animals], and it is permitted to slaughter the father and the son.

It and its offspring, even its offspring and it are implied [in the expression].

That it be favorably accepted for you shall you sacrifice it. [That is, at] the outset of its slaughtering, be careful that it should bring acceptance for you, and what is it that assures its acceptance?

On that day [that it is sacrificed] it may be eaten. This comes to warn that the slaughtering should be for this purpose — do not slaughter it in order to eat it tomorrow, for if you have invalidating thoughts, it will not be acceptable for you. Another interpretation: That it be favorably accepted for you — consciously; from here [we learn] that one who is preoccupied [and in this state slaughters an offering], it is invalid in regard to the slaughter of holy offerings. And even though it detailed [this rule] in regard to [sacrifices] eaten for two days [and the night between], [the verse] again detailed [it here], regarding [those] eaten for one day — that their slaughter should be with the intention to eat them in their [proper] time. On that day [that it is sacrificed] you should eat it. This comes only to warn that the slaughter should be for this purpose, for if [it comes] to set a time of eating, [that] was already written: “The flesh of his peace-offering for thanksgiving [shall be eaten on the day of his offering].”

I am Adonoy. Know Who decrees [this] thing, and let it not be trivial in your eyes.

You shall preserve — this [refers] to study.

And fulfill — this [refers] to action.

You shall not profane, to transgress My words intentionally. Since it is said, “and you shall not profane,” why does the verse say, “and I will be sanctified”? Surrender yourself [to martyrdom] and sanctify My Name! Perhaps [this command applies even when] he is alone? The verse says: Among Bnei Yisroel. And when he surrenders himself, he should surrender himself in order to die, for whoever surrenders himself [to martyrdom] for the sake of a miracle, a miracle is not performed for him. For so we find in [the case of] Chananiyoh, Misho’el and Azariyoh, who did not surrender themselves for the sake of a miracle, as it is said, “But if not [= if He does not save us], be it known to you, o King, [that we will not serve your gods], etc.” — whether He saves [us] or whether he does not save [us], it should be known to you, etc. [= that we will not serve your idols]

Who brought you out — for this purpose.

I am Adonoy, faithful to give reward.