פרשת אמור — שלישי (Aliyah 3)
Parashat Emor | Leviticus 22:17–22:33 | Aliyah 3 of 7
קלאוד על הפרשה
The third aliyah of Parashat Emor extends the central principle that animated the second aliyah and applies it to a new domain. Where the previous section disqualified kohanim with bodily blemishes (mumin) from serving at the altar, our section now disqualifies animals with parallel blemishes from being offered upon it. The structural symmetry is deliberate and theologically dense: the Torah requires both the human servant and the animal offering to be tamim, “whole” or “unblemished.” Sforno articulates the theological grounding explicitly when he writes on verse 19 that the unblemished animal mirrors its Creator, “for the Rock, His work is perfect” (הצור תמים פעלו). What is brought near to God must reflect, in its physical integrity, something of the integrity of the One to whom it is brought.
The list of disqualifying blemishes (verses 22-24) is precise and graded. Verse 22 enumerates six visible defects — blindness (avveret), broken limb, maimed feature (charutz), wen (yabbelet), and two skin conditions (garav and yallefet) — which Rashi defines from the tradition of Bekhorot, noting that ילפת derives from the verb “to grasp” because it clings to the animal until death without remedy. Verse 23 treats sarua and kalut, animals whose limbs are abnormally extended or contracted; here the Torah introduces a striking partial leniency: such animals may be donated as nedavah for the upkeep of the Temple structure (bedek habayit, per Rashi) but cannot be brought as a vowed sacrifice on the altar. The Torah thus distinguishes between offerings whose value alone is consecrated and offerings whose body itself becomes holy. Verse 24 then prohibits offering animals whose reproductive organs have been bruised, crushed, torn, or cut — and extends the prohibition into a general ban on castrating any animal, anywhere in the Land or outside it. Rashi, citing Kiddushin, insists that “your land” comes to include rather than to limit: this is a personal obligation that travels with the Jew wherever he goes. Even gentiles, the Torah adds in verse 25, may not present blemished animals through Jewish hands for the altar of the Sanctuary, since “their corruption is in them.”
A new revelation begins in verse 26, marked by the formula “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying” — and turns from blemishes intrinsic to the animal’s body to blemishes of timing. A newborn ox, sheep, or goat must remain seven days with its mother, and only “from the eighth day onward shall it be acceptable as a fire offering to the Lord.” The eighth day resonates throughout Sefer Vayikra: the eighth day of the milu’im when Aharon’s service began, the eighth day of brit milah, the eighth day of the metzora’s purification. As Ibn Ezra observes, the parallel to circumcision is exact — a creature is brought into the covenantal service of God only after it has completed a full natural week of life. The aliyah continues with the prohibition of slaughtering an animal and its young on the same day (oto v’et b’no, verse 28), which Rashi clarifies applies to the dam and her offspring whether male or female. Then the law of the todah — the thanksgiving offering — is reiterated: it must be slaughtered with the intention that it be eaten the same day, for as Sforno explains, God’s perfect work tolerates neither contraction nor expansion of the boundaries He has set.
The aliyah closes with what is arguably the most weighty mitzvah in the Torah: the dual command of kiddush Hashem and the prohibition of chillul Hashem (verses 31-33). “You shall keep My commandments and do them: I am the Lord. You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel.” Rashi, drawing from the Sifra, reads the positive command as the source of the obligation of martyrdom: when faced with the demand to transgress publicly, “give yourself over and sanctify My name.” He adds, citing the example of Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah in Daniel chapter 3, that one must offer oneself with full readiness to die — for those who give themselves up only on condition of a miracle do not have miracles performed for them. The command requires “the midst of the children of Israel” — a public dimension, not a private gesture. Ibn Ezra notes that this entire concluding section addresses the kohanim specifically, since priests, who stand closest to the holy, bear the greatest responsibility for either sanctifying or profaning the Name through their conduct. Sforno adds the painful counterpoint from Yechezkel 36 — the exiles who, by their behavior in foreign lands, caused the nations to mock and say, “These are the people of the Lord?” — making chillul Hashem not merely a private sin but a desecration that spreads outward.
The closing verse anchors the entire aliyah in the Exodus: “I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I am the Lord” (22:33). Ibn Ezra identifies this verse with the first statement of the Decalogue (אנכי ה’ אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים) and calls it “the root of all the commandments.” Rashi reads the verse as conditional: God brought us out on this condition — that we sanctify His name. Sforno deepens this: God desires to lead Israel directly, without intermediaries, as a perfect God leads beings free of material limitation, and this immediate Providence depends on Israel walking in the ways of His holiness. The aliyah thus moves in a single arc from the body of the offered animal to the body of the people Israel: both must be tamim, both must reflect the perfection of the One who calls them near, and both serve a single purpose — that the Name be sanctified, never profaned, in the midst of the world.
Leviticus 22:17–22:33 · ויקרא כב:יז–כב:לג
פסוק כב:יז · 22:17
Hebrew:
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
English:
יהוה spoke to Moses, saying:
פסוק כב:יח · 22:18
Hebrew:
דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־בָּנָ֗יו וְאֶל֙ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַקְרִ֤יב קׇרְבָּנוֹ֙ לְכׇל־נִדְרֵיהֶם֙ וּלְכׇל־נִדְבוֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַיהֹוָ֖ה לְעֹלָֽה׃
English:
Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the Israelite people, and say to them: When any person of the house of Israel or of the strangers in Israel presents a burnt offering as the offering for any of the votive or any of the freewill offerings that they offer to יהוה,
The address opens to kohanim and Israelites alike, including the ger, signaling that the laws of valid offerings apply universally to anyone who brings a korban. Rashi distinguishes the two categories named here: a neder is a vow whose obligation is taken upon oneself ('Behold, I take it upon myself'), while a nedavah is a freewill designation of a specific animal ('Behold, this animal'). Ibn Ezra notes that having addressed the priests' holiness, Scripture now turns to the holiness of what is offered.
רש״יRashi
נדריהם. הֲרֵי עָלַי: נדבותם. הֲרֵי זוֹ:
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 THEIR FREE-WILL OFFERINGS — [it is a נדבה when one states:] Behold, this animal [shall be a burnt-offering] (Megillah 8a).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ואחרי שהזכיר קדשי בני ישראל הזהיר שלא יביאו הקדשים מבעלי המומין: וטעם ומן הגר. כי משפט אחד לנודר ולמתנדב לישראל ולגר כי כן כתוב וחכמים הפרישו בין נדר ובין נדבה וכל נדר נדבה ואין כל נדבה נדר וכל קרבן שיעלה כלו על המזבח ראוי להיותו בלא מום::
After mentioning the holy things of the children of Israel26The offerings of the children of Israel. See verse 2. Scripture goes on27In the next section. to caution the Israelites to not bring the holy things from blemished animals. [STRANGERS.] Scripture reads or of the strangers for it is stated that there is one law for the Israelite and the stranger who offer a vow or freewill offering.28See Num. 15:14-16. The sages differentiated between a vow offering and a freewill offering.29See Kinnim 1:1. All vow offerings are freewill offerings. However, not all freewill offerings are vow offerings.30One can set aside a freewill offering without taking a vow to bring a freewill offering. It is fitting that all sacrifices that are offered in their entirety31A burnt offering. on the altar be unblemished.32The same applies to other offerings. I.E. speaks of a burnt offering because our verse does.
ספורנוSforno
אשר יקריב קרבנו. אחר שדבר בכהנים המקריבים וקדושתם דבר בתנאי הנקרבים ואמר לכל נדריהם ולכל נדבותם. שאף על פי שהם קרבנות נדבה ויחשוב שכל מה שיתנדב אפילו בעל מום יהיה לרצון כיון שלא היה זה שנתן חובה עליו כמו שחשבו קצת מישראל והראה טעותם הנביא באמרו וכי תגישון עור לזבוח אין רע וכי תגישו פסח וחולה אין רע הקריבהו נא לפחתך:
אשר יקריב קרבנו, after the Torah had addressed the priests, who offer the sacrifices on the altar as well as their status of sanctity, it now discusses rules applying to the offerings themselves., saying that the following applies to לכל נדריהם ולכל נדבותם, even these offerings were voluntary offerings as opposed to mandatory offerings, and I might have thought that any such offering, even of a blemished animal, would be gratefully accepted by G'd, seeing the individual in question was under no obligation to offer any sacrifice at this time, the Torah states flatly that this is not so. The author, quoting Maleachi 1,5 as proof that one would not dare offer a gift to a human ruler that was less than perfect, how much less would one dare to do this "for" G'd, concludes that there must have been people in his time guilty of mistaking what is expected of them and offering inferior animals as sacrifices.
פסוק כב:יט · 22:19
Hebrew:
לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֑ם תָּמִ֣ים זָכָ֔ר בַּבָּקָ֕ר בַּכְּשָׂבִ֖ים וּבָֽעִזִּֽים׃
English:
it must, to be acceptable in your favor, be a male without blemish, from cattle or sheep or goats.
The verse defines the essential conditions for a valid burnt offering: it must be tamim (unblemished) and male, drawn from cattle, sheep, or goats. Rashi explains lirtzonchem as 'bring something fitting to effect propitiation for you before Me,' and notes that the requirements of unblemished status and male sex apply only to mammal offerings, not to bird offerings, which are disqualified only by missing limbs. Sforno grounds the requirement of tamim in the verse 'the Rock, His work is perfect' (Devarim 32:4) — what is offered to a perfect Creator must itself be perfect.
רש״יRashi
לרצנכם. הָבִיאוּ דָּבָר הָרָאוּי לְרַצּוֹת אֶתְכֶם לְפָנַי, שֶׁיְּהֵא לָכֶם לְרָצוֹן, אפיי"מנט בְּלַעַז, וְאֵיזֶהוּ הָרָאוּי לְרָצוֹן? תמים זכר בבקר בכבשים ובעזים. אֲבָל בְּעוֹלַת הָעוֹף אֵין צָרִיךְ תַּמּוּת וְזַכְרוּת, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְסָל בְּמוּם אֶלָּא בְּחֶסְרוֹן אֵבֶר (ספרא):
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 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).
ספורנוSforno
לרצונכם. לקרבן שיהיה לרצון לכם ולא לבדק הבית: תמים זכר. שיהיה תמים כי אמנם הצור תמים פעלו ותמים ירצה וזה באר באמרו:
לרצונכם , as a sacrifice that will confer G'd's goodwill upon you, and not for the Temple treasury. תמים זכר, it must be male and unblemished seeing the Creator is described as having produced work which is perfect, unblemished, when He created the universe. (Compare Deuteronomy 32,4)
פסוק כב:כ · 22:20
Hebrew:
כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ מ֖וּם לֹ֣א תַקְרִ֑יבוּ כִּי־לֹ֥א לְרָצ֖וֹן יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃
English:
You shall not offer any that has a defect, for it will not be accepted in your favor.
The verse states the negative formulation: any animal that bears a defect must not be offered, because such an offering will not effect divine favor. Sforno connects this to the rebuke of Malachi 1:8 — one would not dare present a flawed gift even to a human ruler. The verse establishes the basic principle before the Torah proceeds to enumerate specific blemishes in the verses that follow.
ספורנוSforno
כל אשר בו מום לא תקריבו כי לא לרצון יהיה לכם. כענין הירצך או הישא פניך ואחר שהזהיר על העולה שהיא קדשי קדשים שיהיה זכר ושלא יהיה בו מום ובאר שזה אינו מחוייב זולתי בבקר ובצאן כאמרם ז"ל תמות וזכרות בבהמה ואין תמות וזכרות בעופות. אמר:
כל אשר בו מום לא תקריבו כי לא לרצון יהיה לכם, as elaborated on by Maleachi 1,8.
פסוק כב:כא · 22:21
Hebrew:
וְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֤יב זֶֽבַח־שְׁלָמִים֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה לְפַלֵּא־נֶ֙דֶר֙ א֣וֹ לִנְדָבָ֔ה בַּבָּקָ֖ר א֣וֹ בַצֹּ֑אן תָּמִ֤ים יִֽהְיֶה֙ לְרָצ֔וֹן כׇּל־מ֖וּם לֹ֥א יִהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ׃
English:
And when any party offers, from the herd or the flock, a sacrifice of well-being to יהוה for an explicit*explicit Or “unspecified” or “extraordinary”; meaning of Heb. lephalle uncertain. vow or as a freewill offering, it must, to be acceptable, be without blemish; there must be no defect in it.
The Torah extends the requirement of unblemished status from burnt offerings to peace offerings (shelamim), even though the latter are kodashim kalim (lower-grade sanctity) and need not be male. Rashi and Ibn Ezra both explain lefale neder as 'to articulate the vow clearly with speech,' not merely in the heart. Sforno notes that even though shelamim may be female (as Vayikra 3 permits), the requirement of physical wholeness still applies — God will not accept a blemished animal regardless of the offering's category.
רש״יRashi
לפלא נדר. לְהַפְרִישׁ בְּדִבּוּרוֹ:
לפלא נדר means, expressing it by speech (not expressing it mentally, בלב).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
לפלא. לפרש:
CLEARLY UTTERED. Le-fale means to clearly utter.
ספורנוSforno
ואיש כי יקריב זבח שלמים לה'. באר שאף על פי שהם קדשים קלים ובהם לא יתחייב זכרות כמו שבאר למעלה באמרו אם זכר אם נקבה מכל מקום יתחייב בהם התמות ובאר הטעם בזה באמרו לא תקריבו אלה לה' שאין ראוי להקריב בעל מום לאל יתברך. והוסיף טעם שני באמרו ואשה לא תתנו מהם על המזבח לה' אם אולי נפל בו מום אחר שהקדישוה הבעלים לא יעלו האימורים למזבח כי אין ראוי שיהיה בקרבן מום הנמאס לפניו:
After the Torah has warned that the burnt offering, עולה, is of such a high rank of such sacred items, קדשי קדשיםthat only unblemished male animals may be used for such offerings, and that this requirement pertains only to cattle and sheep or goats, i.e. conditions which are not applicable to bird offerings, (compare Kidushin 16) it continues with ואיש כי יקריב 'זבח שלמים לה, to inform us that although this kind of meat offering is of a lower ranking sanctity, קדשים קלים and the Torah does not insist that such an animal must be male, in order to confer G'd's goodwill on the donor, it must still be a perfect, unblemished animal of its species. We know from Leviticus 3,1 that such offerings are acceptable also if a female animal is offered. Verse 22 explains that it is simply not acceptable to offer a blemished animal to G'd as a sacrifice. An additional rule why blemished animals are not acceptable are the words ואשה לא תתנו מהם על המזבח לה'. The Torah informs us with these words that even if the blemish in the animal designated as the sacrifice originated only after it had been sanctified, the parts which are normally burnt on the altar, i.e. certain fat parts and membranes over the kidneys, because it simply is not acceptable that even if the parts designated for the altar are unblemished, anything which before getting to this stage had had a disqualifying blemish disqualifies the whole as it is looked upon with dismay by G'd.
פסוק כב:כב · 22:22
Hebrew:
עַוֶּ֩רֶת֩ א֨וֹ שָׁב֜וּר אוֹ־חָר֣וּץ אֽוֹ־יַבֶּ֗לֶת א֤וֹ גָרָב֙ א֣וֹ יַלֶּ֔פֶת לֹא־תַקְרִ֥יבוּ אֵ֖לֶּה לַיהֹוָ֑ה וְאִשֶּׁ֗ה לֹא־תִתְּנ֥וּ מֵהֶ֛ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לַיהֹוָֽה׃
English:
Anything blind, or injured, or maimed, or with a wen, boil-scar, or scurvy—such you shall not offer to יהוה; you shall not put any of them on the altar as offerings by fire to יהוה.
The Torah enumerates six specific disqualifying blemishes: blindness, broken limb, split or chipped feature (charutz), wart (yabbelet), and two skin conditions (garav and yallefet). Rashi, following Bekhorot, explains that yallefet is named from the verb 'to grasp' (as in Shimshon's grasping the pillars) because it clings to its host until death without remedy. Rashi further notes that the threefold repetition of 'lo takrivu' across this section establishes separate prohibitions against consecrating, slaughtering, and sprinkling the blood of a blemished animal.
רש״יRashi
עורת. שֵׁם דָּבָר שֶׁל מוּם עִוָּרוֹן בְּלָשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה — שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בוֹ מוּם שֶׁל עִוָּרוֹן: או שבור. לֹא יִהְיֶה: חרוץ. רִיס שֶׁל עַיִן שֶׁנִּסְדַּק אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְגַּם וְכֵן שְׂפָתוֹ שֶׁנִּסְדְּקָה אוֹ נִפְגְּמָה (בכורות ל"ח): יבלת. ורו"אה בְּלַעַז: גרב. מִין חֲזָזִית וְכֵן יַלֶּפֶת, וּלְשׁוֹן יַלֶּפֶת כְּמוֹ וַיִּלְפֹּת שִׁמְשׁוֹן (שופטים ט"ז), שֶׁאֲחוּזָה בוֹ עַד יוֹם מִיתָה, שֶׁאֵין לָהּ רְפוּאָה: לא תקריבו. שָׁלוֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, לְהַזְהִיר עַל הַקְדָּשָׁתָן וְעַל שְׁחִיטָתָן וְעַל זְרִיקַת דָּמָן (תמורה ו'): ואשה לא תתנו. אַזְהָרַת הַקְטָרָתָן:
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 nor shall it be a broken animal. 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 is called verrue in old French, (English = wart). 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 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 YE SHALL NOT MAKE A FIRE-OFFERING [OF THEM] — This contains the prohibition of burning them on the altar (Temurah 6b).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
עורת. שם התאר לעין: וי״א כי שבור ביד וחרוץ ברגל וחרוץ מגזרת כן משפטך אתה חרצת כמו גזור: יבלת. כמו תבלול וכללו של דבר אנחנו נסמוך על הקבלה ולא נשען על דעתנו החסרה: לא תקריבו אלה לה׳. לפלא נדר ולא יקח מאלה האמורים:
BLIND. Avveret (blind) is an adjective relating to the eye. Some say that shavur (broken) means a break in the hand and charutz (maimed) refers to an injury in the foot. Charutz is related to charatzta (hast decided it) in So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it (I Kings 20:40). Charutz means cut.33The term "cut" can also be applied to decree or decision. This is its meaning in I Kings 20:40. A WEN. Yabbelet (wen) is similar to tevallul (overspread) (Lev. 21:20). The general rule is: we rely on tradition,34With regard to the interpretation of the blemishes mentioned in our chapter. not on our deficient minds. YE SHALL NOT OFFER THESE UNTO THE LORD. In fulfillment of a clearly uttered vow. Nor shall the kohen take the organs from these.35And make an offering by fire of them.
פסוק כב:כג · 22:23
Hebrew:
וְשׁ֥וֹר וָשֶׂ֖ה שָׂר֣וּעַ וְקָל֑וּט נְדָבָה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וּלְנֵ֖דֶר לֹ֥א יֵרָצֶֽה׃
English:
You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox or a sheep with a limb extended or contracted; but it will not be accepted for a vow.
The Torah introduces a partial leniency: an animal with sarua (an over-extended limb) or kalut (an under-developed or compressed hoof) may not be brought on the altar, but Rashi explains it may still be donated as a nedavah for bedek habayit — the upkeep of the Temple structure. The body itself is not consecrated; only the monetary value of the animal becomes holy. Sforno emphasizes that this stark distinction between altar offerings and Temple-treasury donations underlies the entire system of korbanot.
רש״יRashi
שרוע. אֵבֶר גָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ: וקלוט. פַּרְסוֹתָיו קְלוּטוֹת (בכורות מ'): נדבה תעשה אתו. לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת: ולנדר. לַמִּזְבֵּחַ: לא ירצה. אֵי זֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ בָּא לְרַצּוֹת? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (תמורה ז'):
שרוע is an animal that has one limb larger than its fellow-limb (Bekhorot 40a). 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 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 BUT AS A VOW — i. e. as an animal vowed for the altar (for sacrifice), it shall not be accepted. 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).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
שרוע. כראשון: וקלוט הפכו והוא מגזרת עיר מקלט:
TOO LONG. Saru'a (too long) has the same meaning as when first mentioned (Lev. 21:18).36See I.E. on Lev. 21:18. TOO SHORT. Kalut (too short) is the opposite of saru'a (too long). Kalut is related to the word miklat (refuge) in the city of refuge (Josh. 21:13).37Kalut means compressed or held back. A city of refuge limits or holds the refugee back in that he may not leave.
ספורנוSforno
נדבה תעשה אותו. אף על פי שהם מומין נראים הרבה ויחשוב החושב שאפילו לבדק הבית אינן ראוים, אמר שלנדבת בדק הבית הם ראוים כמו שבא בקבלה מאחר שאין למזבח חלק בהם ואין קדושה עליו אלא קדושת דמים שימכר ויצא לחולין:
נדבה תעשה אותו, even though numerous blemishes may be apparent you may donate them for the Temple treasury although the donor thought that on account of these blemishes they would be rejected by the Temple treasurer. The Torah differentiates between gifts for the Temple treasury and animals destined for the altar. Whereas even minor blemishes disqualify an animal from being offered on the altar, no such restrictions apply to gifts known as נדבה. This is possible because the bodies of such animals do not possess any sanctity, such sanctity only applies to their value, i.e. to the money realised from the sale of such animals. This enables the body which was donated to be treated as if it had never been sanctified in any way.
פסוק כב:כד · 22:24
Hebrew:
וּמָע֤וּךְ וְכָתוּת֙ וְנָת֣וּק וְכָר֔וּת לֹ֥א תַקְרִ֖יבוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וּֽבְאַרְצְכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃
English:
You shall not offer to יהוה anything [with its testes] bruised or crushed or torn or cut. You shall have no such practices*practices I.e., mutilations. in your own land,
Animals whose reproductive organs have been bruised, crushed, torn, or cut may not be offered, and the Torah extends the prohibition: 'in your land you shall not do' — that is, do not perform such mutilation on any animal at all. Rashi insists that 'in your land' is inclusive rather than restrictive; this prohibition of castration is a personal obligation that applies everywhere, since all chovat ha-guf (personal duties) apply both inside and outside the Land of Israel. Ibn Ezra adds the theological framing: castration is 'changing the work of God' (לשנות מעשה השם).
רש״יRashi
ומעוך וכתות ונתוק וכרות. בַּבֵּיצִים אוֹ בַגִּיד: מעוך. בֵּיצָיו מְעוּכִין בַּיָּד: כתות. כְּתוּשִׁים יוֹתֵר מִמָּעוּךְ: נתוק. תְּלוּשִׁין בַּיָּד עַד שֶׁנִּפְסְקוּ חוּטִים שֶׁתְּלוּיִים בָּהֶן, אֲבָל נְתוּנִים הֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַכִּיס, וְהַכִּיס לֹא נִתְלַשׁ: וכרות. כְּרוּתִין בִּכְלִי וְעוֹדָן בַּכִּיס (בכורות ל"ט): [ומעוך. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדִי מְרִיס, זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹנוֹ בַּאֲרָמִית, לְשׁוֹן כְּתִישָׁה: וכתות תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדִי רְסִיס, כְּמוֹ "הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל רְסִיסִים" (עמוס ו') — בְּקִיעוֹת דַּקּוֹת, וְכֵן "קָנֶה הַמְרֻסָּס" (שבת פ'):] 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:
ומעוך וכתות ונתוק וכרות are forbidden as sacrifices whether the mutilation be in the testicles or the membrum. מעוך means, one whose testicles have been pressed by hand. כתות CRUSHED — it implies more severely crushed than מעוך. 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 — they have been cut away by an instrument but are still in the scrotum (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 7 9; Bekhorot 39b). [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, 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 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).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ומעוך. מגזרת מעכו שדיהן: וכתות. מגזרת ואכות אותו טחון ושניהם בביצים: ונתוק. מגזרת כאשר ינתק פתיל הנעור׳: ובארצכם לא תעשו. לשנות מעשה השם:
BRUISED. Ma'uch (bruised) is related to mo'akhu (pressed) in their bosoms pressed (Ezek. 23:3). OR CRUSHED. Katut (crushed) is related to va-ekkot (beat) in and beat it in pieces (Deut. 9:21). Crushed and bruised refer to wounds in the testicles. OR TORN. Natuk (torn) is related to yinnatek (broken) in as a string of tow is broken (Jud. 16:9). NEITHER SHALL YE DO THUS IN YOUR LAND. To change God's work.38By harming the sexual organs of an animal.
ספורנוSforno
ומעוך וכתות. אחר שדבר במומים המקריים אשר ענינם בקדשים בלבד שאסור להקריב בעלי מומין למזבח ולהטיל בהם מום אחר הקדשן דבר על מומים מלאכותיים שאסור להטילם אפילו בבהמת חולין:
ומעוך וכתות, after the Torah spoke about the kind of physical blemishes which are of ritual consequence only in connection with sacrificial animals, and which must under no circumstances be caused to such an animal once it has been sanctified, the Torah turns to the kind of internal blemishes which one must not cause even to animals which have never been sanctified, are totally secular in their use.
פסוק כב:כה · 22:25
Hebrew:
וּמִיַּ֣ד בֶּן־נֵכָ֗ר לֹ֥א תַקְרִ֛יבוּ אֶת־לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מִכׇּל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י מׇשְׁחָתָ֤ם בָּהֶם֙ מ֣וּם בָּ֔ם לֹ֥א יֵרָצ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃ {ס}
English:
nor shall you accept such [animals] from a foreigner for offering as food for your God, for they are mutilated, they have a defect; they shall not be accepted in your favor.
Even when a gentile brings an animal through a kohen for offering on the altar of the Sanctuary, a blemished beast must not be accepted. Rashi notes that while gentiles are permitted to offer animals with surface blemishes on a private bamah outside the Temple, they may not do so through the altar in the Mishkan. Sforno reads the phrase 'their corruption is in them' as teaching that even invisible internal blemishes — such as castration that improves an animal's market value — disqualify it, since the Torah disqualifies hidden defects no less than visible ones.
רש״יRashi
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): משחתם. חִבּוּלְהוֹן: לא ירצו לכם. לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם:
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 THEIR CORRUPTION — Translate this as the Targum does: חבולהון, their wound (defect). לא ירצו לכם THEY SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR YOU — i. e. to atone for you.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ומיד בן נכר. שלא יחשוב בלבו הואיל והוא קרבן בן נכר לא אחוש להקריבו: משחתם. המ״ם נוסף והתי״ו שרש מגזרת השחתה ומ״ם להיות להם משחתם שרש והתי״ו נוסף: ירצו. מבנין נפעל ואחר שהזכיר לא ירצו הזכיר כי כל קרבן שיקרב קודם יום השמיני גם הוא לא ירצה:
FROM THE HAND OF A FOREIGNER. One should not think as follows: I will not hesitate to offer this sacrifice, for it is the offering of a foreigner.39Hence one need not be so strict, THEIR CORRUPTION. The mem of moshchatam (their corruption) is not a root letter. However, its tav is a root letter. Moshchatam is related to the word hashchatah (destruction).40It comes from the root shin, chet, tav. On the other hand, the mem of moshchatam (their anointing) (Ex.40:15) is a root letter and the tav is not.41For its root is mem, shin, chet. BE ACCEPTED. Yeratzu (be accepted) is a nifal. After stating that a blemished sacrifice will not be accepted, Scripture goes on to say that any sacrifice brought from an animal less than eight days old will also not be accepted.
ספורנוSforno
ומיד בן נכר לא תקריבו. אף על פי שמקבלין מהם נדרים ונדבות לא נקבל מהם בעלי מומין אפילו על ידי סרוס, אף על פי שיהיו הסריסים בבהמות משובחים אצלם ושאין בזה משום הקריבהו נא לפחתך והטעם שלא יהיה הסריס ראוי למזבח הוא: כי משחתם בהם מום בם. שאף על פי שהוא מום שבסתר הוא משחיתם משלימותם המכוון, והוא שיוכל להוליד בדומה:
Even though gifts for the Temple treasury are accepted from pagans, no blemished animals are to be accepted from them as such. Even if the animal became blemished through a deliberate surgical procedure, such as castrating it, something which generally improves the value of the animal so castrated, it disqualifies it from use by the Temple treasury, not to mention as a sacrifice on the altar. Seeing that the gentiles consider such animals as superior, we could not apply to such gifts the criticism voiced by Maleach 1,8 which we referred to twice already. We might therefore have thought that seeing that in the donor's eyes he presents a superior gift to G'd this would be acceptable; the Torah takes a dim view of castrating animals which were created to proliferate. The Torah describes such castrated animals as כי משחתם בהם מום, for their corruption is within them, (not only external). When disqualifying blemished animals for the altar the Torah did not only have in mind visible blemishes, which are after all, only external, but invisible blemishes also, the latter often being more serious.
פסוק כב:כו · 22:26
Hebrew:
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
English:
יהוה spoke to Moses, saying:
פסוק כב:כז · 22:27
Hebrew:
שׁ֣וֹר אוֹ־כֶ֤שֶׂב אוֹ־עֵז֙ כִּ֣י יִוָּלֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֛ה שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת אִמּ֑וֹ וּמִיּ֤וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי֙ וָהָ֔לְאָה יֵרָצֶ֕ה לְקׇרְבַּ֥ן אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃
English:
When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall stay seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable as an offering by fire to יהוה.
A newborn animal must remain seven days with its mother and is only fit as an offering from the eighth day onward — a rule that mirrors the eighth-day theme running through Sefer Vayikra (the milu'im, the brit milah, the metzora's purification). Rashi, citing Chullin, derives from the word 'yivaled' that an animal delivered by Caesarean section is excluded. Ibn Ezra draws the explicit parallel to circumcision: only after a creature has completed a full natural week of life is it eligible to enter the service of God.
רש״יRashi
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).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
שור או כשב או עז. נקראים על שם סופם כמו ובגדי ערומים תפשיט. יומת המת כי יפול הנופל או הטעם זכר המין: וטעם ומיום השמיני. כמו הנמול עד המרובע: והלאה. אחריו והעד חץ יהונתן:
WHEN A BULLOCK, OR A SHEEP, OR A GOAT. The newborn animals are called by what they ultimately become. Compare, And stripped the naked42Scripture refers to the one who is to be stripped as naked, even though he is not naked until stripped. of their clothing (Job 22:6); "the dead43Scripture refers to the one who is to be put to death as "dead." We thus see that Scripture refers to people or things by what they ultimately become. shall be put to death"44Translated literally. (Deut. 17:6); "for the one who falls shall fall from it"45Translated literally (Deut. 22:8). On the other hand, Scripture may have been referring to the name of the species.46When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat is brought forth means when an animal that belongs to the species of bullock, sheep, or goat is born. [BUT FROM THE EIGHTH DAY AND THENCEFORTH.] Like a child that is circumcised, that is, until a quarter of the month has passed.47See I.E. on Lev. 12:2 and the notes thereto. THENCEFORTH. Hale'ah (thenceforth) means afterwards. The arrow of Jonathan is proof.48Jonathan referred to his arrow as being beyond (hale'ah) the young man. See I Sam 20:22.
ספורנוSforno
שור או כשב. אחר שהזכיר כל מיני המומים בקדשים והרחיק אותם מן המזבח אף על פי שלפעמים יהיה התמים שוה סלע והבעל מום שוה שתים לגדלו ושמנו ולפעמים יהיה מום נחשב עלוי למנחת מלך ב"ו וזה כי הצור תמים פעלו חפץ בתמימות ושלמות הנקרב והמקריב שיהיה הנקרב על שלמותו הטבעי והמקריב על שלמותו האלהי להדמות ליוצרו כפי האפשר אמר שכמו כן בענין גבול הזמנים שהגביל עליו אין להוסיף וממנו אין לגרוע. והזכיר איסור מחוסר זמן ואיסור שחיטת אותו ואת בנו ביום אחד ואיסור מחשבת חוץ לזמנו אפילו בקדשים קלים. והזכיר התודה שאף על פי שהיא מכלל השלמים הוגבל זמנה ליום ולילה אחד בלבד ולא לשני ימים ולילה כשאר השלמים:
שור או כשב, after the Torah had mentioned the various defective animals that are disqualified from being offered on the altar, it now mentions a number of situations in which even a perfectly healthy specimen of the ritually qualified animals may also not yet (or no longer) be fit as a sacrifice on the altar. Just as we learned that the monetary value of the animal is not the only criterion regarding its acceptability for the altar, so we shall hear now that there are still other considerations which can disqualify an animal frrom its being welcome to G'd as an offering. If an animal has not yet reached the eighth day of its life, it cannot be used as a sacrifice. If the owner of said animal, or the priest offering it on his behalf, intends to consume it or part of it outside the holy precincts allocated for such eating by the Torah, or said owner plans to eat it past the deadline set by the Torah for consumption of such sacrificial meat, the sacrifice not only becomes disqualified but the penalty is extremely harsh. The technical terms for such disqualify cations are מחוסר זמן, too young, or אותו ואת בנו, if the mother animal had been sacrifice already on the same day, or פיגול, if the donor or priest had planned to deviate from the halachah governing where and for how many days such an animal could be eaten after it had been slaughtered. The intention known as חוץ לזמנו, eating part of it beyond the deadline set by the Torah even carries the karet penalty. The time limits are spelled out in our verses here.
פסוק כב:כח · 22:28
Hebrew:
וְשׁ֖וֹר אוֹ־שֶׂ֑ה אֹת֣וֹ וְאֶת־בְּנ֔וֹ לֹ֥א תִשְׁחֲט֖וּ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
English:
However, no animal from the herd or from the flock shall be slaughtered on the same day with its young.
The Torah forbids slaughtering an animal and its young on the same day, the prohibition known as oto v'et b'no. Rashi, drawing on Chullin, clarifies that the law applies specifically to the dam and her offspring (whether the young is male or female), but not to the sire — one may slaughter a father animal and its offspring on the same day. He further notes that the order of slaughter is irrelevant: both 'mother first then young' and 'young first then mother' are forbidden.
רש״יRashi
אתו ואת בנו. נוֹהֵג בַּנְּקֵבָה — שֶׁאָסוּר לִשְׁחֹט הָאֵם וְהַבֵּן אוֹ הַבַּת, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג בַּזְּכָרִים, וּמֻתָּר לִשְׁחֹט הָאָב וְהַבֵּן (שם ע"ח): אתו ואת בנו. אַף בְּנוֹ וְאוֹתוֹ בְּמַשְׁמָע (שם פ"ב):
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 IT AND ITS YOUNG — The prohibition of slaughtering the young first and then it (the dam) in one day is also implied (Chullin 82a).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ושור או שה. פירשתיו והמצוה על זכר ונקבה:
AND WHETHER IT BE COW49Hebrew, shor (ox). OR EWE.50Hebrew, she (male sheep). I have previously explained this.51In the previous verse. I.E.'s point is that shor and seh are the names of the species. In other words, they do not apply only to males. The commandment pertains to both males and females.52Even though the verse is in the masculine.
פסוק כב:כט · 22:29
Hebrew:
וְכִֽי־תִזְבְּח֥וּ זֶֽבַח־תּוֹדָ֖ה לַיהֹוָ֑ה לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּֽחוּ׃
English:
When you sacrifice a thanksgiving offering to יהוה, sacrifice it so that it may be acceptable in your favor.
The verse turns to the laws of the todah (thanksgiving offering): one must sacrifice it 'lirtzonchem' — with the proper intent that it be acceptable. Rashi reads this as a warning at the moment of slaughter: the offering must be done with the intent that it be eaten the same day, for harboring a disqualifying intention (such as planning to eat it the next day) renders the sacrifice pasul. Rashi adds an alternative reading — 'lirtzonchem' means 'with awareness' — from which the law of mit'asek (one who acts without conscious intent in slaughtering kodashim) is derived as invalid.
רש״יRashi
לרצנכם תזבחו. תְּחִלַּת זְבִיחַתְכֶם הִזָּהֲרוּ שֶׁתְּהֵא לְרָצוֹן לָכֶם, וּמַהוּ הָרָצוֹן? 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:
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 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.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
וטעם וכי תזבחו זבח תודה. שיאכל ביום אחד בעבור שהזכיר שור או שה שלא ישחט ביום אחד והוסיף על הפרשה הכתוב בצו את אהרן מלת לרצונכם:
[AND WHEN YE SACRIFICE A SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING.] The reason that And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving…On the same day it shall he eaten follows is that Scripture earlier noted it is prohibited to kill a cow or a ewe [and its young together] in one day.53The law codified in our verse and the law dealt with in the previous verse both deal with "one day." Scripture adds to what is written in the Torah portion Tzav (Lev. 6:2),54Regarding a sacrifice of thanksgiving. that ye may be accepted.55Hence verses 29 and 30 are not redundant.
ספורנוSforno
לרצונכם תזבחו. ביום ההוא יאכל. יהי רצונכם וכונתכם בעת שתזבחו שביום ההוא יאכל. וזה כי אני ה'. פועל פעלתי תמימה ונותן גבול על שלימות בלתי מקבל הפחות והיתר:
לרצונכם תזבחו ביום ההוא יאכל, your intentions at the time of performing the sacrificial procedure must be to eat it on the same day, (compare Rashi), the reason for these rules bein אני ה', seeing that I am perfect and My work is perfect, I will not tolerate deviations by you either by shortening the period or lengthening it. [seeing that this legislation has been dealt with in the Torah already in Leviticus 7,15-17 may have prompted the author to refer to Rashi's explanation on our verse that the beginning of the time frame is meant, i.e. the same day, one must not wait until the second day to start eating from it.. Ed.]
פסוק כב:ל · 22:30
Hebrew:
בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ יֵאָכֵ֔ל לֹֽא־תוֹתִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֑קֶר אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃
English:
It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall not leave any of it until morning: I am יהוה.
The todah must be consumed on the day of its offering; nothing may be left until morning. Rashi explains that this verse is not primarily setting a deadline (which was already established in Vayikra 7:15) but is reinforcing the requirement that the slaughter itself be performed with this intent. The closing phrase 'I am the Lord' carries weight: as Rashi puts it, 'know who decreed this matter, and let it not be a light thing in your eyes.'
רש״יRashi
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'): אני ה'. דַּע מִי גָזַר עַל הַדָּבָר וְאַל יֵקַל בְּעֵינֶיךָ:
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׳ 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!
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
וטעם אני ה׳. להיות התודה שלימה:
[I AM THE LORD.] Scripture reads I am the Lord to teach that the thanksgiving offering is to be "whole."56It cannot be brought from a blemished animal. The meaning of our verse is, it is unfit to offer a blemished animal as a thanksgiving to Me, for I am the Lord.
פסוק כב:לא · 22:31
Hebrew:
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃
English:
You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am יהוה.
The verse opens the climactic section of the aliyah with the dual command of 'observing' and 'doing.' Rashi, drawing on the Sifra, reads the two verbs as referring to two distinct activities: 'ushmartem' refers to study (Mishnah, the learning of the law), and 'va'asitem' refers to action (the practical performance of the mitzvot). Ibn Ezra adds an inward dimension: 'keep My commandments in your heart,' for God 'investigates what is in the heart and sees everything that is done.'
רש״יRashi
ושמרתם. זוֹ הַמִּשְׁנָה: ועשיתם. זֶה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה (ספרא):
ושמרתם — This implies the study of the commandments, ועשיתם, the doing of them (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 3).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ושמרתם מצותי. בלב: ועשיתם אתם אני ה׳. שאחקור מה שיש בלב ואראה כל העשוי:
AND YE SHALL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. In your hearts. AND DO THEM; I AM THE LORD. For I investigate what is in the heart, and I see everything that is done.
פסוק כב:לב · 22:32
Hebrew:
וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
English:
You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I יהוה who sanctify you,
This is the foundational verse of kiddush Hashem and chillul Hashem. Rashi reads the negative ('do not profane') as forbidding willful transgression and the positive ('I shall be sanctified') as the source of the obligation of martyrdom — 'give yourself over and sanctify My name.' He cites Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah from Daniel 3 as the model: one must offer oneself with full readiness to die, not on condition that a miracle will save him. The phrase 'in the midst of the children of Israel' establishes that kiddush Hashem requires a public dimension; Sforno adds that priestly conduct in particular must not become, as in Yechezkel 36, a cause for the nations to mock the people of God.
רש״יRashi
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)
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
וטעם ולא תחללו את שם קדשי. עם בני אהרן ידבר כי הפרשה דבקה והם המצווים שלא ישחטו להם או לישראל אם ובן ביום אחד גם יתכן שמצוה וכי תזבחו זבח תודה לכהנים והעד שהחל בפרשה אחר כן דבר אל בני ישראל ועד שני ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל:
[AND YE SHALL NOT PROFANE MY HOLY NAME.] This is directed to the sons of Aaron, for this section57Verses 26-33. is connected to what is earlier stated.58To verse 18 which is directed to Aaron, to his sons, and to all of Israel. In other words, verses 26-33 are directed to the sons of Aaron. They59The sons of Aaron. are commanded not to sacrifice for themselves or for Israel a cow and its offspring on one day. It is also possible that And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving (v. 29) is directed to the kohanim.60For the entire section (verses 26-33) is directed to the kohanim. The fact that the following section opens with Speak unto the children of Israel (Lev. 23:2) is proof of this.61That our chapter (verses 26-33) is directed to the kohanim. But I will be hallowed among the children of Israel is a second witness.62This is directed to the kohanim. Had it been directed to the Israelites, Scripture would have read: But I will be hallowed among you.
ספורנוSforno
ולא תחללו את שם קדשי. ומאחר שאתם רואים את פעולתי על זה השלמות, אם כן אתם המקודשים ללכת בדרכי אל תחללו את שם קדשי בפעולות חסרות ומגונות, כענין ויבא אל הגוים אשר באו שמה ויחללו את שם קדשי: ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל. לעשות עמהם נפלאות כמו שנדרתי באמרי הנה אנכי כורת ברית נגד כל עמך אעשה נפלאות והטעם בזה כי אמנם אני ה' מקדשכם:
ולא תחללו את שם קדשי, seeing that you the priests of all people are more aware than anyone of the perfection of My works, if you do not take care not to deviate from My commandments, this would be the greatest desecration of My holy name. The verse is reminiscent of Ezekiel 36,20 where the prophet laments that the exiles who come to host countries behave in such a way that the leaders of the host countries exclaim in dismay that surely these cannot the people of whom they have heard that they emulate the ways of their G'd! ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל, to continue to perform miracles for them as I had vowed to do when I said in Exodus 34,10 "I shall display miracles in the presence of your whole nation as proof that אני ה' מקדשכם, I, the Lord sanctify you."
פסוק כב:לג · 22:33
Hebrew:
הַמּוֹצִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
English:
I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I יהוה.
The aliyah closes by anchoring kiddush Hashem in the Exodus itself: God redeemed Israel for the express purpose of being sanctified by them. Rashi reads it as conditional — 'I brought you out for this purpose,' adding that 'I am the Lord' here means 'faithful to pay reward.' Ibn Ezra identifies the verse as a parallel to the first statement of the Decalogue and calls it 'the root of all the commandments.' Sforno adds that God desires to lead Israel directly, without intermediaries, provided that they walk in the path of His holiness.
רש״יRashi
המוציא אתכם. עַל מְנָת כֵּן: אני ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר (שם):
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 I AM THE LORD — Who is faithful in paying you your reward (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 9 6).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
המוציא אתכם ובסוף אני ה׳ שהוא הדבור הראשון והוא עיקר כל המצות ואחר שהזכיר קדשי בני ישראל הזכיר הימים שיקריבו בהם העולות והחל מהשבת:
THAT BROUGHT YOU OUT. The verse ends with I am the Lord. This the first statement of the Decalogue63Our verse, which connects God to the Exodus, is parallel to the first of the ten statements of the Decalogue, which does the same. and the root of all the commandments.64See I.E. on Ex. 20:1 (Vol. 2, p. 393). After mentioning the holy things of the children of Israel,65In our chapter. the Torah notes66In the following chapter. the days that Israel shall offer burnt offerings. It starts with the Sabbath.
ספורנוSforno
המוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים להיות לכם לאלהים. להיות מנהיג אתכם בלתי אמצעי כמשפט הנבדלים מחומר בהיותכם הולכים בדרכי קדושתי כאמרו אל דרך הגוים אל תלמדו ומאותות השמים אל תחתו: אני ה'. לא שניתי ואעשה כמאז אם לא יהיו עונותיכם מבדילים ביניכם לבין אלהיכם כאמרו כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות:
המוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים להיות לכם לאלוקים. I wanted to become your immediate leader, not employing any intermediaries, just as I am an immediate leader for disembodied beings. Of course, this was based on the premise that you would walk in the path of My Holiness, as mentioned by Jeremiah 10,2 "do not learn the ways of the nations and do not be in awe of the portents you believe to see in the sky." 'אני ה; I have not changed and I will continue to perform miracles as I have done in former times, unless you erect barriers between yourselves and Me by not walking in the paths I have assigned for you. We have this promise spelled out in Micha 7,15 "as in the days when you came out of Egypt I will display miracles."
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