Vayikro
Book 3: Leviticus


ACHAREI MOS - NOTES ON RASHI COMMENTARY


Chapter 16 - Text Notes

1 Why does this parashoh have a double introduction? "And Ad-noy spoke to Moshe...Ad-noy spoke to Moshe..." (M.).

2 This then explains the apparent double introduction. Verse 1 may be compared to the physician's more effective warning: "Don't eat cold food...that you not die as so-and-so did," while verse 2 introduces the "cure." That is, verse 1 explains that Aharon's two sons died for having brought an unauthorized offering; the second verse introduces the "cure" to this problem (K.Y., O.H.).

3 This appears to be merely a restatement of the verse; O.H. explains that Rashi's intent is to explain the purpose of the apparently unnecessary vov of "and let him not come," since we might have expected the following: Speak to your brother Aharon: Let him not come...." Rashi thus explains that that vov expresses purpose: "in order that."

4 Sifra Acharei, par. 1, 4. Again, why must Rashi merely restate what is in the verse? G.A. notes that while the verse expresses itself negatively, the essential intention is positive. It is not that if Aharon does not come he will not die, but that he will die if he enters improperly prepared, as Rashi explains. Thus, the essential meaning of this verse is unstated; see too Rashi on 8, 35 above, and the M.'s explanation there: the Torah wished "to emphasize the positive."

5 Aharon.

6 Interpreting ki, which may mean "for, because" as ki im, "but, except."

7 See verses 12--13 and see Yoma 53a.

8 Each Hebrew letter has its own numerical value; the total for each word is the gematria of that word.

9 Which lasted 410 years; Vayikro Rabbo 21. Though Rashi seldom cites gematrias, he does so here, perhaps because {Hebrew Ref} seems grammatically incorrect, either because the sacrifices Aharon was to bring included several bulls, etc., and so a plural demonstrative should have been used ( {Hebrew Ref} , "with these") or because this introduction does not tell us anything that the body of the text does not (R.Y.I., M.).

10 Ibid. See verse 29 below.

11 Within the Holy of Holies.

12 See Shemos 28, 4f. The eight garments are the breastplate, the {Hebrew Ref} , robe, checkered undershirt, turban, diadem ( {Hebrew Ref} ), sash-belt and pants.

13 That is, outside the Holy of Holies.

14 In the same case. Gold would bring a reminder of the gold which was used to produce the Golden Calf, and so cannot be used in a service which is used to provide atonement for the Jewish people; this is especially so since Yom Kippur was set as the day G-d forgave the sin of the Golden Calf; see Rashi to Shemos 33, 11.

15 Shemos 28, 40, the sash, the turban, undershirt and pants.

16 Rosh Hashonoh 26a.

17 Sifra Acharei, per. 1, 10. This was purchased from Temple funds, in contrast to Aharon's sin-offering, which comes from his own property and not Temple funds (G.A.).

18 Ordinarily, the verb {Hebrew Ref} refers to "winding around," as in wrapping the turban around the kohein's head; that is why Rashi notes that here the meaning is "to place," since the usual verb used for this operation is {Hebrew Ref} "to place," in Shemos 29, 6 and Vayikro 8, 9. His proof is from the Targum to our verse, which translates {Hebrew Ref} as "he shall place."

19 As in Targum there.

20 Aharon.

21 That is, the eight garments, which included gold or golden thread, among other materials.

22 The four which did not contain gold or golden thread, the turban, the sash, the undershirt, and pants.

23 See Shemos 30, 17--21, and Yoma 31a.

24 In verse 3.

25 It had to be purchased from the Kohein G-dol's own funds.

26 Yoma 3b, since it adds the phrase "which is his," rather than merely stating "his sin-offering bullock."

27 Yoma 36b.

28 Yoma 39a.

29 The word is a compound of az, "strong," and el, "mighty."

30 Verse 22.

31 A sheer cliff.

32 "Make" here cannot refer to its slaughter, for that is not described until verse 15; here it must refer to its designation as a sin-offering (M.).

33 It is a passive form, a hof'al, the passive of the hif'il, which denotes caustive action---to make someone do something. In this case, {Hebrew Ref} means "stand," {Hebrew Ref} , "to make [someone] stand," and {Hebrew Ref} , "to have been made to stand," or, as translated, "placed."

34 Literally, "its standing."

35 Literally, "its sending."

36 Sifra Acharei, per. 2, 6.

37 Literally, "over," an expression which Rashi proceeds to explain.

38 Verse 21 below.

39 Why does he not confess their sins during his first confession? Because it is better for them that he first atone for himself by confession, and then, purified, offer atonement for them (G.A., based on Yoma 43b).

40 Tehillim 135, 19.

41 Aharon's bullock sin-offering.

42 Verse 16; see Sifra Acharei, per. 4, 2, Shevuos 7b. The sin spoken of here is that of causing impurity to the Sanctuary or its holy things by entering into it or touching them while in a state of impurity.

43 When the altar is described as the one "which is before Ad-noy," as in verse 18, it must refer to the inner, golden altar of the Sanctuary proper which was generally used for incense (M.L.). In this case, since it is not so described, the altar referred to here must be the outer one. Thus, the phrase which appears in this verse, "before Ad-noy," does not refer to the altar which is before G-d, i.e., the inner altar, but the western part of the outer altar, which can be said to be closer "to G-d," i.e., to the Holy of Holies, than the eastern part is. It is from this western part that the coals must be taken; see Rashi's next comment (G.A.). In this and the descriptions which follow it should be kept in mind that the Tent of Meeting and the Temple were oriented east to west, with the holier part of these Sanctuaries, the "Holy of Holies" to the extreme west, and the entrance to the Heichal, the Sanctuary proper, in the extreme east. Thus, the eastern room of the Tent of Meeting was the Heichal, the part of lesser sanctity, and the western part, the Holy of Holies, was of greater sanctity.

44 See previous note.

45 Shemos 30, 36.

46 To be beaten still finer; there were 368 maneh of incense prepared for the year, one for each day, and three, ground up much finer, on the eve of Yom Kippur; Kerisos 6b.

47 Which would be taken into the Holy of Holies; with this comment Rashi prevents an erroneous interpretation of the phrase "before Ad-noy," which refers not to the western part of the outer altar, as before, or the outer part of the Sanctuary itself, but to the Holy of Holies itself; the "fire," therefore, is the fire of the incense-pan, not the fire on the outer or inner altars. Moreover, the incense was placed in the pan only after the Kohein G-dol entered the Holy of Holies, and not before, as the heretical Zadokites insisted (M.).

48 If he left out one of its ingredients. The sin referred to here is that pertaining to the incense, since the verse specifies "he shall put the incense," limiting the incense to one which is properly prepared.

49 Sifra Acharei, per. 3, 10. See notes to verse 2 above.

50 Since the next part of the verse specifies seven sprinklings before the Ark-cover, and no number is specified for those upon the Ark-cover, this lack of specification must imply that only one sprinkling was done, since the Torah's purpose it to provide information and not hide it (Tz.L.).

51 Yoma 53b.

52 That is, causing impurity to the Sanctuary and its holy things.

53 This serves to explain why the Kohein G-dol interrupts his offering of the bullock and turns to the goat; this can be done because the atonements are similar (M.L.).

54 See Rashi's comments on the previous verse.

55 Ordinarily, only a person who commits a sin unintentionally may bring a sacrifice. Here the situation is somewhat different, because our verse explicitly stipulates that a person who sins intentionally also receives atonement from this goat (see Rashi's next comment). Thus, the Talmud derives the following complex case. If a person knew of his or her impurity, then forgot it and entered the Sanctuary in this impure state, and did not subsequently realize what he or she had done---this sacrifice atones for that sin until the sinner finally remembers the sin and brings a sliding-scale sacrifice; see 5:2 above and Rashi's comment.

56 Here too, even though an intentional sinner may not bring a sacrifice to atone for the sin, here it is brought for him or her; needless to say, true penitence is required; see Shevuos 7b.

57 The bullock and the goat.

58 Separating the Sanctuary proper from the Holy of Holies.

59 That is, outside the Holy of Holies, in the Sanctuary proper ( {Hebrew Ref} ).

60 Sifra Acharei, per. 4, 5; Yoma 56b.

61 Ibid.

62 Since he is proceeding further into the Sanctuary.

63 Westward.

64 That is, eastward, toward the entrance (which is of course also the exit of the Sanctuary).

65 On the outward, eastward side of the altar. See Yoma 58b.

66 As follows.

67 Yoma 57b. The reason for this mixing is that only one atonement for this purpose is permitted, according to Shemos 30, 10, "With the blood of the sin-offering of atonement he shall make atonement on it once each year for your generations." From this verse the Talmud derives the requirement that this atonement be made once a year, and if the blood of each of these sacrifices had been brought separately, this would have constituted an atonement made twice.

68 On the corners of the altar.

69 Literally, "roof." The phrase "on it" refers to the top.

70 From past impurities.

71 Not only must it be purified of past impurities, but it must be sanctified in order to provide atonement in the future (B.B.). This distinction explains the doubled expression: purify and sanctify; Sifra Acharei, per. 4, 13.

72 Radak and Rashbam suggest that the word itti refers to a man who is ready for the ritual because of his familiarity with the territory around Azazel.

73 32a., This verse should have been said after Verse 25 and they explained why it was not.

74 In verse 24.

75 In verse 27.

76 His body.

77 His hands and feet; see n. 23 above.

78 The golden garments.

79 Ramban points out that this section is indeed in proper order, if we understand properly the order intended. The Torah first describes the entire special Yom Kippur Service performed by the Kohein G-dol in his "white garments," and only then takes up the more usual daily Service as performed in his golden garments, the "garments" he usually wears on days other than Yom Kippur. Since the former is the main subject of this section, it is mentioned first.

80 That is, whose blood was sprinkled within the Heichal (verses 6--22); that is why they are called "inner" sacrifices.

81 The seven lambs specified in Bemidbar 29, 8; see Yoma 70a.

82 The bull and ram of Bemidbar 29, 8 and 11.

83 That is, the usual daily incense.

84 Verse 22.

85 The Kohein G-dol.

86 Verse 24.

87 Verse 25.

88 Verse 28.

89 Verse 23.

90 Yoma 12b.

91 In verse 4.

92 Mentioned in verse 4.

93 Yoma 32a-b.

94 An office in the Court of Women named either after a Persian builder (Yoma 35a) or the oxen hides which were salted there (R. Shimshon mi-Sens to Mishnah Middos 5, 3). In any case, it was located just west of the Salt Office in the southeast corner of the Women's Court, where salt was prepared for various sacrificial purposes.

95 I.e., unsanctified.

96 Yoma 19a. This immersion was actually required of anyone entering the Outer Court; see Mishnah Yoma 2, 1.

97 See n. 12.

98 Having just immersed in the mikveh on the roof of the Parva House, the Kohein G-dol now proceeds to the Court of Priests to offer his burnt-offering and that of the people; since he remains outside the Sanctuary through the whole process, it is considered as though he had "gone out" of the Sanctuary, since he has not come in (L.B.).

99 In verse 3.

100 In verse 5.

101 Which were burnt on the altar.

102 Shemos 30, 9.

103 Yoma 73a.

104 In each case, Aharon is specified as the kohein who performs the Temple Service on Yom Kippur; see verses 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 21, 23, and only then, in verse 32, is a kohein who succeeds him mentioned.

105 A Kohein G-dol is distinguished from ordinary kohanim by both having been anointed and by wearing eight garments instead of the four worn by ordinary kohanim. What happens when the anointing oil is not available? Can a Kohein G-dol exercise all the functions of his office with only his garments as marking his distinctive status?

106 Thus showing that initiation without the oil is sufficient.

107 Horiyos 12a.

108 Sifra Acharei Mos, per. 8, 5.

109 Ibid.


Chapter 17 - Text Notes

110 In verse 4. The prohibition mentioned in the verse refers to animals consecrated for sacrificial purposes and not common animals ( {Hebrew Ref} ), those not designated as sacrifices. Though Rashi points to the next verse as providing the proper context, there is still the possibility, as Ramban and others point out, that these verses could refer to un consecrated, common animals, which must be brought as peace-offerings before any meat can be eaten, similar to the prohibition of Devorim 12, 21. G.A. insists that there is no punishment of {Hebrew Ref} for eating common food outside the Sanctuary, and so these verses must be dealing with consecrated animals---this following the view of Rabbi Akiva (Chullin 17a).

111 However, if he slaughters it within the Temple courts, though not in its exactly proper place he will not be liable to {Hebrew Ref} (Sifra Acharei Mos, par. 6, 3). The phrases "within the encampment" and "beyond the encampment" constitute a hekesh, a midrashic juxtaposition, and imply that just as "beyond the encampment" is not a proper place to slaughter consecrated animals, so too "the camp" mentioned here is an inappropriate place for slaughter. The upshot of all this is that the place referred to is beyond the Temple courts.

112 Zevochim 107a. The source for this halochoh is the double use of the word "blood" in the phrases "it shall be considered... as blood" and "spilled blood."

113 In other words, the implication is not that they had already slaughtered, since in that case, how could the verse require another slaughter? Rather the progressive tense refers to habitual action, action which is usually performed (M.).

114 Literally, "goats."

115 Yeshayoh 13, 21.

116 Rashi wishes to emphasize that even though the animal became invalid as a sacrifice by having been slaughtered inappropriately, burning it outside the camp is still forbidden.

117 I.e., burns the appropriate parts of the sacrifice outside the camp.

118 Zevochim 106a. The second man is guilty of bringing the sacrifice to be burnt outside the Temple Courts.

119 I.e., they will die in his lifetime.

120 He will die in his fifties.

121 In the next verse.

122 That is, since the verse states that the importance of blood is in its atoning properties, perhaps it is only the consumption of such blood which is a crime, but not other types of blood which do not atone?

123 To inform us that any blood is forbidden to be consumed, even if it does not provide atonement.

124 Literally, "My Face," {Hebrew Ref} , which Rashi interprets as related to {Hebrew Ref} , "free time."

125 Rashi does not mean to connect the two words---panai and penai---and imply that they are equivalent; it is rather a "play on words" (G.A.).

126 Literally, "activities."

127 To punish him.

128 That is, its life.

129 Rashi here interprets the phrase "in the blood" as "dependent on the blood," so that we not misunderstand the verse as merely referring to the blood as being physically in the body of the animal (L.B.).

130 To keep them from consuming blood; do not think that just because they are not liable to punishment that they should not be trained to keep away from forbidden substances. This is derived from the inclusive use of {Hebrew Ref} , "all."

131 I.e., animals which are hunted and trapped.

132 That is, whether the animals are wild or domesticated.

133 That in the end, "ensnare" does not refer only to wild animals, but also to tame ones, why mention hunting at all?

134 That is, meat should be regarded as a luxury, and not be eaten indiscriminantly, but only if one can afford it; Chullin 84a. The sentence in parentheses is missing in the first printing of Rashi's commentary.

135 That is, if he slaughtered or killed a forbidden animal, he need not cover its blood.

136 Since its life depends on its blood (hence the expression "life's-blood"), the soul and the blood are in a sense equivalent; it is for this reason that the blood can atone for the soul (L.B.).

137 Thus the pronoun {Hebrew Ref} , "it is, she is" refers to the soul in this sentence, and cannot refer either to the words "flesh" or "blood." The result is that the sentence must mean "for the soul of all flesh is its blood," emphasizing the identity of the soul and the body's blood, while "for the soul of everybody is its blood that is in its soul" in the previous verse, which has the masculine pronoun {Hebrew Ref} , refers to the identity of blood and soul (G.A.). While the equation works both ways, each verse states it in one direction.

138 Literally, a "carcass." However, this cannot refer to the carcass of an animal, since that prohibition already appears in 5, 2 above, and it is excluded from the type of impurity implied here.

139 Literally, an animal which has been "torn."

140 That is, it imparts no ritual impurity.

141 As derived from 22, 8 below, its impurity is caused only by "eating," namely, swallowing it, but not by touch or carrying (M., G.A.).

142 This too is implied in 22, 8, but from here (17, 15) we learn that swallowing the carcass of a kosher bird causes impurity to the clothes that one is wearing.

143 Since by definition an unkosher animal cannot be properly slaughtered, it cannot also be improperly slaughtered; the laws of {Hebrew Ref} do not apply to it at all. Thus the word {Hebrew Ref} comes to exclude unkosher birds from the halochoh being laid down here; Sifra Acharei, per. 12, 7, Zevochim 69b, and see Rashi on 22, 8 below.

144 Sifra Acharei, per. 12, 14.

145 Dying in his fifties without descendants.

146 I.e., ritual immersion in a mikveh.

147 Ibid., 13.


Chapter 18 - Text Notes

148 Shemos 20, 2.

149 Since you have already obligated yourselves.

150 Literally, "at their end."

151 By marrying non-Jewish women.

152 As described in Ezra 9--10.

153 Literally, "upon them."

154 Sifra Acharei Mos, per. 13, 3. The Divine Name "Ad-noy" reflects G-d's merciful attribute, and thus refers to dispensing reward; the Name "El-him" refers to His attribute of strict judgement; thus this phrase encompasses both aspects of His governance of the world (M.).

155 In regard to sexual crimes, as Yechezkel 23, 20, which compares the Egyptians to horses, points out (M.L.).

156 In regard to idolatry and sorcery, which the Israelites were specifically warned against in Devorim 18, 9 (M.L.).

157 This is the import of the emphasis of the phrase "in which you have lived" in describing Egypt; why is that necessary, since it is known to everyone? The point is that the particular province of Egypt in which they had settled ---Goshen---was most corrupt, and likewise for the phrase describing the Land of Canaan "to which I am bringing you" (L.B.).

158 See previous note; Sifra Acharei, per. 13, 5--6.

159 All kinds of superstitious practices which are discussed in Shabbos 67a-b, Sifra per. 13, 8, and Tosefta Shabbos, chapter 7.

160 Matters of "natural law," which may be derived by human reason, and which most of the human race would agree upon, such as the prohibition of murder or stealing, etc.

161 Forbidden in 11, 7 above.

162 A mixture of wool and linen, forbidden in 19, 19 below.

163 Water mingled with the ashes of the Red Heifer, as described in Bemidbar 19, 5--9.

164 Yoma 67b.

165 Sifra Acharei, per. 13, 8.

166 Since it cannot be merely repetitious.

167 Since verse 4 states only that we must "fulfill" His laws, and "keep" His statutes.

168 This must therefore refer to the world beyond the grave.

169 That is, studying the Torah and keeping its laws in one's memory (G.A., based on Rashi on 22, 31 below).

170 Otherwise, I might have thought that the use of the expression {Hebrew Ref} , "each and every man," came to exclude women from these prohibitions. (M., G.A.).

171 Rashi repeats this comment here in regard to keeping one's distance from sexual crimes, to teach us that one who resists temptation is rewarded for it as though he had performed a positive command (M.).

172 In 20, 11.

173 This is clear from the verse itself, which states: "A man who will lie with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness...."

174 Sanhedrin 54a.

175 Ibid. The classic cases are those when his mother was either raped or seduced by his father, and they did not marry (G.A.).

176 Ibid. Including also the instance in which his father divorced his wife.

177 That is, when his sister's mother is a halachically legitimate wife to his father.

178 When she is not a halachically legitimate spouse, as Rashi proceeds to explain.

179 One born of an incestuous relationship for which the penalty is {Hebrew Ref} , dying at age fifty to sixty without descendants.

180 The daughter of a Givonite woman, see Yehoshua 9, 27, forbidden under penalty of lashes; Yevomos 23a.

181 Verse 17 below. The prohibition covers marrying a woman and her daughter, as Rashi notes below; it makes no difference whether the woman and her daughter are unrelated to him, or are his own relations or offspring.

182 Yevomos 22b.

183 Born of a woman he raped.

184 Born of a woman you yourself raped.

185 Specifically, a kal vo-chomer. We might argue that if he is forbidden to marry his son's daughter by a woman raped by his son, he is certainly forbidden to marry his own daughter in a similar situation! Rashi here follows Rovo in Sanhedrin 76a, and not Abaye, who in this case does derive the prohibition by means of a kal vo-chomer; see M.

186 3a. The gezeroh shovoh involves the word heinoh here and in verse 17.

187 Neither of which he may marry.

188 Clearly, the subject of his prohibition cannot be his father's legitimate daughter, since that was taken up in verse 9 above, or his father's wife's daughter born of another marriage, since she is no relation of his at all; all that remains is what Rashi cites (M.L.).

189 The point of Rashi's comment here is that we equate the two phrases instead of distinguishing between them. One possibility which Rashi implicitly rejects is to take the first half of this verse literally, as prohibiting homosexual relations with his uncle, so that one who engages in this abomination would transgress both the general prohibition of homosexual relations and this particular prohibition (G.A.).

190 Only then is she forbidden to you; that is the import of "she is your son's wife"---his legitimate spouse.

191 See Sifra Acharei, per. 13, 15.

192 That is, he married the woman, and now wishes to marry her daughter, but if he had relations with the mother in an irregular way, the daughter is not necessary forbidden; see Rashi's conclusion below.

193 In 20, 14 below, in the section devoted to the punishments for the prohibitions listed here.

194 Yevomos 79a.

195 The root is {Hebrew Ref} , "to plan," as in Devorim 19, 19 (M.).

196 That is, even if he marries them simultaneously, and certainly if he marries the second after having married the first. The word {Hebrew Ref} , "to" can replace {Hebrew Ref} , "on" (as Rashi remarks Bereishis 20, 2 and elsewhere), and "on" can have the additional meaning of "with" as in Bereishis 28, 9 (S.C.)

197 A co-wife or rival who competes for her husband's attention.

198 Yevamos 8b.

199 Sanhedrin 64a.

200 Literally, "to give."

201 Rashi thus explains the seeming redundancy in the expression "to give to pass to Molech."

202 Yirmiyoh 10, 25.

203 Sifra, end of Kedoshim.

204 Sifra Acharei Mos, per. 13, 20. Though Rashi already made this point in connection with verse 6 above, here his comment relates to the punishment while above it relates to the prohibition (G.A.). At any rate, the penalty of {Hebrew Ref} mentioned here refers to death at age fifty to sixty without surviving offspring.

205 Sifra Acharei Mos, per. 13, 22. That is, that the Sages pass legislation to make people distance themselves even further from even the possibility of violating these prohibitions.

206 As your G-d.

207 Because by violating these prohibitions you cut yourselves off from any contact with My Divine Nature (Maharik).


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