י״ח
כ״אוְלִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י הִנֵּ֥ה נָתַ֛תִּי כׇּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְנַחֲלָ֑ה חֵ֤לֶף עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם עֹֽבְדִ֔ים אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
21And to the Levites I hereby give all the tithes in Israel as their share in return for the services that they perform, the services of the Tent of Meeting.
כ״בוְלֹא־יִקְרְב֥וּ ע֛וֹד בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לָשֵׂ֥את חֵ֖טְא לָמֽוּת׃
22Henceforth, Israelites shall not trespass on the Tent of Meeting, and thus incur guilt and die:
כ״גוְעָבַ֨ד הַלֵּוִ֜י ה֗וּא אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהֵ֖ם יִשְׂא֣וּ עֲוֺנָ֑ם חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יִנְחֲל֖וּ נַחֲלָֽה׃
23only Levites shall perform the services of the Tent of Meeting; othersiothers Lit. “they.” would incur guilt. It is the law for all time throughout the ages. But they shall have no territorial share among the Israelites;
והם. הַלְוִיִּם — יִשְׂאוּ עֲוֹנָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם לְהַזְהִיר הַזָּרִים מִגֶּשֶׁת אֲלֵיהֶם:
והם [BUT THE LEVITES SHALL PERFORM THE SERVICE OF THE APPOINTED TENT] AND THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITY — “They” means the Levites; they shall bear the iniquity of the children of Israel, because upon them (the Levites) lies the duty to warn them (the Israelites) not to come near unto them.
כ״דכִּ֞י אֶת־מַעְשַׂ֣ר בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֤ימוּ לַֽיהֹוָה֙ תְּרוּמָ֔ה נָתַ֥תִּי לַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה עַל־כֵּן֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָהֶ֔ם בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יִנְחֲל֖וּ נַחֲלָֽה׃ {פ}
24for it is the tithes set aside by the Israelites as a gift to GOD that I give to the Levites as their share. Therefore I have said concerning them: They shall have no territorial share among the Israelites.
אשר ירימו לה' תרומה. הַכָּתוּב קְרָאוֹ תְּרוּמָה עַד שֶׁיַּפְרִישׁ מִמֶּנּוּ תְּרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר:
אשר ירימו לה׳ תרומה [BUT ALL THE TITHES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] WHICH THEY HEAVE AS A HEAVE OFFERING UNTO THE LORD — Scripture terms it (the tithe) T’rumah (although it is not holy and may be eaten by a layman) until he (the Levite) sets apart from it the “heave offering of the tithe” (Sifrei Bamidbar 119:5).
כ״הוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
25GOD spoke to Moses, saying:
כ״ווְאֶל־הַלְוִיִּ֣ם תְּדַבֵּר֮ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶם֒ כִּֽי־תִ֠קְח֠וּ מֵאֵ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֧תִּי לָכֶ֛ם מֵאִתָּ֖ם בְּנַחֲלַתְכֶ֑ם וַהֲרֵמֹתֶ֤ם מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִן־הַֽמַּעֲשֵֽׂר׃
26Speak to the Levites and say to them: When you receive from the Israelites their tithes, which I have assigned to you as your share, you shall set aside from them one-tenth of the tithe as a gift to GOD.
כ״זוְנֶחְשַׁ֥ב לָכֶ֖ם תְּרוּמַתְכֶ֑ם כַּדָּגָן֙ מִן־הַגֹּ֔רֶן וְכַֽמְלֵאָ֖ה מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב׃
27This shall be accounted to you as your gift. As with the new grain from the threshing floor or the flow from the vat,
ונחשב לכם תרומתכם כדגן מן הגרן. תְּרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁלָּכֶם אֲסוּרָה לְזָרִים וְלִטְמֵאִין, וְחַיָּבִין עָלֶיהָ מִיתָה וְחֹמֶשׁ כִּתְרוּמָה גְדוֹלָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית דָּגָן מִן הַגֹּרֶן:
ונחשב לכם תרומתכם כדגן מן הגרן AND THIS YOUR HEAVE OFFERING SHALL BE RECKONED UNTO YOU AS THOUGH IT WERE THE CORN OF THE THRESHING FLOOR — i.e. the heave-offering of your tithe is forbidden to laymen and to unclean priests, and such of these as eat it of set purpose incur the death penalty, or, if they have eaten it inadvertently, pay in addition to the capital sum a fifth, just as in the case of “T’rumah Gedolah” (the T’rumah set apart by the ordinary Israelite) which is termed the “firstling of the corn” from the threshing floor.
וכמלאה מן היקב. תְּרוּמַת תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר הַנִּטֶּלֶת מִן הַיְקָבִים:
וכמלאה מן היקב AND AS THE FULNESS OF THE WINE PRESS — the heave offering of wine and oil which is taken out of the wine-press.
מלאה. לְשׁוֹן בִּשּׁוּל — תְּבוּאָה שֶׁנִּתְמַלֵּאת:
מלאה is a term for “ripening”; it is the produce that becomes full.
יקב. הוּא הַבּוֹר שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַגַּת שֶׁהַיַּיִן יוֹרֵד לְתוֹכוֹ, וְכָל לְשׁוֹן יֶקֶב חֲפִירַת קַרְקַע הוּא, וְכֵן "יִקְבֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ" (זכריה י"ד), הוּא יָם אוֹקְיָנוֹס, חֲפִירָה שֶׁחָפַר מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם:
יקב is the pit in front of the wine-press into which the wine runs. The expression יקב always denotes an excavation in the ground. Similar is (Zechariah 14:10) יקבי המלך, “the pits of the King”, that is, the ocean (cf. Rashi on that verse) — the cavity which the King of the Universe has excavated.
כ״חכֵּ֣ן תָּרִ֤ימוּ גַם־אַתֶּם֙ תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּקְח֔וּ מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּנְתַתֶּ֤ם מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
28so shall you on your part set aside a gift for GOD from all the tithes that you receive from the Israelites; and from them you shall bring the gift for GOD to Aaron the priest.
כן תרימו גם אתם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְרִימִים מִגָּרְנָם וּמִיִּקְבֵיהֶם, תָּרִימוּ גַּם אַתֶּם מִמַּעֲשֵׂר שֶׁלָּכֶם, כִּי הוּא נַחֲלַתְכֶם:
כן תרימו גם אתם THUS YE ALSO SHALL HEAVE AN HEAVE OFFERING just as the ordinary Israelites set apart a heave offering, from the produce of their threshing floors and wine presses, so you Levites, also, shall set apart a heave offering from your tithes, for that is your inheritance (cf. v. 24).
כ״טמִכֹּל֙ מַתְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תָּרִ֕ימוּ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה מִכׇּ֨ל־חֶלְבּ֔וֹ אֶֽת־מִקְדְּשׁ֖וֹ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
29You shall set aside all gifts due to GOD from everything that is donated to you, from each thing its best portion, the part thereof that is to be consecrated.
מכל מתנתיכם תרימו את כל תרומת ה'. בִּתְרוּמָה גְדוֹלָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁאִם הִקְדִּים לֵוִי אֶת הַכֹּהֵן בַּכְּרִי וְקִבֵּל מַעְשְׂרוֹתָיו קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּטֹּל כֹּהֵן תְּרוּמָה גְדוֹלָה מִן הַכְּרִי, צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ הַלֵּוִי מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר תְּחִלָּה אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשִּׁים לִתְרוּמָה גְדוֹלָה, וְיַחֲזֹר וְיַפְרִישׁ תְּרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר (ספרי):
מכל מתנתיכם תרימו את כל תרומת ה׳ OUT OF ALL YOUR GIFTS YOU SHALL HEAVE EVERY HEAVE OFFERING UNTO THE LORD — Scripture is speaking here of the “Terumah Gedolah” (not of תרומת מעשר, for this is dealt with in verse 28); the meaning is, that if the Levite came to the field before the priest, when the grain has been made into a heap (i.e., after it has been threshed, when it becomes subject to the law of Terumah), and received his tithes before the priest took the Terumah Gedolah from the heap, the Levite must first set apart the fiftieth part (the usual proportion of the crop which the Israelite gives to the priest) of the tithe as “Terumah Gedolah” and then again set apart the תרומת מעשר (i.e. the tithe of his tithe) (Shabbat 127b).
ל׳וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֤ם אֶת־חֶלְבּוֹ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנֶחְשַׁב֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם כִּתְבוּאַ֥ת גֹּ֖רֶן וְכִתְבוּאַ֥ת יָֽקֶב׃
30Say to them further: When you have removed the best part from it, you Levites may consider it the same as the yield of threshing floor or vat.
בהרימכם את חלבו ממנו. לְאַחַר שֶׁתָּרִימוּ תְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר מִמֶּנּוּ:
בהרימכם את חלבו ממנו WHEN YE HEAVE THE BEST THEREOF FROM IT — i.e. after you have heaved the תרומת מעשר (the priest’s share in the tithe) from it.
ונחשב הַמּוֹתָר לַלְוִיִּם חֻלִּין גְּמוּרִין:
ונחשב THEN the remainder MAY BE ACCOUNTED by the Levites as profane (of a non-sacred character) in all respects.
כתבואת גרן לישראל, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וּקְרָאוֹ הַכָּתוּב תְּרוּמָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי אֶת מַעְשַׂר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ לַה' תְּרוּמָה" — יָכוֹל יְהֵא כֻלּוֹ אָסוּר, תַּ"ל "וְנֶחְשַׁב לַלְוִיִּם כִּתְבוּאַת גֹּרֶן", מַה שֶּׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל חֻלִּין, אַף שֶׁל לֵוִי חֻלִּין (עי' ספרי):
כתבואת גרן AS THE PRODUCE OF THRESHING FLOOR is to the Israelites. [This is not a mere repetition of verse 27 but is stated in order that] you should not say: Since Scripture terms it (the tithe) “Terumah”, — as it is said, (verse 24) “But the tithes of the children of Israel which they heave as a תרומה unto the Lord” — I may conclude that it is all entirely forbidden to the Levites (just as “Terumah” is forbidden to them); Scripture therefore states, “it shall be accounted unto the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor”. How is it with the remainder of the Israelite’s produce after he has set apart the “Terumah”? It is profane (non-holy)! So, too, is the corresponding portion of the Levite’s tithe profane (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 122).
ל״אוַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּכׇל־מָק֔וֹם אַתֶּ֖ם וּבֵֽיתְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־שָׂכָ֥ר הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם חֵ֥לֶף עֲבֹֽדַתְכֶ֖ם בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
31You and your households may eat it anywhere, for it is your recompense for your services in the Tent of Meeting.
בכל מקום. אֲפִלּוּ בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת (שם):
בכל מקום AND YE MAY EAT IN EVERY PLACE — even in a cemetery (Sifrei Bamidbar 122).
ל״בוְלֹֽא־תִשְׂא֤וּ עָלָיו֙ חֵ֔טְא בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֥ם אֶת־חֶלְבּ֖וֹ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְאֶת־קׇדְשֵׁ֧י בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לֹ֥א תְחַלְּל֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָמֽוּתוּ׃ {פ}
32You will incur no guilt through it, once you have removed the best part from it; but you must not profane the sacred donations of the Israelites, lest you die.
ולא תשאו עליו חטא וגו'. הָא אִם לֹא תָרִימוּ תִּשְׂאוּ חֵטְא:
ולא תשאו עליו חטא וגו׳ AND YE SHALL BEAR NO SIN BY REASON OF IT etc. — This implies: consequently if you do not set it aside you will bear sin on that account.
ולא תמותו. הָא אִם תְּחַלְּלוּ תָּמוּתוּ:
ולא תמותו LEST YE DIE — consequently if you do profane them you will die (Bekhorot 26b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:20 and Note thereon).