כ׳
ח׳וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
8You shall faithfully observe My laws: I GOD make you holy.
ט׳כִּֽי־אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְקַלֵּ֧ל אֶת־אָבִ֛יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֖וֹ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת אָבִ֧יו וְאִמּ֛וֹ קִלֵּ֖ל דָּמָ֥יו בּֽוֹ׃
9Regarding anyonebanyone See note at 17.3. who insults their father or their mother: they shall be put to death; they have insulted their father and their mother—and the bloodguilt is theirs.ctheirs I.e., the perpetrator’s.
אביו ואמו קלל. לְרַבּוֹת לְאַחַר מִיתָה (שם; סנהדרין פ"ה):
אביו ואמו קלל HE HATH CURSED HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER — These apparently redundant words are intended to include as subject to the death penalty one who curses his parents after their death (Sanhedrin 85b).
דמיו בו. זוֹ סְקִילָה, וְכֵן כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר דָּמָיו בּוֹ, דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם; וְלָמַדְנוּ מֵאוֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם בָּאֶבֶן יִרְגְּמוּ אֹתָם דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם (ספרא; כריתות ה'). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, כְּמוֹ דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ (יהושע ב') — אֵין נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל מִיתָתוֹ אֶלָּא הוּא, שֶׁהוּא גָרַם לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג:
דמיו בו HIS BLOOD IS UPON HIM — This implies execution by stoning; similarly wherever the expressions דמיו בו or דמיהם בם occur. We learn this Halachic rule from the case of אוב and ידעוני of whom Scripture expressly states, (v. 27) [“they shall surely be put to death], they shall overwhelm them with stones, their blood is upon them (דמיהם בם)” (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 10 7; cf. Sanhedrin 54a; Keritot 5a). But according to the literal sense of the passage it means the same as the expression דמו בראשו (Joshua 2:19): “[whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street his blood shall be upon his own head] (דמו בראשו)” where the meaning is: No one deserves punishment on account of his death except himself, for he brought it upon himself that he should be killed (i. e. it was his own fault).
י׳וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנְאַף֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִנְאַ֖ף אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת׃
10If a man commits adultery with a married woman—committing adultery with another man’s wife—the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.
ואיש. פְּרָט לְקָטָן:
ואיש AND THE MAN [THAT COMMITTETH ADULERY SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] — a man, thus excluding a minor (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 10 8).
אשר ינאף את אשת איש. פְּרָט לְאֵשֶׁת קָטָן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאֵין לְקָטָן קִדּוּשִׁין, וְעַל אֵיזוֹ אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ חִיַּבְתִּי לְךָ?
אשר ינאף את אשת איש WHO COMMITTETH ADULTERY WITH ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE — a man's wife, thus excluding the wife of a minor from the death penalty. This teaches us that a minor cannot enter into a marriage contract. And in reference to what married woman do I make you liable to the death penalty?
אשר ינאף את אשת רעהו. פְּרָט לְאֵשֶׁת גּוֹי, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאֵין קִדּוּשִׁין לְגוֹי (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ב):
אשר ינאף את אשת רעהו IF HE COMMITTETH ADULTERY WITH THE WIFE OF HIS FELLOW-MAN — his fellow-man, thus excluding the wife of a heathen; this teaches us that a heathen cannot enter into a marriage contract according to Jewish law (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 10 8; Sanhedrin 52b).
מות יומת הנאף והנאפת. כָּל מִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַתּוֹרָה סְתָם, אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חֶנֶק (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ה):
מות יומת הנאף והנאפת THE ADULTERER AND THE ADULTRESS SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH — Wherever a death penalty is mentioned in Scripture without being precisely defined, only strangulation is intended (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 10 8; Sanhedrin 55b).
י״אוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יו גִּלָּ֑ה מֽוֹת־יוּמְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃
11If a man lies with his father’s wife, it is the nakedness of his father that he has uncovered; the two shall be put to death—and the bloodguilt is theirs.
י״בוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־כַּלָּת֔וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמְת֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם תֶּ֥בֶל עָשׂ֖וּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃
12If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall be put to death; they have committed incest—and the bloodguilt is theirs.
תבל עשו. גְּנַאי; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר מְבַלְבְּלִין זֶרַע הָאָב בְּזֶרַע הַבֵּן:
תבל עשו THEY HAVE WROUGHT תבל — i. e. they have done a shameful deed. Another interpretation is that תבל is connected with בלל to "intermingle" and signifies that they mingle (בּלל) the seed of the father with the seed of the son.
י״גוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֤ב אֶת־זָכָר֙ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֔ה תּוֹעֵבָ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃
13If a man lies with a male as one lies with a woman, the two of them have done an abhorrent thing; they shall be put to death—and the bloodguilt is theirs.
משכבי אשה. מַכְנִיס כְּמִכְחוֹל בִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת:
משכבי אשה means he inserts as a brush into a tube [i.e. in the manner of marital intercourse].
י״דוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקַּ֧ח אֶת־אִשָּׁ֛ה וְאֶת־אִמָּ֖הּ זִמָּ֣ה הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֞שׁ יִשְׂרְפ֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ וְאֶתְהֶ֔ן וְלֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ה זִמָּ֖ה בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃
14If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is depravity; both he and they shall be put to the fire, that there be no depravity among you.
ישרפו אתו ואתהן. אֵי אַתָּה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר אִשְׁתּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה יִשְׂרְפוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי נְשָׂאָהּ בְּהֶתֵּר וְלֹא נֶאֶסְרָה עָלָיו, אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה וְאִמָּהּ הַכְּתוּבין כָּאן שְׁתֵּיהֶן לְאִסּוּר — שֶׁנָּשָׂא חֲמוֹתוֹ וְאִמָּהּ; וְיֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֵין כָּאן אֶלָּא חֲמוֹתוֹ, וּמַהוּ אֶתְהֶן? אֶת אַחַת מֵהֶן וְלָשׁוֹן יְוָנִי הוּא הֵן אַחַת (ספרא; סנהדרין ע"ו):
ישרפו אתו ואתהן [AND IF A MAN TAKE A WIFE AND HER MOTHER, IT IS WICKEDNESS] THEY SHALL BE BURNT [WITH FIRE] BOTH HE AND THEY — You cannot say that this means that they shall burn also his first wife (i. e. her whom he married first), because you must admit that he married her legally for she was not forbidden to him as a wife. But the fact is that the case of “a woman and her mother": mentioned here must be a case where both of them are forbidden to him on account of a previous relationship to him, — that, for instance, after having married a woman, he marries also his mother-in-law and her mother. It is these two that have to be burnt. There are, however, some of our Rabbis who say we have here a case of where, in addition to having married a woman, he marries only his mother-in-law (but not also the latter's mother). But what then could be the meaning of אתהן? It means one of them (“את "הן) and this is a Greek word, הן (ξυ) meaning “one" (Sanhedrin 76b; Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 10 12).
ט״ווְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן שְׁכׇבְתּ֛וֹ בִּבְהֵמָ֖ה מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה תַּהֲרֹֽגוּ׃
15If a man has carnal relations with an animal, he shall be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
ואת הבהמה תהרגו. אִם אָדָם חָטָא בְּהֵמָה מֶה חָטְאָה? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבָּאָה לָאָדָם תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדָהּ לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב תִּסָּקֵל, קַל וָחֹמֶר לָאָדָם, שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְחִין בֵּין טוֹב לְרַע, וְגוֹרֵם רָעָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ לַעֲבֹר עֲבֵרָה; כַּיּוֹצֵא בַדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אַבֵּד תְּאַבְּדוּן אֶת כָּל הַמְּקֹמוֹת (דברים י"ב), הֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אִילָנוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן רוֹאִין וְאֵינָן שׁוֹמְעִין, עַל שֶׁבָּאת תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדָם אָמְרָה תוֹרָה הַשְׁחֵת, שְׂרֹף וְכַלֵּה, הַמַּטֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים לְדַרְכֵי מִיתָה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרא):
ואת הבהמה תהרגו AND YE SHALL SLAY THE BEAST — If the man has sinned, what sin has the beast committed? But because the man’s opportunity to stumble (to sin) was occasioned by it, therefore Scripture says, “let it be stoned"! How much the more does this principle apply to a human being who knows to distinguish between good and evil and yet brings evil upon his fellow-man by inducing him to commit a sin. In a similar way you should explain: (Deuteronomy 12:2) “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places [where the nations… served their gods… under every bushy tree]" Now is not the following a logical conclusion? How is it in the case of trees which can neither see nor hear? Merely because an opportunity to sin was occasioned by them Scripture says, "Destroy, burn, exterminate them!״ One who makes his fellow-man deviate from the path of lifeto the path of death, does it not follow all the more that he should be punished? (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 11 5; cf. Sanhedrin 54a, 55a.)
ט״זוְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּקְרַ֤ב אֶל־כׇּל־בְּהֵמָה֙ לְרִבְעָ֣הֿ אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָרַגְתָּ֥ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃
16If a woman approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall be put to death—and the bloodguilt is theirs.
י״זוְאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחֹת֡וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֣יו א֣וֹ בַת־אִ֠מּ֠וֹ וְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ וְהִֽיא־תִרְאֶ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ חֶ֣סֶד ה֔וּא וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמָּ֑ם עֶרְוַ֧ת אֲחֹת֛וֹ גִּלָּ֖ה עֲוֺנ֥וֹ יִשָּֽׂא׃
17If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; they shall be excommunicateddexcommunicated Lit. “cut off.” in the sight of their kinsfolk. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister, he shall bear the guilt.
חסד הוא. לְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי חֶרְפָּה חִסּוּדָא; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ אִם תֹּאמַר קַיִן נָשָׂא אֲחוֹתוֹ חֶסֶד עָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם, לִבְנוֹת עוֹלָמוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ"ט), עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה (ספרא; סנהדרין נ"ח):
חסד הוא IT IS A WICKED THING — It is an Aramaic expression, the Hebrew חרפה (disgrace) being in that language חסודא (cf. Onkelos on Genesis 34:14). A Midrashic explanation of it (of חסד הוא) is; If you should say, "But Cain married his sister!" then I reply, Cain's case was an exceptional one; an act of kindness (חסד) was done by the Omnipresent in order that His world might be built up through him (i. e. He made the propagation of the human race possible through this union), as it is said (Psalms 89:3) "The world was built up through חסד, loving-kindness" (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 11 11; Sanhedrin 58b).
י״חוְ֠אִ֠ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה דָּוָ֗ה וְגִלָּ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ אֶת־מְקֹרָ֣הּ הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה וְהִ֕וא גִּלְּתָ֖ה אֶת־מְק֣וֹר דָּמֶ֑יהָ וְנִכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם׃
18If a man lies with a woman during her menstrual condition and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow and she has exposed her blood flow; both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
הערה. גִּלָּה, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן עֶרְוָה גִּלּוּי הוּא, וְהַוָּי"ו יוֹרֶדֶת בַּתֵּיבָה לְשֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ זַעֲוָה מִגִּזְרַת וְלֹא קָם וְלֹא זָע (אסתר ה'), וְכֵן אַחֲוָה מִגִּזְרַת אָח. וְהַעֲרָאָה זוֹ נֶחְלְקוּ בָהּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ נְשִׁיקַת שַׁמָּשׁ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ הַכְנָסַת עֲטָרָה (יבמות נ"ה):
הערה means HE HATH UNCOVERED. Similarly the term ערוה everywhere denotes "uncovering". The ו in the word ערוה nakedness, is inserted in the root ערה in order to form a noun of it, just as the noun זעוה, "trembling", is of the same derivation as זע in the phrase (Esther 5:9) "and he stood not up and did not tremble (זע)". Similarly, אחוה "brotherhood", is of the same derivation as אח, brother. As for this term "uncovering" our Rabbis differ in the meaning they give to it (Yevamot 55b). Some say that it is the mere contact of the tip of the organ, while others say that it is the insertion of the tip.
י״טוְעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲח֧וֹת אִמְּךָ֛ וַאֲח֥וֹת אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּ֧י אֶת־שְׁאֵר֛וֹ הֶעֱרָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃
19YoueYou See note at 18.6. shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for that is laying bare one’s own flesh; they shall bear the guilt.
וערות אחות אמך וגו'. שָׁנָה הַכָּתוּב בְּאַזְהָרָתָן, לוֹמַר שֶׁהֻזְהַר עֲלֵיהֶן בֵּין עַל אֲחוֹת אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מִן הָאָב, בֵּין עַל אַחְיוֹתֵיהֶן מִן הָאֵם, אֲבָל עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת אֲחִי אָבִיו לֹא הֻזְהַר אֶלָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אֲחִי אָבִיו מִן הָאָב (עי' יבמות נ"ד):
'וערות אחות אמך וגו [AND THOU SHALT NOT UNCOVER] THE NAKEDNESS OF THY MOTHERS SISTER [NOR OF THY FATHER’S SISTER] — Scripture repeats the prohibition regarding these (although they had been mentioned already in Leviticus 18:12, 13) to tell us that one is prohibited in respect to them, both in regard to one's father's or mother's sister on their father's side, and in regard to their sisters on their mother's side. But as regards a marriage being forbidden with the wife of one's father’s brother (cf. Leviticus 18:14) the prohibition (i.e. the איסור ערוה מדאורייתא) applies only to the wife of the brother of one's father when he is the father’s brother on the father’s side (i. e. when both have one father) (cf. Yevamot 54b).
כ׳וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ עֶרְוַ֥ת דֹּד֖וֹ גִּלָּ֑ה חֶטְאָ֥ם יִשָּׂ֖אוּ עֲרִירִ֥ים יָמֻֽתוּ׃
20If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, it is his uncle’s nakedness that he has uncovered. They shall bear the guilt: they shall die childless.
אשר ישכב את דדתו. הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה בָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל כָּרֵת הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא בְעֹנֶשׁ הֲלִיכַת עֲרִירִי:
אשר ישכב את דדתו AND IF A MAN SHALL LIE WITH HIS AUNT… [THEY SHALL DIE CHILDLESS] — This verse is intended to teach that the "excision" mentioned above (18:29, where "all these abominations includes the union prohibited in v. 14 of that chapter) consists in their (the offenders’) passing from this world childless.
ערירים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, בְּלָא וְלָד, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי (בראשית ט"ו); יֵשׁ לוֹ בָנִים, קוֹבְרָן, אֵין לוֹ בָנִים, מֵת בְּלֹא בָנִים, לְכָךְ שִׁנָּה בִשְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת אֵלּוּ — עֲרִירִים "יָמֻתוּ", עֲרִירִים "יִהְיוּ", ערירים ימתו. אִם יִהְיוּ לוֹ בִשְׁעַת עֲבֵרָה לֹא יִהְיוּ לוֹ כְּשֶׁיָּמוּת, לְפִי שֶׁקּוֹבְרָן בְּחַיָּיו, ערירים יהיו. אִם אֵין לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת עֲבֵרָה, יִהְיֶה כָל יָמָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא עַכְשָׁו (ספרא; יבמות נ"ה):
ערירים — Translate this as the Targum renders it: בלא ולד, childless. Similar is, (Genesis 15:2) "and I will pass away childless (ערירי)”. If he has children he will bury them (i. e. they will die during his life-time); if he has no children when this sin is committed he will die childless (he will beget no children afterwards). That is why Scripture varies the expression in these two verses (this and the following) here stating ערירים ימתו, "they shall die childless", and there ערירים יהיו, "they shall be childless". The expression ערירים ימתו implies: if he has any children at the time he commits the sin, he shall have none remaining when he dies because he will bury them during his lifetime; ערירים יהיו on the other hand, implies: if he has no children at the time when he commits the sin, he shall remain all his life just as he was then (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 12 7; Yevamot 55a).
כ״אוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִקַּ֛ח אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יו נִדָּ֣ה הִ֑וא עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֛יו גִּלָּ֖ה עֲרִירִ֥ים יִהְיֽוּ׃
21If a man marries the wife of his brother, it is indecency. It is the nakedness of his brother that he has uncovered; they shall remain childless.
נדה הוא. הַשְּׁכִיבָה הַזֹּאת מְנֻדָּה הִיא וּמְאוּסָה; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ לֶאֱסֹר הַעֲרָאָה בָהּ כְּנִדָּה שֶׁהַעֲרָאָה מְפֹרֶשֶׁת בָּהּ — אֶת מְקֹרָהּ הֶעֱרָה (יבמות נ"ד):
נדה הוא means, this cohabitation ought to be kept at a distance (avoided) and is loathsome. Our Rabbis explained that these words prohibit the slightest approach to her [I.e. one is liable for superficial contact, as is defined in the commentary on verse 18] just as though she were a נדה in the case of whom such intimacy is expressly stated as forbidden, as it says, (v. 18) “he hath uncovered her fountain” (cf. Yevamot 54a).
כ״בוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כׇּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ׃
22You shall faithfully observe all My laws and all My regulations, lest the land to which I bring you to settle in spew you out.
כ״גוְלֹ֤א תֵֽלְכוּ֙ בְּחֻקֹּ֣ת הַגּ֔וֹי אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֤י אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ עָשׂ֔וּ וָאָקֻ֖ץ בָּֽם׃
23You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am driving out before you. For it is because they did all these things that I abhorred them
ואקץ. לְשׁוֹן מִאוּס, כְּמוֹ קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי (בראשית כ"ז), כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא קָץ בִּמְזוֹנוֹ (ספרא):
קוץ — ואקץ signifies loathsomeness. Similar is: (Genesis 27:46) "I am sick (קצתי) of my life”, like a man who is disgusted with his food (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 12 16).
כ״דוָאֹמַ֣ר לָכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֮ תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָם֒ וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לָכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֹתָ֔הּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֲנִי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּֽים׃
24and said to you: You shall possess their land, for I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I the ETERNAL am your God who has set you apart from other peoples.
כ״הוְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה הַטְּהֹרָה֙ לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה וּבֵין־הָע֥וֹף הַטָּמֵ֖א לַטָּהֹ֑ר וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜ם בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה וּבָע֗וֹף וּבְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי לָכֶ֖ם לְטַמֵּֽא׃
25So you shall set apart the pure animal from the impure, the impure bird from the pure. You shall not draw abomination upon yourselves through that which I have set apart for you to treat as impurefthat which I have set apart for you to treat as impure Moved up for clarity from the end of the verse.—[whether] animal or bird or anything with which the ground is alive.
והבדלתם בין הבהמה הטהרה לטמאה. אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בֵּין פָּרָה לַחֲמוֹר, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֻבְדָּלִין וְנִכָּרִין הֵם, אֶלָּא בֵּין טְהוֹרָה לְךָ לִטְמֵאָה לְךָ — בֵּין שֶׁנִּשְׁחַט רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל סִימָן לְנִשְׁחַט חֶצְיוֹ, וְכַמָּה בֵּין רֻבּוֹ לְחֶצְיוֹ? מְלֹא שְׂעָרָה (ספרא):
והבדלתם בין הבהמה הטהרה לטמאה YE SHALL THEREFORE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CLEAN BEASTS AND UNCLEAN — It is needless for Scripture to say that one should distinguish between a cow and an ass for these are different and are therefore distinguishable. But it means: you shall distinguish between such an animal as is clean (permitted) to you and such as is unclean (forbidden) to you although it is a clean animal per se, i.e., make a distinction between an animal which has been killed by cutting at least the greater part of each organ (the gullet and the windpipe) or whether it has been killed by cutting exactly the half of each organ. And how much difference is there between the greater part and the exact half? A hair’s breadth only (and consequently the command is given: והבדלתם, “you shall very carefully distinguish”) (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 12 20; cf. also Rashi on Leviticus 11:47 and Chullin 27a).
אשר הבדלתי לכם לטמא. לֶאֱסֹר:
אשר הבדלתי לכם לטמא WHICH I HAVE SEPARATED FOR YOU TO DECLARE THEM UNCLEAN — This means, to declare them as forbidden.
כ״ווִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ קְדֹשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וָאַבְדִּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּ֖ים לִהְי֥וֹת לִֽי׃
26You shall be holy to Me, for I GOD am holy, and I have set you apart from other peoples to be Mine.
ואבדל אתכם מן העמים להיות לי. אִם אַתֶּם מֻבְדָּלִים מֵהֶם הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁלִּי, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר וַחֲבֵרָיו; רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר מִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אָדָם נַפְשִׁי קָצָה בִּבְשַׂר חֲזִיר, אִי אֶפְשִׁי לִלְבֹּשׁ כִּלְאַיִם, אֲבָל יֹאמַר אֶפְשִׁי וּמָה אֶעֱשֶׂה וְאָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם גָּזַר עָלַי? תַּ"ל וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי, שֶׁתְּהֵא הַבְדָּלַתְכֶם מֵהֶם לִשְׁמִי — פּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה וּמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמָיִם (ספרא):
ואבדל אתכם מן העמים להיות לי AND I HAVE SEPARATED YOU FROM THE PEOPLES THAT YOU SHOULD BE MINE — If you hold yourselves apart from them then you will be Mine, but if not, you belong to (become subject to) Nebuchadnezzar and others like him. Rabbi Eleazer ben Azariah said, “Whence do we know that one should not say, "My soul loathes swine’s flesh”, or, “I have no desire to wear clothes which are a mixture of wool and linen”, but one should say, "I would, indeed, like them, but what can I do since my Father in heaven has imposed these decrees upon me”? Because Scripture states: “I have separated you from the peoples to be for Me", whichyour separation from them (from their doings) should be for My sake — that one should keep aloof from sin and take upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 12 23).
כ״זוְאִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּי־יִהְיֶ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם א֛וֹב א֥וֹ יִדְּעֹנִ֖י מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑תוּ בָּאֶ֛בֶן יִרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃ {פ}
27A man or a woman who has a ghost or a familiar spirit shall be put to death; they shall be pelted with stones—and the bloodguilt is theirs.
כי יהיה בהם אוב וגו'. כָּאן נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם מִיתָה וּלְמַעְלָה כָרֵת, עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בִּסְקִילָה, מֵזִיד בְּלֹא הַתְרָאָה בְּהִכָּרֵת, וְשִׁגְגָתָם חַטָּאת, וְכֵן בְּכָל חַיָּבֵי מִיתוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם כָּרֵת:
'כי יהיה בהם אוב וגו [A MAN ALSO, OR A WOMAN] THAT HATH THE SPIRIT אוב, [OR THAT IS A WIZARD SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] — Here the penalty of death by stoning is mentioned for them, and above (Leviticus 20:6) it mentions excision! But the explanation is: If there were witnesses to the offence and the necessary warning had been given them, death by stoning is the punishment. If he acted wittingly but had not been warned, he is punishable with excision and if he breaks the law regarding them (the אוב or ידעוני) inadvertently, he has to bring a sin offering. And the same rules apply in the case of all persons who are subject to the death penalty, where excision is mentioned (i. e. in all such cases “stoning" or a sin offering is the punishment according to the circumstances).