Chumashחומש

חדש האביב. חֹדֶשׁ הַבִּכּוּר, שֶׁהַתְּבוּאָה מִתְבַּכֶּרֶת בְּבִשּׁוּלָהּ:

חדש האביב THE MONTH OF ABIB — the month of early ripening — the month when the grain is in its first stage of ripening.

כל פטר רחם לי. בָּאָדָם:

כל פטר רחם לי EVERY FIRST OFFSPRING OF THE WOMB IS MINE amongst human beings,

וכל מקנך וגו'. וְכָל מִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּזָּכָר בְּפֶטֶר שׁוֹר וָשֶׂה – אֲשֶׁר יִפְטֹר זָכָר אֶת רַחְמָהּ:

וכל מקנך וגו׳ AND also ALL THY CATTLE WHICH IT (the mother animal) BRINGS FORTH AS MALE BY AN OX OR AN ASS OPENING its womb: it means, that a male animal opens her womb.

פטר. לְשׁוֹן פְּתִיחָה, וְכֵן פּוֹטֵר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן (משלי י"ז); תי"ו שֶׁל תִּזָּכָר לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה הִיא, מוּסָב עַל הַיּוֹלֶדֶת:

פטר is an expression denoting “opening”; similar is (Proverbs 17:14) “As if one openeth (letteth run) (פוטר) water so is the beginning of strife”. The ת of תזכר expresses the feminine gender and refers to the animal in labour (i. e. the prefix is 3rd fem. sing., not 2nd masc. sing.: the subject to תזכר must be supplied “the mother animal”).

ופטר חמור. וְלֹא שְׁאָר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה:

ופטר חמור AND THE FIRST OFFSPRING OF AN ASS [THOU SHALT REDEEM] — but not that of any other unclean animal (Bekhorot 5b).

תפדה בשה. נוֹתֵן שֶׂה לַכֹּהֵן וְהוּא חֻלִּין בְּיַד כֹּהֵן, וּפֶטֶר חֲמוֹר מֻתָּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה לַבְּעָלִים:

תפדה בשה THOU SHALT REDEEM WITH A LAMB — one gives a lamb to the priest and it remains in his possession with the character of a non-holy object (חולין — an ordinary animal). The firstborn ass is then permitted to the owner to be used for work (Bekhorot 9b).

וערפתו. עוֹרְפוֹ בְּקוֹפִיץ; הוּא הִפְסִיד מָמוֹן כֹּהֵן, לְפִיכָךְ יֻפְסַד מָמוֹנוֹ:

וערפתו THEN THOU SHALT BREAK ITS NECK — one breaks its neck with a hatchet and so slays it (Bekhorot 10b). The reason is: he (the owner of the ass) has caused loss to the possessions of the priest (by not giving him the lamb) therefore must he suffer loss in his possessions (Mekhilta).

כל בכור בניך תפדה. חֲמִשָּׁה סְלָעִים פִּדְיוֹנוֹ קָצוּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּפְדוּיָו מִבֶּן חֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶה (במדבר י"ח):

כל בכור בניך תפדה ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF THY SONS THOU SHALT REDEEM — Five Sela’im are the ransom fixed for him, as it is said (Numbers 18:16) “And those that are to be redeemed, from a month old shalt thou redeem [according to thy valuation, for the money of five shekels]”. (For the whole of this verse cf. Rashi on 13:13).

ולא יראו פני רקם. לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא דָּבָר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ מוּסָב עַל הַבְּכוֹר – שֶׁאֵין בְּמִצְוַת בְּכוֹר רְאִיַּת פָּנִים – אֶלָּא אַזְהָרָה אַחֶרֶת הִיא, וּכְשֶׁתַּעֲלוּ לָרֶגֶל לֵרָאוֹת לֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם – מִצְוָה עֲלֵיכֶם לְהָבִיא עוֹלַת רְאִיַּת פָּנִים. וּלְפִי מִדְרַשׁ בָּרַיְתָא מִקְרָא יָתֵר הוּא, וּמֻפְנֶה לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, לְלַמֵּד עַל הַעֲנָקָתוֹ שֶׁל עֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֶׁהוּא חֲמִשָּׁה סְלָעִים מִכָּל מִין וָמִין, כְּפִדְיוֹן בְּכוֹר; בְּמַסֶּכֶת קִדּוּשִׁין (דף י"ז):

ולא יראו פני ריקם AND NONE SHALL APEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY — According to the plain sense of the verse this is an independent statement and does not refer to the firstborn just mentioned — because in connection with the command concerning the firstborn there is no duty of appearing before the Lord; but it is another (a separate) prohibition merely connected by a conjunctive ו with the former statement and means: when you go up to the festival gathering to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord, none shall appear before Me empty; it is your duty to bring the burnt offering prescribed for the appearance before My face (Chagigah 7a). According to the Halachic explanation of the Boraitha this portion of the verse is redundant (since the same commandment already appears Exodus 23:15) and is consequently “free” (מופנה) to be used for a גז"ש (an analogy based on verbal similarity in two texts, viz., the word ריקם here and in the text Deuteronomy 15:13 לא תשלחנו ריקם “thou shalt not let him go away ריקם”) — it is repeated here after the law about the first born to teach you that the outfit given to a Hebrew slave when he leaves your service should consist of five Sela’im-worth of each of the things (mentioned Deuteronomy 15:14: thy sheep, thy threshing floor, and vinepress) just as the ransom of the firstborn is five Sela’im. Thus are we taught in Treatise Kiddushin 17a.

בחריש ובקציר. לָמָּה נִזְכָּר חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר? יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים עַל חָרִישׁ שֶׁל עֶרֶב שְׁבִיעִית הַנִּכְנָס לַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְקָצִיר שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית הַיּוֹצֵא לְמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמּוֹסִיפִין מֵחֹל עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְכָךְ מַשְׁמָעוֹ: שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת, וַעֲבוֹדַת ו' הַיָּמִים שֶׁהִתַּרְתִּי לְךָ, יֵשׁ שָׁנָה שֶׁהֶחָרִישׁ וְהַקָּצִיר אָסוּר, וְאֵין צֹרֶךְ לוֹמַר חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע וְגוֹ' (ויקרא כ"ה), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בַּשַּׁבָּת, וְחָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר שֶׁהֻזְכַּר בּוֹ לוֹמַר לְךָ, מֶה חָרִישׁ רְשׁוּת אַף קָצִיר רְשׁוּת, יָצָא קְצִיר הָעֹמֶר שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָה וְדוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת (ראש השנה ט'):

בחריש ובקציר IN PLOUGHING TIME AND IN HARVEST [THOU SHALT LEAVE OFF] — Why are ploughing and harvesting specially mentioned (since all work is forbidden on Sabbath)? There are some of our Rabbis who say that this refers to ploughing in the year preceding the Sabbatical year which ploughing passeth into (produces its first fruits in) the seventh year and to harvesting grain that has reached one-third of its maturity during the Sabbatical year which harvesting actually goeth forth into (takes place in) the eighth year, that following the Sabbatical year; and that this statement is intended to teach you that one must add part of the secular time to the holy time (i. e. that one must apply to a certain period before the beginning and after the termination of the Sabbatical year the laws applicable to that year in order to prevent its desecration). Thus, the following is what it (this verse) means: “Six days thou mayest work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest”; but even with regard to the six days’ work which I have permitted you there are years when ploughing and harvesting are forbidden. This must be the meaning, referring to ploughing in the sixth year and harvesting in the seventh, and it cannot refer to the seventh year itself for it is unnecessary to make any mention of ploughing and harvesting in the seventh year being forbidden, for it is already said (Leviticus 25:4) “[But in the seventh year …] thou shalt neither sow thy field [nor prune thine vineyard]”! Others, however, hold that Scripture in this part of the text, is only speaking of the ordinary Sabbath day, as in the first part, and ploughing and harvesting which are specially mentioned in it as being forbidden on the Sabbath are mentioned to suggest to you the following: What is the characteristic of ploughing? It is an optional act (no such work being commanded anywhere in the Law)! So, too, is harvesting forbidden on Sabbath only when it constitutes an optional act! There is, therefore, excluded the harvesting of the barley for the “Omer” (cf. Leviticus 23:10: ye shall reap the harvest thereof) which is obligatory and which therefore supersedes the Sabbath (occasions a suspension of the Sabbath laws) (Rosh Hashanah 9a).

בכורי קציר חטים. שֶׁאַתָּה מֵבִיא בוֹ שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם מִן הַחִטִּים:

בכורי קציר חטים [THE FESTIVAL] OF THE FIRST OF THE WHEAT HARVEST — It is so called because on it you offer the two loaves of wheat (Leviticus 23:17).

בכורי. שֶׁהִיא מִנְחָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הַבָּאָה מִן הֶחָדָשׁ שֶׁל חִטִּים לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, כִּי מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר הַבָּאָה בַפֶּסַח, מִן הַשְּׂעוֹרִים הִיא (מנחות פ"ד):

בכורי OF THE FIRST [OF THE WHEAT HARVEST] — It is so called because it (the offering of the two loaves) is the first meal offering which is brought in the Temple of the new wheat crop; for the meal offering of the Omer which had already been brought on Passover was of barley (Menachot 84a).

וחג האסיף. בִּזְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹסֵף תְּבוּאָתְךָ מִן הַשָּׂדֶה לַבַּיִת; אֲסִיפָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן הַכְנָסָה לַבַּיִת, כְּמוֹ וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ אֶל תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ (דברים כ"ב):

וחג האסיף AND THE FESTIVAL OF INGATHERING — the festival that falls at the time of the year when you gather in thy produce from the field into the barns. The word אסף here means bringing in (and not, collecting), as (Deuteronomy 22:2) “thou shalt gather it (ואספתו) into thine house” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:16 and on Genesis 49:29).

תקופת השנה. שֶׁהִיא בַחֲזָרַת הַשָּׁנָה – בִּתְחִלַּת הַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה:

תקופת השנה lit., [THE FESTIVAL …] THE YEARS CIRCUIT — i. e. the festival at the coming round of the year — at the beginning of the coming (the new) year.

תקופת. לְשׁוֹן מְסִבָּה וְהַקָּפָה:

תקופת is a term denoting going round.

כל זכורך. כָּל הַזְּכָרִים שֶׁבְּךָ; הַרְבֵּה מִצְוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה נֶאֶמְרוּ וְנִכְפְּלוּ – וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶם שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים וְאַרְבַּע – לְחַיֵּב וְלַעֲנֹשׁ עַל מִנְיַן לָאוִין שֶׁבָּהֶם וְעַל מִנְיַן עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבָּהֶם:

כל זכורך means all the males among you (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:17 and the note thereon). — Many precepts of the Torah are stated and then repeated, aye, some of them three times and even four (this section, for instance, is, with a few alterations, identical with the contents of chapter Exodus 23:12—19) in order to declare him who infringes them guilty and to punish him for each of the number of prohibitions which are connected with them and for each of the number of positive commands which are connected with them.

אוריש. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ אֲתָרִיךְ, וְכֵן הָחֵל רָשׁ (דברים ב'), וְכֵן וַיּוֹרֶשׁ אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי (במדבר כ"א) – לְשׁוֹן גֵּרוּשִׁין:

אוריש means as the Targum has it אתריך, I will drive out. Similar is (Deuteronomy 2:31) “Begin to drive out (רש)”; and similar is, (Numbers 21:32) “and drove out (ויורש) the Amorites” — all having the sense of expelling.

והרחבתי את גבלך. וְאַתָּה רָחוֹק מִבֵּית הַבְּחִירָה, וְאֵינְךָ יָכוֹל לֵרָאוֹת לְפָנַי תָּמִיד, לְכָךְ אֲנִי קוֹבֵעַ לְךָ שָׁלֹֹשׁ רְגָלִים הַלָּלוּ:

והרחבתי את גבלך [I WILL DRIVE OUT THE NATIONS BEFORE THEE] AND ENLARGE THY BOUNDARIES — and consequently you may be far from the Chosen House (the Temple) and you will then not be able to appear before Me continually; therefore I appoint for you these three seasons.

לא תשחט וגו'. לֹא תִשְׁחַט אֶת הַפֶּסַח וַעֲדַיִן חָמֵץ קַיָּם; אַזְהָרָה לַשּׁוֹחֵט אוֹ לַזּוֹרֵק אוֹ לְאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה (פסח' ס"ג):

לא תשחט וגו׳ THOU SHALT NOT OFFER [THE BLOOD OF MY SACRIFICE TOGETHER WITH LEAVEN] — i. e. thou shalt not kill the Passover lamb whilst leaven is still existent in your possession. This is an admonition addressed to him who slaughters the Passover lamb, as well as to him who sprinkles its blood or to one of the members of the party formed to eat that lamb in company (Pesachim 63a).

ולא ילין. כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ; אֵין לִינָה מוֹעֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְאֵין לִינָה אֶלָּא בְּעַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר (זבחים פ"ז):

ולא ילין NEITHER SHALL [THE SACRIFICE OF THE FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER] REMAIN OVER NIGHT — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ולא יביתון ... בר ממדבחא … ‎“There shall not remain overnight away from the altar till the morning the fat of the sacrifice” — this law of leaving the fat away from the altar overnight does not serve to invaliditate the sacrifice if it has been placed on the top of the altar some time during the night, even if it be not entirely burnt by morning, nor is the law about leaving the fat overnight infringed except if it has not been placed on the altar by the dawn of the morning (but any time during the night one may lift it up from the pavement on to the altar (Zevachim 87a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:18).

זבח חג הפסח. אֵמוּרָיו, וּמִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד לְכָל הֶקְטֵר חֲלָבִים וְאֵבָרִים:

זבח חג הפסח means the pieces of its fat (which had to be burnt on the altar). From here you may derive the law concerning all cases of burning the pieces of fat and the limbs of sacrifices (i. e. you may derive the general rule regarding all sacrifices).

ראשית בכורי אדמתך. מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִין הָאֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁבַח אַרְצְךָ, אֶרֶץ חִטָּה וּשְׂעֹרָה וְגֶפֶן וְגוֹ' (דברים ח') – וּדְבָשׁ הוּא דְּבַשׁ תְּמָרִים:

ראשית בכורי אדמתך THE FIRST OF THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THY GROUND [THOU SHALT BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD] — but only from the seven kinds of produce which are mentioned as an excellency of thy land (Deuteronomy 8:8) “a land of wheat and barley and vines etc (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:3). The דבש mentioned in this verse is date honey (not that of bees).

לא תבשל גדי. אַזְהָרָה לְבָשָׂר בְחָלָב, וְשָׁלֹֹשׁ פְעָמִים כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה, אֶחָד לַאֲכִילָה וְאֶחָד לַהֲנָאָה וְאֶחָד לְאִסּוּר בִּשּׁוּל (חולין קט"ו):

לא תבשל גדי THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID [IN ITS MOTHER’S MILK] — This is a prohibition to mix meat with milk. This is written three times in the Torah: once to prohibit the eating of such mixture, once to prohibit us from deriving any other benefit (besides eating) from it and once to prohibit the cooking of it (Chullin 115b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:19).

גדי. כָּל וָלָד רַךְ בְּמַשְׁמָע, וְאַף עֵגֶל וָכֶבֶשׂ; מִמַּה שֶּׁהֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת "גְּדִי עִזִּים" לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁגְּדִי סְתָם כָּל יוֹנְקִים בְּמַשְׁמָע (שם קי"ג):

גדי A KID — Any tender young animal is comprehended under the term גדי, a calf and a lamb also. From the fact that the writer felt it necessary to state specifically in several passages “a kid of the goat” you may learn that the term גדי without further definition implies any suckling (young animal) (Chullin 113a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:19).

בחלב אמו. פְּרָט לָעוֹף שֶׁאֵין לוֹ חָלָב, שֶׁאֵין אִסּוּרוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים (שם):

בחלב אמו IN THE MOTHER’S MILK — A fowl is therefore really excluded from this law since it has no milk; for the prohibition regarding it (using it with milk) is not a Biblical law but only an enactment of the Soferim (Chullin 113a).