א׳
א׳מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהִתְאַבֵּל עַל הַקְּרוֹבִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא י יט) "וְאָכַלְתִּי חַטָּאת הַיּוֹם הַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי ה'". וְאֵין אֲבֵלוּת מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן בִּלְבַד שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַמִּיתָה וְיוֹם הַקְּבוּרָה. אֲבָל שְׁאָר הַשִּׁבְעָה יָמִים אֵינוֹ דִּין תּוֹרָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה (בראשית נ י) "וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָבִיו אֵבֶל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים" נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה וְנִתְחַדְּשָׁה הֲלָכָה. וּמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ תִּקֵּן לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי אֲבֵלוּת וְשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה:
1It is a positive commandment to mourn for one's close relatives,1 as implied by Leviticus 10:19: "Were I to partake of a sin offering today, would it find favor in God's eyes?" According to Scriptural Law, the obligation to mourn is only on the first day which is the day of the person's death and burial. The remainder of the seven days of mourning are not required by Scriptural Law. Although the Torah states Genesis 50:10: "And he instituted mourning for his father for seven days," when the Torah was given, the laws were renewed.Moses our teacher ordained for the Jewish people the seven days of mourning and the seven days of wedding celebrations.
ב׳מֵאֵימָתַי יִתְחַיֵּב אָדָם בָּאֵבֶל. מִשֶּׁיִּסָּתֵם הַגּוֹלֵל. אֲבָל כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא נִקְבַּר הַמֵּת אֵינוֹ אָסוּר בְּדָבָר מִן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהָאָבֵל אָסוּר בָּהֶן. וּמִפְּנֵי טַעַם זֶה רָחַץ דָּוִד וְסָךְ כְּשֶׁמֵּת הַיֶּלֶד טֶרֶם שֶׁיִּקָּבֵר:
2From when is a person obligated to mourn? When the grave is covered. But until the corpse has been buried, a mourner is not bound by any of the prohibitions incumbent on a mourner. For this reason, King David washed and anointed himself when his son died, before he was buried.
ג׳הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת שֶׁאֵין מְנִיחִין אוֹתָן לְהִקָּבֵר מֵאֵימָתַי מַתְחִילִין לְהִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן וְלִסְפֹּר שִׁבְעָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים מִשֶּׁיִּתְיָאֲשׁוּ לִשְׁאל לַמֶּלֶךְ לְקָבְרָן. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְיָאֲשׁוּ מִלִּגְנֹב אוֹתָן:
3When does the obligation to mourn and count the seven and the thirty days of mourning for people executed by the gentile authorities who they do not allow to be buried? When their relatives despair of asking permission from the king to bury them, even though they did not despair of stealing their corpses to bury them.
ד׳מִי שֶׁטָּבַע בַּנָּהָר אוֹ מִי שֶׁאֲכָלַתּוּ חַיָּה רָעָה. מִשֶּׁנִּתְיָאֲשׁוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ. מְצָאוּהוּ אֵיבָרִים אֵיבָרִים אֵין מוֹנִין לוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ אוֹ יִתְיָאֲשׁוּ מִלְּבַקֵּשׁ:
4When a person drowned in a river or was consumed by a wild beast, we begin mourning for him when we despair of finding his corpse. If his corpse was found limb by limb, we do not begin counting the days of mourning until his head and the majority of his body is found or they despair of finding the remainder of his corpse.
ה׳מִי שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לִשְׁלֹחַ הַמֵּת לִמְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת לְקָבְרוֹ וְאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מָתַי יִקָּבֵר מֵעֵת שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ פְּנֵיהֶן מִלְּלַוּוֹתוֹ מַתְחִילִין לִמְנוֹת שִׁבְעָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמַתְחִילִין לְהִתְאַבֵּל:
5When it is customary for people to send a corpse to another city to be buried and they do not know when the burial will take place, from the time they turn back from accompanying the corpse, they are obligated to count the seven and thirty days of mourning and begin mourning rites.
ו׳הַנְּפָלִים אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן. וְכָל שֶׁלֹּא שָׁהָה שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם בָּאָדָם הֲרֵי זֶה נֵפֶל. אֲפִלּוּ מֵת בְּיוֹם שְׁלֹשִׁים אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עָלָיו:
6We do not mourn for stillborn infants. Whenever a human offspring does not live for 30 days, he is considered as stillborn. Even if he died on the thirtieth day, we do not mourn for him.
ז׳וְאִם נוֹדַע בְּוַדַּאי שֶׁנּוֹלַד לְתִשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים גְּמוּרִים אֲפִלּוּ מֵת בַּיּוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד מִתְאַבְּלִים עָלָיו:
7If we know for certain that he was born after a full nine months of pregnancy, we mourn for him even if he died on the day of his birth.
ח׳בֶּן תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֵת וּבֶן שְׁמוֹנָה שֶׁמֵּת אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים. וּמִי שֶׁיָּצָא מְחֻתָּךְ אוֹ מְרֻסָּס אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּלוּ לוֹ חֳדָשָׁיו. הֲרֵי זֶה נֵפֶל וְאֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן וְלֹא מִתְעַסְּקִין עִמָּהֶם:
8A fetus from a full term pregnancy that was stillborn, a child born in the eighth month of pregnancy who died even after living 30 days, or a fetus that emerged cut or crushed even though it endured a full term pregnancy is considered stillborn. We do not observe mourning rites for them and we do not engage in activity on their behalf.
ט׳כָּל הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ בְּדִין הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַתּוֹרָה נָתְנָה לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהָרְגָן. הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן וְאֵין מוֹנְעִין מֵהֶן כָּל דָּבָר. וּמָמוֹנָם לַמֶּלֶךְ. וְנִקְבָּרִין בְּקִבְרֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶן. אֲבָל כָּל הֲרוּגֵי בֵּית דִּין אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֲבָל אוֹנְנִין. שֶׁאֵין אֲנִינוּת אֶלָּא בַּלֵּב. וְאֵין נִקְבָּרִין עִם אֲבוֹתֵיהֶן עַד שֶׁיִּתְאַכֵּל הַבָּשָׂר. וּמָמוֹנָם לְיוֹרְשֵׁיהֶם:
9We observe mourning rites for all of those executed by the government, even when they were executed by the government's laws and the Torah granted it license to execute them. We don't withhold anything from them. Their estate is given to the government, but they are buried in their ancestral plots.We do not, by contrast, observe mourning rites for those executed by the court. We do, however, observe the rites of bitter regret (aninut), for aninut is an expression of the feelings in one's heart. They are not buried with their ancestors until their corpses have decomposed. Their estate, however, is granted to their heirs.
י׳כָּל הַפּוֹרְשִׁין מִדַּרְכֵי צִבּוּר וְהֵם הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁפָּרְקוּ עֹל הַמִּצְוֹת מֵעַל צַוָּארָן וְאֵין נִכְלָלִין בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַמִּצְוֹת וּבִכְבוֹד הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת וִישִׁיבַת בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת אֶלָּא הֲרֵי הֵן כִּבְנֵי חוֹרִין לְעַצְמָן [כִּשְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת] וְכֵן הָאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹסִין [וְהַמּוּמָרִים] וְהַמּוֹסְרִין כָּל אֵלּוּ אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן. אֶלָּא אֲחֵיהֶם וּשְׁאָר קְרוֹבֵיהֶם לוֹבְשִׁין לְבָנִים וּמִתְעַטְּפִים לְבָנִים וְאוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים וּשְׂמֵחִים שֶׁהֲרֵי אָבְדוּ שׂוֹנְאָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וַעֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (תהילים קלט כא) "הֲלוֹא מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ ה' אֶשְׂנָא":
10We do not conduct mourning rites for all those who deviate from the path of the community, i.e., people who throw off the yoke of the mitzvot from their necks and do not join together with the Jewish people in the observance of the mitzvot, the honoring of the festivals, or the attendance of synagogues and houses of study. Instead, they are like free and independent people like the other nations. Similarly, we do not mourn for heretics, apostates, and people who inform on Jews to the gentiles. Instead, their brothers and their other relatives wear white clothes, robe themselves in white, eat, drink, and celebrate for the enemies of the Holy One, blessed be He, have perished. Concerning them, Psalms139:21 states: "Those who hate You, O God, will I hate."
י״אהַמְאַבֵּד עַצְמוֹ לָדַעַת אֵין מִתְעַסְּקִין עִמּוֹ לְכָל דָּבָר וְאֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עָלָיו וְאֵין מַסְפִּידִין אוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל עוֹמְדִין עָלָיו בְּשׁוּרָה וְאוֹמְרִין עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא כָּבוֹד לַחַיִּים. וְאֵי זֶהוּ הַמְאַבֵּד עַצְמוֹ לָדַעַת. לֹא שֶׁעָלָה לַגַּג וְנָפַל וּמֵת אֶלָּא הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי עוֹלֶה לְרֹאשׁ הַגַּג. רָאוּהוּ שֶׁעָלָה מִיָּד דֶּרֶךְ כַּעַס אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מֵצֵר וְנָפַל וּמֵת. הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת שֶׁאִבֵּד עַצְמוֹ לָדַעַת. אֲבָל אִם רָאוּהוּ חָנוּק וְתָלוּי בָּאִילָן אוֹ הָרוּג וּמֻשְׁלָךְ עַל גַּב סֵיפוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת כָּל הַמֵּתִים וּמִתְעַסְּקִין עִמּוֹ וְאֵין מוֹנְעִין מִמֶּנּוּ דָּבָר:
11When a person commits suicide, we do not engage in activity on their behalf at all. We do not mourn for him or eulogize him. We do, however, stand in a line to comfort the relatives, recite the blessing for the mourners and perform any act that shows respect for the living.What is meant by a person who commits suicide? Not necessarily one who climbs up on a roof, falls, and dies, but rather, one who says: "I am going up to the top of the roof." If we see him climb up immediately in anger or know that he was distressed and see him fall and die, we presume such a person is one who committed suicide. If, however, we see him strangled and hanging from a tree or slain and lying on the back of his sword, we presume that he is like all other corpses. We engage in activity on his behalf and do not withhold anything from him.
ב׳
א׳אֵלוּ שֶׁאָדָם חַיָּב לְהִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן דִּין תּוֹרָה. אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ וְאָחִיו וַאֲחוֹתוֹ מֵאָבִיו. וּמִדִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּתְאַבֵּל הָאִישׁ עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ הַנְּשׂוּאָה. וְכֵן הָאִשָּׁה עַל בַּעְלָהּ. וּמִתְאַבֵּל עַל אָחִיו וְעַל אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁהֵן מֵאִמּוֹ:
1These are the relatives for whom a person is obligated to mourn according to Scriptural Law: His mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his paternal brother and paternal sister. According to Rabbinic Law, a man should also mourn for his wife if she dies while they are married. And a woman should mourn for her husband. Similarly, a person should mourn for a maternal brother and sister.
ב׳אֲפִלּוּ הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְטַמֵּא לְאָחִיו וַאֲחוֹתוֹ מֵאִמּוֹ וְלַאֲחוֹתוֹ הַנְּשׂוּאָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא מֵאָבִיו. מִתְאַבֵּל הוּא עֲלֵיהֶן. וְאִם הָיְתָה אֲחוֹתוֹ זוֹ הַנְּשׂוּאָה מֵאָבִיו הֲרֵי הוּא מִתְאַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ דִּין תּוֹרָה:
2Even a priest who does not become impure for his maternal brother and sister or for his paternal sister who is married, mourns for them. For his married paternal sister who is married, he is required to mourn by Scriptural Law.
ג׳בְּנוֹ אוֹ אָחִיו הַבָּא מִן הַשִּׁפְחָה וּמִן הַנָּכְרִית אֵינוֹ מִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן כְּלָל. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר הוּא וּבָנָיו אוֹ נִשְׁתַּחְרֵר הוּא וְאִמּוֹ אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין זֶה עַל זֶה. וְכֵן אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲרוּסָה אֵינוֹ מִתְאַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ וְלֹא אוֹנֵן וְכֵן הִיא לֹא אוֹנֶנֶת וְלֹא מִתְאַבֶּלֶת עָלָיו:
3A person who has a son or a brother born by a maid-servant or a gentile woman should not mourn for them at all. Similarly, when a person and his sons convert or a person and his mother are freed from slavery, they do not mourn for each other.Similarly, a person does not observe either the rites of aninut or the mourning rites for a wife whom he has consecrated, but not married. Similarly, she does not observe either of these rites for him.
ד׳כָּל קְרוֹבִים שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לְהִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן הֲרֵי זֶה מִתְאַבֵּל עִמָּהֶם בִּפְנֵיהֶם מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁמֵּת בֶּן בְּנוֹ אוֹ אֲחִי בְּנוֹ אוֹ אֵם בְּנוֹ חַיָּב לִקְרֹעַ בִּפְנֵי בְּנוֹ וְלִנְהֹג אֲבֵלוּת בְּפָנָיו אֲבָל שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו אֵינוֹ חַיָּב. וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר הַקְּרוֹבִים:
4Whenever a person is obligated to mourn for a relative, he also mourns with that relative in his presence according to Rabbinical Law.What is implied? If a person's grandson, his son's maternal brother, or son's mother dies, he is obligated to rend his garments in the presence of his son and follow the mourning rites while in his presence. Outside his presence, he is not obligated. Similar laws apply with regard to other relatives.
ה׳אִשְׁתּוֹ הַנְּשׂוּאָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מִתְאַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ אֵינוֹ מִתְאַבֵּל עִמָּהּ עַל שְׁאָר קְרוֹבִים אֶלָּא עַל אָבִיהָ וְעַל אִמָּהּ מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד אִשְׁתּוֹ נוֹהֵג אֲבֵלוּת עֲלֵיהֶן בְּפָנֶיהָ. כֵּיצַד. מִי שֶׁמֵּת חָמִיו אוֹ חֲמוֹתוֹ כּוֹפֶה מִטָּתוֹ וְנוֹהֵג אֲבֵלוּת עִם אִשְׁתּוֹ בְּפָנֶיהָ אֲבָל לֹא שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנֶיהָ. וְכֵן הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁמֵּת חָמִיהָ אוֹ חֲמוֹתָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת אֲבֵלוּת בְּפָנָיו. אֲבָל שְׁאָר קְרוֹבִים כְּגוֹן שֶׁמֵּת אֲחִי אִשְׁתּוֹ אוֹ בְּנָהּ וְהָאִשָּׁה שֶׁמֵּת אֲחִי בַּעְלָהּ אוֹ בְּנוֹ אֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין זֶה עַל זֶה. וְכֵן יֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁאִם מֵתָה אֵשֶׁת קְרוֹבוֹ אוֹ בַּעַל קְרוֹבָתוֹ כְּגוֹן שֶׁמֵּתָה אֵשֶׁת בְּנוֹ אוֹ בַּעַל בִּתּוֹ אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְהִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:
5With regard to a wife with whom one is married: Although one must mourn for her, he does not mourn together with her for her other relatives with the exception of her father and her mother. He observes the rites of mourning for them in her presence.When a man's father-in-law or mother-in-law dies, he overturns his bed and observes the mourning rites together with his wife within her presence, but not outside her presence. Similarly, when a woman's father-in-law or mother-in-law dies, she observes the rites of mourning in her husband's presence. With regard to other relatives, by contrast, e.g., the brother of one's wife or her son dies or when the brother of one's husband or his son dies, they do not observe the mourning rites in respect for each other.Similarly, it appears to me that if the wife of a person's relative dies or the husband of one of his relatives, e.g., the wife of one's son or the husband of one's daughter, one need not observe mourning rites for them. Similar concepts apply in all analogous situations.
ו׳כַּמָּה חֲמוּרָה מִצְוַת אֲבֵלוּת. שֶׁהֲרֵי נִדְחֵית לוֹ הַטֻּמְאָה מִפְּנֵי קְרוֹבָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק עִמָּהֶן וְיִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ב) "כִּי אִם לִשְׁאֵרוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו לְאִמּוֹ" וְגוֹ' (ויקרא כא ג) "לָהּ יִטַּמָּא" מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁאִם לֹא רָצָה לְהִטָּמֵא מְטַמְּאִין אוֹתוֹ עַל כָּרְחוֹ. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּזְכָרִים שֶׁהֻזְהֲרוּ עַל הַטֻּמְאָה אֲבָל הַכֹּהֲנוֹת הוֹאִיל וְאֵינָן מֻזְהָרוֹת עַל הַטֻּמְאָה כֵּן אֵינָן מְצֻוּוֹת לְהִתְטַמֵּא לַקְּרוֹבִים. אֶלָּא אִם רָצוּ מִתְטַמְּאוֹת וְאִם לָאו לֹא מִטַּמְּאוֹת:
6See how severe the mitzvah of mourning is! For the prohibition against ritual impurity is superseded so that a priest can tend to his relatives' burial and mourn for them, as Leviticus 21:2-3 states: "Except to one's flesh, to whom he is close, to his mother... to her shall he become impure." This is a positive commandment; if he does not desire to become impure, we force him to become impure against his will.To whom does the above apply? To males who are commanded against contracting ritual impurity. Different rules apply to female members of the priestly family. Since they are not commanded against contracting ritual impurity, they are also not commanded to become impure when tending to their relatives' burial. If they desire, they may become impure and if not, they do not become impure.
ז׳אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן מִתְטַמֵּא לָהּ עַל כָּרְחוֹ. וְאֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. עֲשָׂאוּהָ כְּמֵת מִצְוָה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין לָהּ יוֹרֵשׁ אֶלָּא הוּא לֹא תִּמְצָא מִי שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק בָּהּ. וְאֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא אֶלָּא לִנְשׂוּאָהּ בִּלְבַד אֲבָל הָאֲרוּסָה אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ:
7A priest is forced to contract ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife. This obligation is Rabbinic in origin. Our Sages had her considered as an unattended corpse. Since she has no other heir aside from him, there will be no one else to tend to her. He becomes impure only for a wife he has married. If he has merely consecrated her, he does not become impure for her.
ח׳וְכֵן כָּל אוֹתָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁאֵין מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן כְּגוֹן הֲרוּגֵי בֵּית דִּין וְשֶׁפָּרְשׁוּ מִדַּרְכֵי צִבּוּר וְהַנְּפָלִים וְהַמְאַבֵּד עַצְמוֹ לָדַעַת אֵין הַכֹּהֵן מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן. וְעַד מָתַי מְצֻוֶּה לְהִתְטַמֵּא לִקְרוֹבָיו עַד שֶׁיִּסָּתֵם הַגּוֹלֵל. אֲבָל מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּסְתַּם הַגּוֹלֵל הֲרֵי הֵן כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמֵּתִים שֶׁאִם נִטְמָא בָּהֶן לוֹקֶה:
8Similarly, a priest does not become impure for any of those individuals for whom we do not mourn as stated above: e.g., those executed by the court, those who deviate from the ways of the community, stillborn infants, and those who commit suicide.Until when does the mitzvah to become impure apply? Until the grave is covered. Once the grave is covered, however, the graves of one's close relatives are like those of any other corpse. If a priest becomes impure for their sake, he should be punished by lashes.
ט׳אִשְׁתּוֹ הַפְּסוּלָה אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ. לְפִיכָךְ מִי שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה שְׁמוּעָה שֶׁמֵּת בַּעְלָהּ וְנִשֵּׂאת וּבָא בַּעְלָהּ. שְׁנֵיהֶן אֵין מִטַּמְּאִין לָהּ שֶׁהֲרֵי הִיא פְּסוּלָה לִשְׁנֵיהֶן. אֲבָל מִטַּמֵּא הוּא לְאִמּוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא חֲלָלָה. וְכֵן מִטַּמֵּא לִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ וּלְאָחִיו וְלַאֲחוֹתוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן פְּסוּלִין. אֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ מַמְזֵרִים מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן:
9A priest should not become impure for the sake of a wife whom he is forbidden to marry. Therefore if a woman heard a report that her husband died and hence remarried, and then her first husband came, neither husband should become impure for her sake, for she is forbidden to remain married to either of them.A priest may, however, become impure for the sake of his mother, even though she is a challalah and he may become impure for the sake of his son, his daughter, his brother and his sister even though they are of tarnished lineage. Even if they are illegitimate, he should become impure for their sake.
י׳אֲחוֹתוֹ הַנְּשׂוּאָה אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא נְשׂוּאָה לְכֹהֵן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ג) "הַבְּתוּלָה הַקְּרוֹבָה אֵלָיו אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיְתָה לְאִישׁ". הַבְּתוּלָה פְּרָט לַאֲנוּסָה וּמְפֻתָּה. יָכוֹל שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצִיא אֶת הַבּוֹגֶרֶת וּמֻכַּת עֵץ תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיְתָה לְאִישׁ מִי שֶׁהֲוָיָתָהּ בִּידֵי אִישׁ. אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיְתָה לְאִישׁ פְּרָט לַאֲרוּסָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא אֲרוּסָה לְכֹהֵן:
10When a priest's sister is married - even to another priest, he does not become impure for her sake, "as Leviticus 21:3 states: "his virgin sister who is close to him who has not been with a man." "Virgin" excludes a girl who has been raped or seduced. Should we also exclude a woman who attain majority or a woman who lost her signs of virginity because of reasons other than relations? The Torah teaches: "who has not been with a man," i.e., excluded is only one who lost her virginity because of a man. "Who has not been with a man" - this also excludes a sister who has been consecrated. He does not become impure, for her sake even if she is consecrated to a priest.
י״אנִתְגָּרְשָׁה אֲחוֹתוֹ מִן הָאֵרוּסִין מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ג) "הַקְּרוֹבָה אֵלָיו" לְהָבִיא אֶת הַמְגֹרֶשֶׁת מִן הָאֵרוּסִין:
11If, however, a priest's sister is divorced after consecration, before marriage, he must become impure for her sake. The phrase "who is close to him" includes a sister divorced after consecration.
י״באָחִיו וַאֲחוֹתוֹ מֵאִמּוֹ אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ב) "וְלִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ וּלְאָחִיו" (ויקרא כא ג) "וְלַאֲחֹתוֹ". מַה בְּנוֹ הָרָאוּי לִירֻשָּׁתוֹ אַף אָחִיו וַאֲחוֹתוֹ הָרְאוּיִים לִירֻשָּׁתוֹ:
12A priest does not become impure for the sake of his maternal brother and sister, as implied by Leviticus 21:2-3: "To his son and to his daughter, to his brother and to his sister." Just as we are speaking of a son who is fit to inherit his father's estate; so, too, he must be fit to inherit the estates of his brother and sister.
י״גהַסְּפֵקוֹת אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ג) "לָהּ יִטַּמָּא" מִטַּמֵּא הוּא עַל הַוַּדַּאי וְאֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא עַל הַסָּפֵק. לְפִיכָךְ הַוְּלָדוֹת שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ וְהַבֵּן שֶׁהוּא סָפֵק בֶּן שִׁבְעָה לָאַחֲרוֹן אוֹ בֶּן תִּשְׁעָה לָרִאשׁוֹן וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן מִסָּפֵק. וְכֵן כָּל הַמִּתְגָּרֶשֶׁת סְפֵק גֵּרוּשִׁין אוֹ בְּגֵט פָּסוּל אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהּ:
13A priest does not become impure for the sake of relatives whose family connection is doubtful, as implied by Leviticus 21:3: "to her shall he become impure." He becomes impure for those whose connection is definite and not for those whose connection is doubtful. Accordingly, in an instance where children become intermingled, there is a son concerning whom there is a question whether he was born after seven months from conception to his mother's later husband or after nine months to her first husband, and all the like, he does not become impure for their sake due to the doubt.Similarly, in all cases concerning divorce that involve a question concerning the validity of the divorce or an invalid bill of divorce, , the priest does not become impure for the sake of his wife.
י״דאֵין הַכֹּהֵן מִטַּמֵּא לְאֵבֶר מִן הַחַי מֵאָבִיו וְלֹא לְעֶצֶם מֵעַצְמוֹת אָבִיו. וְכֵן הַמְלַקֵּט עַצְמוֹת אָבִיו אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַשִּׁדְרָה קַיֶּמֶת:
14A priest may not become impure for the sake of a limb severed from his father while alive, nor for the sake of one of his father's bones. Similarly, when one's father's bones are being collected - even if his entire backbone is intact - a priest may not become impure for their sake.
ט״ונִקְטַע רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ב) "לְאָבִיו" בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא שָׁלֵם וְלֹא בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא חָסֵר. וְכֵן שְׁאָר הַקְּרוֹבִים. הַטֻּמְאָה לַקְּרוֹבִים דְּחוּיָה הִיא וְלֹא הֻתְּרָה לַכּל. לְפִיכָךְ אָסוּר לְכֹהֵן לְהִתְטַמֵּא לְמֵת אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵת שֶׁמִּתְטַמֵּא לִקְרוֹבָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא ג) "לָהּ יִטַּמָּא" אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא לַאֲחֵרִים עִמָּהּ. שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וְנִטְמֵאתִי עַל אָבִי אֲלַקֵּט עַצְמוֹת פְּלוֹנִי אוֹ אֶגַּע בְּקֶבֶר פְּלוֹנִי. לְפִיכָךְ כֹּהֵן שֶׁמֵּת לוֹ מֵת צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר וּלְקָבְרוֹ בְּסוֹף בֵּית הַקְּבָרוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת וְלֹא יִתְטַמֵּא בְּקִבְרוֹת אֲחֵרִים כְּשֶׁיִּקְבֹּר מֵתוֹ:
15If his father's head is decapitated, he may not become impure for his sake. This is implied by Leviticus 21:2: "To his father," i.e., at a time when his corpse is intact and not when it is impaired. Similar laws apply with regard to other relatives.The prohibition against contact with ritual impurity is bypassed with regard to one's relatives; it is not released entirely. For this reason, a priest is forbidden to become impure for the sake of another corpse at the time he has become impure for the sake of his relatives. This is implied by Leviticus 21:3: "to her shall he become impure," i.e., to her alone. He does not become impure for the sake of others together with her. He should not say: "Since I became impure for the sake of my father, I will go gather so-and-so's bones" or "...touch so-and-so's grave."Therefore when the relative of a priest dies, care must be taken to bury him at the edge of the cemetery, so that he will not have to enter the cemetery and become impure because of other graves when he buries his dead.