May 6, 2020
Parshas Emor
I dedicate this to the Yahrzeit of my grandfather, Reb Sholem Sklar on 12 Iyar, this past Wednesday; and to my Rebbe in Chumash, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda, a Talmud of the Chazon Ish and a teacher at Boca Raton Synagogue.
I struggled mightily on Emor – Verses – 22:2 through 22:7. I still do not understand them. I do not understand how anyone’s head did not explode when learning these verses and why the English translations do not make it clear.
I offer the following insight on Verse 22:2: The below is from Sefaria:
דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־בָּנָ֗יו וְיִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ מִקָּדְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א יְחַלְּל֖וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧ם מַקְדִּשִׁ֛ים לִ֖י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
Translation: Instruct Aaron and his sons to be “scrupulous” about the sacred donations that the Israelite people consecrate to Me, lest they profane My holy name, Mine the LORD’s.
Rashi: taken from Chabad’s Hebrew/English Chumosh
וינזרו: אין נזירה אלא פרישה, וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל יד ז) וינזר מאחרי, (ישעיה א ד) נזורו אחור, יפרשו מן הקדשים בימי טומאתן. דבר אחר: וינזרו מקדשי בני ישראל אשר הם מקדישים לי ולא יחללו את שם קדשי, סרס המקרא ודרשהו, אשר הם מקדשים לי ולא יחללו את שם קדשי:
Insights:
I had the following thought process: The Possuk itself does not say it is referring to Tumah. Why?
Rashi tells us that וינזרו means that the Cohanim have to separate themselves from Korban food when they are Tamah. Rashi continues and says דבר אחר – another interpretation – change the order of the wording in the passuk to explain the Pasuk. What do we gain by changing the order of the Passuk?
The Chabad Chumash and the Mikros Gedolos Hamaor have the words – דבר אחר; Artscroll puts it in brackets – which may mean that the original Rashi manuscript did not have it. Other Chumashim do not have the words דבר אחר . Sefaria has all the elements of Rashi but in a different reading. Do the words – דבר אחר make a difference if they are in or out of Rashi?
I would like to offer the following:
The Chabad Gutnick Edition translates the Passuk as follows – “(and when they are in a state of ritual impurity) they should keep away from the holy (sacrifices) of the children of Israel”, (and from the sacrifices that the priests themselves) sanctify to Me, so as not to violate May name.”
Artscroll translates – . . . that they shall withdraw from the which is holy of the children of Israel – that which they consecrate to Me – so as not to defile my holy name.
Chabad clearly uses the Rashi that the Passuk is talking about a Cohen being impure and Artscroll is unclear but we assume they are like Rashi.
It still bothers me that the Torah is not clear in the second Passuk. Keep away from Kedoshim, when, how? Go to the third Passuk to define the second Passuk. A little awkward but okay.
The Sefaria above translated וְיִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ as “scrupulous”. This translation (and every translation is an interpretation) I believe is beautifully based on the Torah Temimah
וינזרו. אין נזירה אלא הפרשה, וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל י״ד:ז׳) וינזר מאחרי, ואומר (ישעיהו א׳:ד׳) נזרו אחור *פירש”י בפסוק זה, יפרשו מן הקדשים בימי טומאתם, עכ”ל. ונראה באור הענין בכונת הדרשה אין נזירה אלא הפרשה אע”פ דפשוט הוא כן, אך הכונה שמלבד בימי טומאתם עוד יהיו נזהרים תמיד בקדושתם ואל יהא הקדשים כחולין בעיניהם, אלא צריכין להיות מופרשים מהם, ובכל עת יתבוננו אל נפשם אם לא נטמאו בדבר מה, וכעין הדרשות דוהזרתם את בנ”י דסוף פ’ מצורע לענין פרישה מאשה סמוך לוסתה, ולענין ציון קברות, והכל משום סייג, וכן הכא נמי.
(תו”כ)
and we can now translate the Pesukim as follows:
– The second Passuk is saying – Cohanim – be scrupulous, be careful with Kodshim in all manners. Handle it with care. This is a general warning.
– The third Passuk goes into one specific situation and talks about one of the laws of when you have to separate yourself from Kodshim – during ritual impurity.
This can explain the דבר אחר in Rashi. Rashi’s first interpretation is used by Lubavitch, Artscroll, and most English translations. The second Peshat is like the Seraria which is based on the Torah Temimah. By changing the words it is better translated to referring to all manners and types of holy items, be scrupulous and perhaps this is what Rashi meant.
Types of Tumah and Korban
Tumah from his body:
Brings a Korban:
Zav – If saw 3 emissions – waits 7 clean days – Mikvah – nightfall – 8th day Korban
Zava – If saw 3 emissions – waits 7 clean days – Mikvah – nightfall – 8th day Korban
Woman who gives birth – 7+33 or 14+/66 – Mikvah – nightfall – 41 or 81 Korban
Metzora – waits 7/14/21 – Mikva – Next day Korban
Does not Bring a Korban:
Nidah – 7 days- Mikvah – nightfall
Shicvas Zera – Mikvah – nightfall
Tumah from an outside source:
Dead person – sprinkling 7 days – Mikvah on 7th day – nightfall
Person who touches a dead person- sprinkling 7 days – Mikvah on 7th day – nightfall
Person who touches a Sheritz – MIkvah – nightfall
Person who touches a dead Kosher animal not through Shicittah – MIkvah – nightfall
Person who touches a dead non Kosher animal – MIkvah – nightfall
Person who eats dead Kosher animal who died not via Shicittah – MIkvah – nightfall
Person who touches a dead non Kosher bird – MIkvah – nightfall
Types of Food
Maaser Sheni – You can eat once you go to the Mikvah and nightfall occurs
Terumah – You can eat once you go to the Mikvah and nightfall occurs
Kodshim – If no Korban required – You can eat once you go to the Mikvah and nightfall occurs
If Korban required – You can eat once you go to the Mikvah and nightfall occurs
Mitchell A. Morgenstern
773-647-8097
Exploring Kotzk 