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Sheiyni
- Kohen with a Mum/blemish:
- A Kohen with a Mum is invalid to serve in the Temple. He may however eat from the Kodshim.
- The following matters are defined as a Mum:
- One who is blind.
- One who is lame.
- One who is disfigured.
- One who has an enlarged limb.
- One who has a broken leg.
- One who has a broken arm.
- Eye dysfunctions or disfigurations, such as unusual eyebrows, or a cataract, or a mixing in his eye.
- One who has a Garav or Yalefes (different types of boils).
- One who has crushed testicles.
- The Kohanim are warned not to desecrate the Kodshim of the Jewish people.
- Impure Kohen:
- A Kohen who offers a Karban in a state of impurity receives Kares.
- If a Kohen is impure due to Tzaraas or Zav, he may not eat Kodshim until he becomes pure.
- One who touches one who is impure due to a corpse, or due to Shichvas Zera, or due to touching a creeping animal [i.e. a Sheretz], or an impure person, is considered impure and may not eat Kodshim until he immerses his flesh in a Mikveh. Only after the sun sets may he eat the Kodshim.
- He may not eat a Niveila or Treifa to become impure.
- Non-Kohen eating Kodshim:
- A non-Kohen may not eat the Kodshim, including the worker of a Kohen. However, the slave and the members of the household of a Kohen may eat Kodesh.
- Kohenes: The daughter of a Kohen may not eat Kodshim if she marries a non-Kohen. If she gets divorced or widowed, and does not have children from him, she may eat Kodshim.
- If Zar ate Kodesh: If a non-Kohen accidentally ate Kodshim, he must pay a fine of 120% its value to the Kohen.
Q&A on Rashi
📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 21:16–24
21:17 — A Priest with a Bodily Defect
Q1. What does “לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו” mean?
A: It means the food of his God, since any meal is termed לֶחֶם.
Q2. What is meant by “לֹא יִקְרָב”?
A: It is not fitting that a priest with a defect approach the Altar to officiate.
21:18 — Specific Blemishes
Q3. What does “חָרוּם” mean?
A: One whose nose is sunken between the eyes, such that both eyes could be painted with one stroke.
Q4. What does “שָׂרוּעַ” mean?
A: One of a pair of limbs is mismatched, such as unequal eyes or legs.
21:20 — Eye and Skin Defects
Q5. What does “גִּבֵּן” mean?
A: One whose eyebrow hair is long and hangs over his eyes.
Q6. What is meant by “דַּק”?
A: A membrane over the eye, like a curtain.
Q7. What does “תְּבַלֻּל” describe?
A: A white strand intruding into the iris, making the eye look mixed.
Q8. What are “גָּרָב” and “יַלֶּפֶת”?
A:
- גָּרָב: a boil (dry or oozing, depending on context).
- יַלֶּפֶת: an inflammation that clings to the body continually.
Q9. What does “מְרוֹחַ אָשֶׁךְ” mean?
A: One whose testicles are crushed.
21:21 — Duration of Disqualification
Q10. What does “מֽוּם בּוֹ” teach?
A: As long as the defect remains, he may not serve; if it heals, he may return to service.
21:22 — Eating Sacrifices
Q11. What are “קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים”?
A: Sacrifices of superior holiness.
Q12. What are “קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים”?
A: Sacrifices of lesser holiness.
Q13. Why must both be mentioned?
A: To teach that a priest with a defect may eat both, despite lack of precedent for non‑priests.
21:23 — Areas He May Not Enter
Q14. Why mention both the Curtain and the Altar?
A: To exclude him from all levels of sacrificial service.
Q15. What does “וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל” teach?
A: His service would be invalid, and thus he desecrates the holy things.
21:24 — Transmission of the Law
Q16. Why are all Israel mentioned here?
A: To teach that the court must enforce these laws upon the priests.
📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 22:1–16
22:2 — Separation from Sacred Food
Q17. What does “וְיִנָּזְרוּ” mean?
A: They must separate themselves from holy food while ritually defiled.
Q18. Why is the verse reordered by Rashi?
A: To clarify that priests must avoid eating sanctified food to prevent desecration of God’s Name.
22:3 — Eating While Defiled
Q19. What does “יִקְרַב” mean here?
A: Eating, not touching.
Q20. What does “וְטֻמְאָתוֹ עָלָיו” indicate?
A: The person is defiled, not merely the flesh.
Q21. Why is excision mentioned repeatedly?
A: Each instance applies to a different legal category, as expounded in the Gemara.
22:4 — Types of Defilement
Q22. Why mention “מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן”?
A: To include Aaron himself, not only his descendants.
Q23. What does “עַד אֲשֶׁר יִטְהָר” mean?
A: He must wait until nightfall, not only immersion.
22:5–7 — Conditions for Eating Terumah
Q24. What minimal size transmits impurity from creeping creatures?
A: The size of a lentil.
Q25. What minimal size transmits impurity from a corpse?
A: The size of an olive.
Q26. When may the priest eat terumah again?
A: After immersion and nightfall.
22:8 — Carcass of a Fowl
Q27. Why mention “טְרֵפָה”?
A: To teach that only a kosher species can impart impurity by eating.
22:9 — Bearing Sin
Q28. What death is meant by “וּמֵתוּ בוֹ”?
A: Death by Heaven, not by human court.
22:10–11 — Who May Eat Terumah
Q29. Who may NOT eat terumah?
A:
- A non‑priest
- A priest’s Hebrew bondman or hired worker
Q30. Who MAY eat terumah?
A:
- A Canaanite bondman
- Those born into the priest’s household
22:12–13 — A Priest’s Daughter
Q31. When may she not eat terumah?
A: When married to a layman.
Q32. When may she return to eating terumah?
A: If widowed or divorced and has no descendants.
Q33. Why restate “וְכָל זָר לֹא יֹאכַל”?
A: To exclude an onen, who may still eat terumah.
22:14 — Unintentional Eating
Q34. What must a lay person who ate terumah unintentionally do?
A: Repay the value plus a fifth, in produce that becomes terumah.
22:15–16 — Causing Guilt
Q35. How do priests cause themselves to bear guilt?
A: By allowing non‑priests to eat terumah.
Q36. How does Rashi interpret “וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אוֹתָם”?
A: They load guilt upon themselves by causing others to sin.