*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer
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- The eating of the Karbanos:
- Moshe instructed Aaron and his surviving sons Elazar and Isamar to eat the leftovers of the Mincha offering as Matzah, as it is a Holy of Holies. It is to be eaten in a holy area because it is your portion from the Karbanos of Hashem.
- Eating the Shelamim: The breast and thigh [of all Shelamim sacrifices] are to be eaten in a pure area by the sons and daughters of the Kohanim. The breast and thigh are to be waved with the fats before Hashem.
📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 10:12–15
10:12 — “The Survivors”
Q1. What does “הַנּוֹתָרִים” (“the surviving ones”) mean according to Rashi?
A: Survivors from death.
Q2. What startling teaching does Rashi derive from calling Eleazar and Itamar “survivors”?
A: That they too had been sentenced to die because of the sin of the Golden Calf.
Q3. From where does Rashi prove that Aaron’s sons were under a death decree?
A: From the verse: “God was extremely furious with Aaron, threatening to destroy him,” where “destruction” means eradication of offspring.
Q4. How was this decree partially averted?
A: Moses’ prayer reduced the punishment by half.
10:12 — Eating While Onen
Q5. Why does Moses command them to eat the grain‑offering despite their mourning?
A: Even though an onen normally may not eat sacrifices, God explicitly commanded them to eat in this case.
Q6. Which grain‑offerings does Rashi say are meant here?
A:
- The grain‑offering of the eighth day of installation
- The grain‑offering brought by Nachshon for the dedication of the Altar
10:12 — “Eat Them as Matzot”
Q7. Why does the Torah need to say “eat them as unleavened loaves”?
A: Because this was a one‑time, communal grain‑offering, unlike offerings of later generations, and might have been thought to follow different rules.
Q8. What does Rashi conclude from this clarification?
A: That it follows the same rules as all other grain‑offerings.
10:13 — Portions of the Priests
Q9. What does “וְחָק־בָּנֶיךָ” teach according to Rashi?
A: That sons receive portions of sacrificial meat, but daughters do not.
Q10. What does “כִּי כֵן צֻוֵּיתִי” emphasize?
A: That they were commanded to eat despite being onenim.
10:14 — Where the Portions Are Eaten
Q11. Why does the verse say to eat the breast and thigh “in a pure place”?
A: To contrast them with sacrifices of superior holiness, which must be eaten in a holy place (the Courtyard).
Q12. Where may these portions be eaten according to Rashi?
A: Anywhere within the Israelite camp that is ritually pure.
Q13. What major halachic principle does Rashi derive here?
A: That sacrifices of lesser holiness may be eaten throughout Jerusalem.
10:14 — Sons and Daughters
Q14. How does Rashi explain “you and your sons and your daughters”?
A:
- Sons receive a portion by right
- Daughters do not, but may eat if given from their father’s portion
Q15. How does Rashi reject the idea that daughters receive portions directly?
A: The verse later specifies: “your portion and your sons’ portion”, excluding daughters.
10:15 — Waving and Raising
Q16. What do “שׁוֹק הַתְּרוּמָה” and “חֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה” mean?
A: The hind midleg and the breast that are raised and waved.
Q17. How are “waving” and “raising” performed?
A:
- Waving: forward and backward
- Raising: upward and downward
Q18. Why does the Torah assign raising to the thigh and waving to the breast?
A: We do not know, since both were actually waved and raised.
10:15 — Placement on the Fats
Q19. What does Rashi derive from “עַל אִשֵּׁי הַחֲלָבִים”?
A: That the fats must be underneath the breast and thigh during the waving.
Q20. Where does Rashi say the full reconciliation of the verses is explained?
A: In Parashat Tzav et Aharon.