Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 14/רמב"ן על דברים י״ד

אבָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, גַּם זוֹ מִצְוָה מְבֹאֶרֶת, שֶׁאָמַר בַּתּוֹרָה (ויקרא כא ה) בַּכֹּהֲנִים, לֹא יִקְרְחוּ קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם וּבִבְשָׂרָם לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָטֶת, וְעַתָּה יְבָאֵר כִּי לֹא בַּעֲבוּר מַעֲלַת הַכֹּהֲנִים בִּלְבַד שֶׁהִזְכִּיר שָׁם שֶׁהֵם קְדוֹשִׁים לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם צִוָּה בָּהֶם זֶה, אֲבָל כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וְכֻלְּכֶם בָּנִים לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כְּמוֹ הַכֹּהֲנִים, אִם כֵּן הִשָּׁמְרוּ גַּם אַתֶּם בַּמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת כְּמוֹתָם. וְעַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא עַל הַמֵּת. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיְתָה הַמִּצְוָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים, לֵאמֹר שֶׁאִם הָיָה הַכֹּהֵן מְקֹרָח וּמְגֻדָּד אֵינֶנּוּ רָאוּי לַעֲבוֹדָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שם פסוק ו) וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, וְהִנֵּה עֲבוֹדָתָם מְחֻלֶּלֶת, וְכָאן בֵּאֵר כִּי הַמִּצְוָה גַּם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהֻצְרְכוּ לִשְׁתֵּיהֶם. וְרַשִׁ"י כָּתַב (רש"י על דברים י"ד:א'), לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם בָּנָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם אַתֶּם רְאוּיִים לִהְיוֹת נָאִים וְלֹא גְּדוּדִים וּמְקֹרָחִים. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן, שֶׁאִם כֵּן תִּהְיֶה הַמִּצְוָה גַּם שֶׁלֹּא עַל הַמֵּת. ור"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על דברים י"ד:א') אַחַר שֶׁתֵּדְעוּ שֶׁאַתֶּם בָּנִים לַה' וְהוּא אוֹהֵב אֶתְכֶם יוֹתֵר מִן הָאָב לִבְנוֹ לֹא תִּתְגֹּדְדוּ עַל כָּל מָה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה, כִּי כָל מָה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְטוֹב הוּא וְאִם לֹא תְּבִינוּהוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבִינוּ הַבָּנִים הַקְּטַנִּים מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבִיהֶם רַק יִסְמְכוּ עָלָיו. כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה, וְאֵינְךָ כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַגּוֹיִם, עַל כֵּן לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי כִּי טַעַם עַם קָדוֹשׁ, הַבְטָחָה בְּקִיּוּם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, יֹאמַר אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאַתָּה עַם קָדוֹשׁ וּסְגֻלַּת ה' וְלֹא יִשָּׂא אֱלֹהִים נֶפֶשׁ וְחָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבִלְתִּי יִדַּח מִמֶּנּוּ נִדָּח, אֵין רָאוּי לָכֶם לְהִתְגּוֹדֵד וּלְהִקָּרֵחַ עַל נֶפֶשׁ וַאֲפִלּוּ יָמוּת בַּנֹּעַר. וְלֹא יֶאֱסֹר הַכָּתוּב הַבֶּכִי, כִּי הַטֶּבַע יִתְעוֹרֵר לִבְכּוֹת בְּפֵרוּד הָאוֹהֲבִים וּנְדוּדָם אַף בַּחַיִּים. וּמִכָּאן סֶמֶךְ לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ (מו"ק כז) בְּאָסְרָם לְהִתְאַבֵּל עַל נֶפֶשׁ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי:

1YE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE ETERNAL YOUR G-D: YE SHALL NOT CUT YOURSELVES, NOR MAKE ANY BALDNESS BETWEEN YOUR EYES FOR THE DEAD. This also is an explanatory commandment of what He said in the Torah with reference to the priests, They shall not make baldness upon their head etc., nor make any cuttings in their flesh,¹⁹² and now he [Moses] will explain that it is not merely because of the distinction of the priests which He mentioned there, They shall be holy unto their G-d,¹⁹³, Verse 6. that they were thus commanded. Rather, all the congregation are holy, every one of them,¹⁹⁴ and all of you are the children of the Eternal your G-d like the priests; if so, you too, take heed to yourselves regarding this commandment like them. This explanation is in accordance with the opinion of our Rabbis¹⁹⁵ that both verses [the one here and the one in Leviticus] relate only to the practice [of cutting and making baldness as signs of mourning] for the dead, [although “the dead” is not mentioned in the priestly injunction in Leviticus]. But it is possible that the first commandment [in Leviticus was stated] in relation to priests to state that if the priest had his hair torn out and his flesh cut, he was not fit for the Divine Service, just as He said, and they shall not profane the Name of their G-d,¹⁹³, Verse 6. and their Service is thus profaned [i.e., invalidated]. Here he explained that the commandment applies also to the Israelites, both prohibitions being necessary.¹⁹⁶And Rashi wrote: “Because you are the children of the Eternal it is becoming for you to be comely and not be cut about and bald [due to the tearing out of hair].” But it is not correct, for if so this commandment should be binding even [if the deeds were done] not for the dead! And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented: “Once you realize that you are the children of the Eternal and that He loves you more than a father loves his child, you should not cut yourselves [in bereavement] for anything that He does, because whatever He has done is for your good although you may not understand it, just as little children do not understand their father, yet rely on him. For thou art a holy people,¹⁹⁷ and you are not like all the other nations; therefore you shall not do as they do.”In my opinion the purport of the expression for thou art a holy people¹⁹⁷ [is to state] an assurance of the eternal existence of the souls before Him, blessed be He. The verse declares: “Since you are a holy people and the treasure of G-d — neither doth G-d respect any person, but He deviseth means that he that is banished be not an outcast from Him¹⁹⁸ — therefore it is improper for you to make incisions in your flesh and tear your hair for the dead even if he perisheth in youth.¹⁹⁹ Scripture, however, did not prohibit weeping for the dead since it is natural to cry when parting from beloved ones, and when they go on a journey even in life. From this verse, there is support for our Rabbis in prohibiting excessive mourning for the dead.²⁰⁰

אלֹא תֹאכַל כָּל תּוֹעֵבָה, הִנֵּה רָצָה לְהוֹסִיף בֵּאוּר בַּמַּאֲכָלִים הָאֲסוּרִים, וּלְכָךְ אָמַר לֹא תֹאכַל כָּל תּוֹעֵבָה, לְהַגִּיד כִּי כָל הַנֶּאֱסָרִים נִתְעָבִים לַנֶּפֶשׁ הַטְּהוֹרָה. וְעִנְיַן כָּל תִּעוּב, שִׂנְאָה וּמֵאוּס, כְּעִנְיָן כִּי נִתְעַב דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ (דהי"א כא ו), כָּל אֹכֶל תְּתַעֵב נַפְשָׁם (תהלים קז יח), כִּי הַמַּאֲכָלִים הָאֲסוּרִים גַּסִּים יוֹלִידוּ עֹבִי וַאֲטִימוּת בַּנֶּפֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכַּרְתִּי בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (שמות כב ל). וְעַל כֵּן אָמַר עוֹד (דברים י"ד:כ') כָּל עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵלוּ, לְהַגִּיד כִּי אֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָסַר נִתְעָבִים וְהַשְּׁאָר טְהוֹרִים וּרְאוּיִים לְנֶפֶשׁ טְהוֹרָה. וּבְסִפְרֵי אָמְרוּ, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר כָּל עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵלוּ, אֵלּוּ חֲגָבִים טְהוֹרִים. וְכֹל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף (דברים י"ד:י"ט), אֵלּוּ חֲגָבִים טְמֵאִים. וְיָפֶה אָמַר. וְהִנֵּה טַעַם הַכָּתוּב כִּי הִזְכִּיר לֶאֱסֹר כָּל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, וְהֵם הַהוֹלְכִים עַל אַרְבַּע, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר כָּל עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵלוּ, לְהַתִּיר מֵהֶם אֲשֶׁר לוֹ כְרָעַיִם מִמַּעַל לְרַגְלָיו, הָאַרְבֶּה וְהַסָּלְעָם וְהַחַרְגּוֹל וְהֶחָגָב, וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ זֶה שֶׁכְּבָר הֻזְכַּר (ויקרא יא כא כב). אֲבָל הִזְכִּיר בִּכְלָל דֶּרֶךְ קְצָרָה כָּל עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵלוּ, כְּלוֹמַר אֵלּוּ הַנִּזְכָּרִים מַאֲכָלִים נִתְעָבִים, וּשְׁאָר הָעוֹפוֹת לְמִינֵיהֶם לְמַרְבִּיתָם תֹּאכְלוּ מֵהֶם כָּל טָהוֹר, שֶׁלֹּא אֲסַרְתִּיו. וְהִנֵּה כָּלַל כָּל הַנֶּאֱסָרִים לָנוּ שֶׁהֵם כֻּלָּם תּוֹעֵבָה, וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ לִפְרֹט אַחֲרֵי כֵן הַשְּׁרָצִים וְכָל הָרֶמֶשׂ, כִּי דָּבָר יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁתְּתַעֵב אוֹתָם נֶפֶשׁ כָּל נְקִי דַּעַת. אֲבָל הִזְכִּיר סִימָנֵי הַבְּהֵמָה וְהַחַיָּה וְהַדָּגִים וְהָעוֹפוֹת וְהַנְּבֵלָה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁגַּם הֵם מְתֹעָבִים לַנֶּפֶשׁ. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר הַטְּרֵפָה, שֶׁאֵינֶנָּה תּוֹעֵבָה, אֲבָל נֶאֶסְרָה מִפְּנֵי הָאֶרֶס אוֹ הַחֹלִי הַמֵּמִית שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק בְּאוֹכְלָיו. וּלְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ עוֹד מִדְרָשִׁים (חולין סג) לָמָּה נִשְׁנוּ, בַּבְּהֵמָה מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁסוּעָה, וּבָעוֹפוֹת מִפְּנֵי הָרָאָה. וְעוֹד מִדְרָשׁ (ספרי צח קידושין נז) בְּכָל צִפּוֹר טְהֹרָה תֹּאכֵלוּ, לְהַתִּיר מְשֻׁלַּחַת שֶׁל מְצוֹרָע. וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מֵהֶם, לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הַשְּׁחוּטָה. קִבְּלוּ כֵן לִרְמֹז בְּכָל צִפּוֹר טְהוֹרָה שֶׁהַצִּפּוֹר שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלָה טֻמְאָה מֻתֶּרֶת, וְטֻמְאַת הַמְּצֹרָע לֹא תִּדְבַּק בַּחַיָּה, שֶׁאֵין בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים בַּבְּהֵמָה וּבָעוֹף מְקַבְּלִים טֻמְאָה בְּנָגְעָם בְּמֵת אוֹ בְּשֶׁרֶץ. אֲבָל הַשְּׁחוּטָה שֶׁרְאוּיָה לְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה יִדְבַּק בָּהּ רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה הַפּוֹרַחַת מִן הַמְּצֹרָע, וְאֵינֶנָּה טְהוֹרָה, וְהִיא בִּכְלַל תּוֹעֵבָה כִּי אֲכִילָתָהּ נִתְעֶבֶת:

1THOU SHALT NOT EAT ANY ABOMINABLE THING. He wanted now to add an explanation [to the laws] pertaining to forbidden foods, and therefore he said, Thou shalt not eat an abominable thing, thus declaring that all things that are forbidden are abhorrent to the pure soul, for the meaning of every expression of “abomination” is “hatefulness and repugnance,” similar to, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab;²⁰¹ their soul abhorred all manner of food.²⁰² For forbidden foods that are coarse generate a thickness and obstruction in the soul, as I have explained in its place.²⁰³ Therefore he said further, Of all clean winged things ye may eat²⁰⁴ in order to declare that [only] those [foods] which He prohibited are “abominable,” and the rest are clean and fit for the pure soul. And in the Sifre the Rabbis have said:²⁰⁵ 103. “Rabbi Shimon says: Of all clean winged things ye may eat²⁰⁴ — these are the clean locusts; and all winged swarming things are unclean unto you²⁰⁶ these are the unclean locusts.” He has said well. Now this is the sense of these verses. He mentioned the prohibition of all winged swarming things, those that go upon all fours,²⁰⁷ and then he said Of all clean winged things ye may eat²⁰⁴ to permit those of them which have joined legs above their feet:²⁰⁸, Verse 21. the locust, the bald locust, the cricket, and the grasshopper.²⁰⁹, Verse 22. It was not necessary to explain this because it has already been stated.²⁰⁹, Verse 22. But he mentioned in general, briefly, Of all clean winged things ye may eat²⁰⁴ that is to say, all those that have been mentioned are abominable foods, and the rest of the fowls, according their species and multitudes, you may eat of them all clean things which I have not prohibited. Thus he included all things that are forbidden to us, for they are all abominable. It was not necessary afterwards to detail [here] the swarming things and all that creep upon the earth, for it is known that any pure-minded person abhors them completely. But he mentioned the signs of beasts and wild animals,²¹⁰ fish,²¹¹ fowl,²¹² and carcass [of an animal that died without being properly slaughtered]²¹³ in order to inform you that they, too, are abominable to the soul. He did not mention treifah²¹⁴ since it is not “abominable;” nevertheless, in order to prevent harm to those who would eat it, it is forbidden, because of its poison or mortal sickness. Our Rabbis have yet more interpretations on this section:²¹⁵ “Why were [these laws of forbidden foods] repeated here? In the case of beasts [the laws were restated] on account of hashesuah (the cleft one)²¹⁶ [which we are forbidden to eat, and is not mentioned in Leviticus], and in the case of birds the laws were restated because of the glede”²¹⁷ [which is not mentioned in Leviticus and is forbidden]. And there is yet another interpretation:²⁰⁵ 103. “Of all clean birds ye may eat²¹⁸ — this is intended to permit [as food] the bird that is set free [at the purification rite of] the leper;²¹⁹ But these are they of which ye shall not eat²²⁰ — this is intended to prohibit the bird that is slaughtered” [at the purification rite of the leper].²²¹ They [the Rabbis] received [this tradition that the expression] of ‘all’ clean birds²¹⁸ hints that the [living] bird, not contracting the impurity [of the leper], is permissible as food. The impurity of the leper does not attach to the living [bird] — for no living things among beast or fowl are susceptible to impurity when touching a corpse or dead creeping thing. But the slaughtered [bird], being susceptible to uncleanness, the spirit of impurity which leaves the leper, attaches thereto, and is [therefore] not clean. Thus it becomes one of the “abominable” things, because eating it is abhorrent.

אוְטַעַם כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, דָּבֵק עִם לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ, כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ מַאֲכָל נִתְעָב אֲבָל יֶאֱסֹר אוֹתוֹ לִהְיוֹתֵנוּ קְדוֹשִׁים בַּמַּאֲכָלִים, אוֹ לִהְיוֹתֵנוּ קְדוֹשִׁים שֶׁלֹּא נִהְיֶה עַם אַכְזָרִי לֹא יְרַחֵמוּ, שֶׁנַּחְלֹב אֶת הָאֵם וְנוֹצִיא מִמֶּנָּה הֶחָלָב שֶׁנְּבַשֵּׁל בּוֹ הַבֵּן. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב יִכָּנֵס בַּלָּאו הַזֶּה, כִּי כָל מֵינֶקֶת תִּקָּרֵא אֵם וְכָל יוֹנֵק יִקָּרֵא גְּדִי, וְהוּא דֶּרֶךְ הַבִּשּׁוּל וְהִנֵּה בְּכֻלָּם אַכְזָרִיּוּת. וְכָתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים י"ד:כ"א) לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים, פְּרָט לְחַיָּה וּלְעוֹפוֹת וְלִבְהֵמָה טְמֵאָה. וְהַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה הוֹצִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ (ספרי קג וחולין קיג) מִמִּלַּת גְּדִי, אֲבָל הַלָּאו עַצְמוֹ אֶחָד לְאִסּוּר אֲכִילָה וְאֶחָד לְאִסּוּר הֲנָאָה וְאֶחָד לְאִסּוּר בִּשּׁוּל. וְכֵן כָּתַב הָרַב בְּסֵדֶר וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים (שמות כג יט):

1FOR THOU ART A HOLY PEOPLE UNTO THE ETERNAL THY G-D. The purport thereof is connected with [the following prohibition], Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk. Although it is not an abhorrent food [for both meat and milk are permitted separately] He prohibited it because we are to be holy in [choice of] foods — or because we [ourselves] are holy — that we not become a cruel people that is not compassionate²²² by milking the mother and extracting its milk to seethe therein its kid. And although any meat [cooked] in milk is included in this prohibition [even though it is not its own mother’s milk, a situation without apparent cruelty, nevertheless it is forbidden] because any nursing animal is called “mother” and any suckling offspring is called “kid,” and if they are together in the process of cooking there is [an element of] cruelty in all [cases whether a kid in its own mother’s milk or not].Now, Rashi wrote: “Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk. This is stated three times²²³ in order to exclude a wild beast, fowls,²²⁴ (clean wild beast) or fowl with milk is forbidden though by the Rabbis (Yoreh Deiah 57:3). and unclean animals” [from this prohibition]. This interpretation is derived from the Scriptural use of the term kid [an expression that does not apply to any of the excluded categories]. However, the [thrice repeated] prohibition itself [teaches the following:] one forbids eating [meat cooked with milk], one forbids deriving benefit from it, and one forbids cooking it. And so did the Rabbi [Rashi] write in the section of And these are the ordinances.²²⁵

אעַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר, גַּם זוֹ מִצְוָה שֶׁיְּבָאֵר, כִּי אָמַר (ויקרא כז ל) וְכָל מַעְשַׂר הָאָרֶץ מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ מִפְּרִי הָעֵץ לַה' הוּא קֹדֶשׁ לַה', וְאָמַר (שם פסוק לא) וְאִם גָּאֹל יִגְאַל אִישׁ מִמַּעַשְׂרוֹ חֲמִשִׁיתוֹ יֹסֵף עָלָיו, וְאֵין זֶה מַעְשַׂר הַלְוִיִּם, כִּי בּוֹ נֶאֱמַר (במדבר יח לא) וַאֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם, וְהוּא חֻלִּין, וּמָה טַעַם לְפִדְיוֹנוֹ. וְעַתָּה בֵּאֵר כִּי הוּא יְחַיֵּב לְעַשֵּׂר כָּל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ, שֶׁיֹּאכַל אוֹתוֹ הוּא עַצְמוֹ וּבָנָיו לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם, לְמַעַן תִּלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם, כִּי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַשּׁוֹפְטִים הָעוֹמְדִים שָׁם לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם מוֹרֵי הַתּוֹרָה יְלַמְּדוּהוּ יִרְאָתוֹ וְיוֹרוּהוּ הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹת. וּפֵרֵשׁ בְּטַעַם הַפִּדְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר שָׁם, בַּעֲבוּר כִּי לִפְעָמִים יִהְיֶה הַמַּעֲשֵׂר הַרְבֵּה, כִּי יְבָרֶכְךָ הַשֵּׁם, וְהַדֶּרֶךְ יִהְיֶה רַב מִמֶּנּוּ, וְטוֹב לִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְּכֶסֶף וּלְהַעֲלוֹת שָׁם כֶּסֶף הַפִּדְיוֹן. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר הַחֹמֶשׁ, שֶׁכְּבָר הֻזְכַּר. וְטַעַם הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה, וְכָל הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ מִפְּרִי הָעֵץ, וְטַעְמוֹ הַיֹּצֵא מִן הַשָּׂדֶה. וְאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה בְּכָל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ, שֶׁיְּעַשֵּׂר כָּל הַתְּבוּאָה מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר זָרַע וְלֹא כָּל הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַשָּׂדֶה שָׁנָה שָׁנָה. אֲבָל טַעַם הַכָּתוּב שֶׁיְּעַשֵּׂר בַּמִּינִים הַמְחֻיָּבִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂר כָּל תְּבוּאָתוֹ וְכָל הַיֹּצֵא בָּהֶן מִן הַשָּׂדֶה, יַזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא יְעַשֵּׂר מִן הַבָּא בְּיָדוֹ מֵהֶם הַמִּקְצָת וְיִפְטֹר לוֹ הַמִּקְצָת, אֲבָל יְעַשֵּׂר בֵּין הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁזָּרַע בֵּין הַנִּתְוַסֵּף עֲלֵיהֶם הַכֹּל בֶּאֱמוּנָה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ (דברים י"ד:כ"ג) הִזְכִּיר הַמִּינִים הַמְחֻיָּבִים לְהִתְעַשֵּׂר, מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ וְתִירֹשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ, וְכֵן יַזְכִּיר בְּכָל מָקוֹם (דברים י"ב:י"ז) לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכֹל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ וְתִירֹשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ וְגוֹ', וְכֵן אָמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת מַתְּנוֹת כְּהֻנָּה (במדבר יח יב) כֹּל חֵלֶב יִצְהָר וְכָל חֵלֶב תִּירוֹשׁ וְדָגָן רֵאשִׁיתָם אֲשֶׁר יִתְּנוּ לַה', כִּי אֵלּוּ בִּלְבַד הֵם הַחַיָּבִים בִּתְרוּמָה וּבְמַעַשְׂרוֹת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְכֵן מָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ויקרא כז ל) וְכָל מַעְשַׂר הָאָרֶץ מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ מִפְּרִי הָעֵץ לַה' הוּא, לֹא יְצַוֶּה שֶׁיְּעַשֵּׂר כָּל זֶרַע הָאָרֶץ וְכָל פְּרִי הָעֵץ, אֲבָל טַעְמוֹ כָּל אֲשֶׁר תְּעַשֵּׂר מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהוּא דָּגָן, וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ, שֶׁהוּא תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר, יִהְיֶה לַה'. וְכַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (שם), מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ, דָּגָן, וּפְרִי הָעֵץ, תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר. וִיקַצֵּר הַכָּתוּב שָׁם, כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ מְקוֹם הַמִּצְוָה לְחַיֵּב שֶׁיְּעַשֵּׂר, אֲבָל הוּא מִצְוָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמַּעֲשֵׂר קֹדֶשׁ לַה' עַד שֶׁיִּפָּדֶה בְּתוֹסֶפֶת חֹמֶשׁ. אֲבָל הַמִּצְוָה בַּתְּרוּמוֹת וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת בְּכָל מָקוֹם הֵן דָּגָן תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר. וּפֵרוּשׁ דָּגָן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ חֲמֵשֶׁת הַמִּינִין הַיְּדוּעִין בַּתְּבוּאָה. וּפֵרוּשׁ תִּירוֹשׁ הַיַּיִן הֶחָדָשׁ אֲשֶׁר יָשִׁיקוּ הַיְקָבִים. וְיִצְהָר הַשֶּׁמֶן אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶן. וְאֵין מִין אַחֵר בְּכָל הַזְּרָעִין וּבְכָל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן חַיָּבִין מִן הַתּוֹרָה כְּלָל, לֹא בִּתְרוּמוֹת וְלֹא בְּמַעַשְׂרוֹת. וְיֵשׁ בָּרָיְתוֹת שְׁנוּיוֹת בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (בחקותי פרק יב ט) וּבְסִפְרֵי (ראה קה) לְאַסְמַכְתּוֹת, וְהֵן מֻטְעוֹת, אֲבָל הַדָּבָר הַמִּתְבָּאֵר בַּגְּמָרָא מִן הַתַּלְמוּד הַבַּבְלִי (ברכות לו) וְהַיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (חלה פ"ד ה"ד) וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא כָּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ זֵיתִים וַעֲנָבִים מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁלָּהֶם אֵינוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה עַד שֶׁיֵּעָשׂוּ תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר. וְתִהְיֶה בָּזֶה נִזְהָר, שֶׁכְּבָר טָעוּ בּוֹ מִגְּדוֹלֵי הַמְּחַבְּרִים (עי' רמב"ם הלכות תרומות פ"ב ה"א). וְטַעַם שָׁנָה שָׁנָה, שֶׁיְּעַשֵּׂר אוֹתוֹ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ, כֵּן קַבָּלַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ר"ה יב). וְאַחַר כָּךְ (דברים י"ד:כ"ח) פֵּרֵשׁ כִּי מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים תּוֹצִיא מַעֲשֵׂר תְּבוּאָתְךָ שֶׁל הַשָּׁנָה הַהִיא וְתַאֲכִילֵהוּ לָעֲנִיִּים, לוֹמַר כִּי הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית שֶׁל מַעְשַׂר עָנִי הוּא. וְאָמַר תּוֹצִיא וְגוֹ' וְהִנַּחְתָּ בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ, לְלַמֵּד עַל הַבִּעוּר, וְשׁוּב יְבָאֵר אוֹתוֹ בְּפָרָשַׁת כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר (דברים כ"ו:י"ב). וּמִדְרַשׁ חֲכָמִים (בתנחומא ראה יח) בִּלְשׁוֹן עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר, עַשֵּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּתְעַשֵּׁר, עַשֵּׂר שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְחַסֵּר, רֶמֶז לִמְפָרְשֵׁי יַמִּים לְהוֹצִיא אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה לַעֲמֵלֵי תּוֹרָה:

1THOU SHALT SURELY TITHE ALL THE INCREASE OF THY SEED. This also is a [previously stated] commandment that he [Moses] now explains. For He stated, And all the tithe of the Land, whether of the seed of the Land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Eternal’s; it is holy unto the Eternal,²²⁶ and He further said, And if a man will redeem aught of his tithe, he shall add unto it the fifth part thereof.²²⁷, Verse 30. Now these verses do not refer to the tithe of the Levites [i.e., the First Tithe], for of that it is said, And ye may eat it in every place,²²⁸ and it is unconsecrated food, and what reason is there for its redemption? And now he explained that He obligated [them] to tithe all the increase of thy seed [i.e., to set aside the Second Tithe] in order that he himself and his children eat it before G-d, that thou mayest learn to fear the Eternal.²²⁹ For the priests and judges who stand there before the Eternal,²³⁰ the teachers of the Torah, will instruct him in the fear [of G-d] and teach him the Torah and the Commandments. And he explained [here] the meaning of the redemption He mentioned there:²²⁷, Verse 30. it is because sometimes the [Second] Tithe will be abundant because the Eternal will have blessed you and the way will be too long for you, and [therefore] it is better to redeem it with money and to bring the redemption-money [to Jerusalem for use in buying food]. He did not mention [here] the fifth [that is added to the value of the Second Tithe when redeeming it] because it has already been mentioned [there in Leviticus].²²⁷, Verse 30.The purport of the expression, that which is brought forth in the field is “‘and all’ that which is brought forth in the field,” [so that the phrase does modify ‘the increase of thy seed,’ and adds additional categories of produce to the requirement of the Second Tithe], just as He has said, whether of the seed of the Land, or of the fruit of the tree,²²⁶ and the sense thereof is “that which comes forth ‘from’ the field.” Now the intent of the expression all the increase of thy seed is not that he is to tithe all produce from whatever he seeded, nor everything that is brought forth in the field year by year. The sense of the verse is that one is to tithe, of those species which are liable to the tithe, all of his produce [these being grain, wine, and oil, as will be explained] and all that was brought forth of them in the field. He is warning that he is not to tithe only a small part of that which cometh to his hand²³¹ and thus exempt only a small quantity of the produce, but instead he is to tithe both the measures of seed that he planted and the increase upon them [in the process of growing], all of it faithfully. Then he mentions the species which are obligated to be tithed: the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil,²²⁹ and so he mentions in all places, as it is said, Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thine oil etc.²³² And so He said in the section on the gifts to the priesthood, All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the corn, the first part of them which they give unto the Eternal,²³³ for of these only we are obligated by the law of the Torah²³⁴ to set aside the heave-offering and the tithes. Similarly, what Scripture states, And all the tithe of the Land, whether of the seed of the Land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Eternal’s²²⁶ [does not mean] that He commanded that one tithe all the seed of the Land and all the fruit of the tree, but rather the meaning thereof is as follows: “Whatever you tithe of the seed of the Land, which is corn, and of the fruit of the tree, which is wine and oil, are the Eternal’s.” In this identical language Rashi writes there: “Of the seed of the Land — corn. Or of the fruit of the tree — wine and oil.” Now Scripture abbreviates the matter there [in Leviticus] because it is not the place of the commandment obligating that one tithe, but it merely commands that the [Second] Tithe shall be holy unto the Eternal²²⁷, Verse 30. until he redeems it by adding a fifth thereto. But the commandment regarding the heave-offerings and the tithes applies everywhere [in the Torah] to corn, wine and oil [exclusively and to no other produce of field or tree]. Now the term dagan (corn) in the Sacred Language applies to the five well-known species of grain;²³⁵ tirosh (wine) applies to the new wine in the overflowing vats,²³⁶ and yitzhar refers to the oil therein.²³⁶ No other kind of seedling or fruit of the trees at all, are obligated by law of the Torah neither in heave-offerings nor in tithes. Now, there are Beraithoth²³⁷ taught in the Torath Kohanim and in the Sifre that are Scriptural supports for Rabbinic ordinances, and they are misleading [because the Beraithoth indicate that Scripture requires heave-offerings and tithes from other produce as well]. However, the principle that emerges clearly from the Gemara of the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud²³⁸ and the plain meaning of Scripture is this: that even tithes of olives and grapes are not [required] by law of the Torah until they have been made into wine and oil. Be heedful of this matter, for some of the greatest authors²³⁹ are all products similar to these — that are used as food, and are guarded, and grow from the soil — that they too are to be tithed by law of the Torah (Hilchoth Terumoth 2:1). have erred concerning it.And the meaning of the expression year by year is that we are to set aside this [Second] Tithe in two consecutive years, one after the other [i.e., in the first and second years of the Sabbatical cycle, and again in the fourth and fifth years]. Such is the interpretation accepted by our Rabbis. And afterwards he explained that at the end of three years²⁴⁰ you shall bring forth the tithe of your increase of that [third] year and feed it to the poor, thus declaring that the third year [and the sixth year as well] the tithe is for the poor [unlike the Second Tithe which is to be eaten in Jerusalem, it is given to the poor anywhere in the Land]. He states thou shalt bring forth … and shalt lay it up within thy gates²⁴⁰ in order to teach us concerning the removal thereof [from the house], and he will yet explain it in the section of When thou hast made an end of tithing.²⁴¹The Midrash of the Sages relative to the expression aseir t’aseir (thou shalt surely tithe) is:²⁴² 18. “Aseir (give tithes) so that tithasheir (you may become rich);²⁴³ give tithe so that you may not be deprived [of your belongings]. This is a hint to those who make their way through the seas [i.e., to merchants who travel abroad] to set aside one tenth [of their profits] for those who toil in the Torah.”²⁴⁴