Welcome and Opening Question
Plan for this Class
- Meet the Commentator: Nehama Leibowitz
- Example of Nehama's עיונים / Studies in the Weekly Sidra (Parashah)
- Our Torah portion - אמור / 'Emor - and its contents
- Selections
- Sources and Commentaries
- Summary and Next Class
Meet the Commentator: Nehama Leibowitz

Nechama Leibowitz (1905-1997) teacher, commentator, and biblical scholar.
Nechama was born in 1905 in Riga, the capital of Latvia.
In her mid-twenties Nechama married her scholarly uncle R. Lipman (Yedidya) Leibowitz, with whom she made Aliya to Israel in 1930.
In 1938 she transitioned to teaching adults. Her encounters with adult students led Nechama to the conclusion that they too need instruction and guidance in their studies and therefore she took it upon herself to assist anyone who wished to study the parsha more intensively. She chose to realize this goal through her "Gilyonot le-iyun be-parashat ha-shavua" (Pages for studying the parsha). And indeed in 1942, concurrent with her work as a teacher at the seminary, Nechama began her most significant enterprise, through which she successfully endeavored to instill in her students a love of the Bible and to habituate them to in-depth critical thinking.
In 1956 she was awarded the Israel Prize for education, recognizing her contribution to reshaping the form and standards of Bible instruction, both in Israel and around the world. ... Additionally, that year she began teaching at the University of Bar Ilan and was among the founders of its Department of Bible Studies. A year later she was also appointed a lecturer at Tel Aviv University, where 11 years subsequently she was granted the title of professor. She taught at Tel Aviv University until retiring in 1972.
At her request, no titles or descriptions were inscribed on her headstone, aside from the word Morah (teacher).
Example of Nehama's עיונים / Studies in the Weekly Sidra

"According to the opinion of Benno Jacob [1862-1945, liberal German rabbi and Bible commentator] in his commentary on Genesis (in German), the story of Cain is the conclusion of Adam's sin; so his punishment is somewhat parallel to Adam's punishment. And the commentator ends his words there as follows: The relationship of the sin of Cain to the sin of Adam is like the relationship of the first and second tablet of the two tablets of the covenant.
"Are you able to explain these words of his and to prove the parallelism between the punishment of Adam and the punishment of Cain from the wording of the verses?"
(יז) וּלְאָדָ֣ם אָמַ֗ר כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֘עְתָּ֮ לְק֣וֹל אִשְׁתֶּ֒ךָ֒ וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֲרוּרָ֤ה הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙ תֹּֽאכְלֶ֔נָּה כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (יח) וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (יט) בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב׃
(17) To Adam [God] said, “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’
Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life: (18) Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; (19) By the sweat of your brow Shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground—For from it you were taken. For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
(י) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (יא) וְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃ (יב) כִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ׃
God responds to Cain's murder of Abel:(10) “What have you done? Hark, your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! (11) Therefore, you shall be more cursed than the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. (12) If you till the soil, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. You shall become a ceaseless wanderer on earth.”
Our Torah portion - אמור / 'Emor - and its contents
- Priests: Expectations for purity; rules governing marriage of regular and high priests - 21:1-15
- Priests: Blemishes - 21:16-24
- Rules governing the consumption of offerings 22:1-16
- Offerings: Blemishes and Other restrictions 22:17-33
- Holy Times: Shabbat and Calendar of Holidays 23:1-44
- Regular Elements in Tent of Meeting - Continual Light (Ner Tamid) and Showbread 24:1-9
- The Blasphemer 24:10-23
Selections
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃ (ב) כִּ֚י אִם־לִשְׁאֵר֔וֹ הַקָּרֹ֖ב אֵלָ֑יו לְאִמּ֣וֹ וּלְאָבִ֔יו וְלִבְנ֥וֹ וּלְבִתּ֖וֹ וּלְאָחִֽיו׃ (ג) וְלַאֲחֹת֤וֹ הַבְּתוּלָה֙ הַקְּרוֹבָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הָיְתָ֖ה לְאִ֑ישׁ לָ֖הּ יִטַּמָּֽא׃ (ד) לֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃ (ה) לֹֽא־[יִקְרְח֤וּ](יקרחה) קׇרְחָה֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֔ם וּפְאַ֥ת זְקָנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ וּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יִשְׂרְט֖וּ שָׂרָֽטֶת׃ (ו) קְדֹשִׁ֤ים יִהְיוּ֙ לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א יְחַלְּל֔וּ שֵׁ֖ם אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם כִּי֩ אֶת־אִשֵּׁ֨י יהוה לֶ֧חֶם אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם הֵ֥ם מַקְרִיבִ֖ם וְהָ֥יוּ קֹֽדֶשׁ׃
(1) GOD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:
None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin, (2) except for the relatives that are closest to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother; (3) also for a virgin sister, close to him because she has not become someone’s [wife], for her he may defile himself. (4) But he shall not defile himself as a kinsman by marriage, and so profane himself. (5) They shall not shave smooth any part of their heads, or cut the side-growth of their beards, or make gashes in their flesh. (6) They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the ETERNAL’s offerings by fire, the food of their God, and so must be holy.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מוֹעֲדֵ֣י יהוה אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִקְרָאֵ֣י קֹ֑דֶשׁ אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מוֹעֲדָֽי׃ (ג) שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ כׇּל־מְלָאכָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ שַׁבָּ֥ת הִוא֙ לַֽיהוה בְּכֹ֖ל מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(1) GOD spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them:
These are My fixed times, the fixed times of GOD, that you shall proclaim as sacred occasions. (3) On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a sabbath of complete rest, a sacred occasion. You shall do no work; it shall be a sabbath of GOD throughout your settlements.
(ד) אֵ֚לֶּה מוֹעֲדֵ֣י יהוה מִקְרָאֵ֖י קֹ֑דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם בְּמוֹעֲדָֽם׃ (ה) בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בֵּ֣ין הָעַרְבָּ֑יִם פֶּ֖סַח לַיהוה׃ (ו) וּבַחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֔ה חַ֥ג הַמַּצּ֖וֹת לַיהוה שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים מַצּ֥וֹת תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ (ז) בַּיּוֹם֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן מִקְרָא־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ (ח) וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֥ם אִשֶּׁ֛ה לַיהוה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּיּ֤וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ {פ}
(4) These are the set times of GOD, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time: (5) In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to GOD, (6) and on the fifteenth day of that month GOD’s Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread for seven days. (7) On the first day you shall celebrate a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. (8) Seven days you shall make offerings by fire to GOD. The seventh day shall be a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.

(ט) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (י) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם וּקְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־קְצִירָ֑הּ וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֶת־עֹ֛מֶר רֵאשִׁ֥ית קְצִירְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (יא) וְהֵנִ֧יף אֶת־הָעֹ֛מֶר לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֑ם מִֽמׇּחֳרַת֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת יְנִיפֶ֖נּוּ הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
(9) GOD spoke to Moses, saying: (10) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them:
When you enter the land that I am giving to you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. (11) He shall elevate the sheaf before GOD for acceptance in your behalf; the priest shall elevate it on the day after the sabbath.
(טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמׇּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ (טז) עַ֣ד מִֽמׇּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהוה׃
(15) And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: (16) you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to GOD.

(כב) וּֽבְקֻצְרְכֶ֞ם אֶת־קְצִ֣יר אַרְצְכֶ֗ם לֹֽא־תְכַלֶּ֞ה פְּאַ֤ת שָֽׂדְךָ֙ בְּקֻצְרֶ֔ךָ וְלֶ֥קֶט קְצִירְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְלַקֵּ֑ט לֶֽעָנִ֤יוְלַגֵּר֙ תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(22) And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I the ETERNAL am your God.
- Holy Times: Seasonal Holidays, part 2 (7th month) - Yom Kippur
(כז) אַ֡ךְ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֨י הַזֶּ֜ה י֧וֹם הַכִּפֻּרִ֣ים ה֗וּא מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֥ם אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַיהוה׃ (כח) וְכׇל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י י֤וֹם כִּפֻּרִים֙ ה֔וּא לְכַפֵּ֣ר עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(27) Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to GOD; (28) you shall do no work throughout that day. For it is a Day of Atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before the ETERNAL your God.
(לט) אַ֡ךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֜וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּאׇסְפְּכֶם֙ אֶת־תְּבוּאַ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ תָּחֹ֥גּוּ אֶת־חַג־יהוה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּיּ֤וֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֖י שַׁבָּתֽוֹן׃ (מ) וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַעֲנַ֥ף עֵץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃
(39) Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall observe the festival of GOD [to last] seven days: a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. (40) On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the ETERNAL your God seven days.
(י) וַיֵּצֵא֙ בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּנָּצוּ֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה בֶּ֚ן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְאִ֖ישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃ (יא) וַ֠יִּקֹּ֠ב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יהוה׃ {פ}
(10) There came out among the Israelites someone who was the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man. And a fight broke out in the camp between that half-Israelite and a certain Israelite man. (11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until GOD’s decision should be made clear to them.
(יט) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־יִתֵּ֥ן מ֖וּם בַּעֲמִית֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה כֵּ֖ן יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לּֽוֹ׃ (כ) שֶׁ֚בֶר תַּ֣חַת שֶׁ֔בֶר עַ֚יִן תַּ֣חַת עַ֔יִן שֵׁ֖ן תַּ֣חַת שֵׁ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֥ן מוּם֙ בָּֽאָדָ֔ם כֵּ֖ן יִנָּ֥תֶן בּֽוֹ׃ (כא) וּמַכֵּ֥ה בְהֵמָ֖ה יְשַׁלְּמֶ֑נָּה וּמַכֵּ֥ה אָדָ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃
(19) Regarding anyone who maims another person: what was done shall be done in return— (20) fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The injury inflicted on a human being shall be inflicted in return. (21) One who kills livestock shall make restitution for it; but one who kills a human being shall be put to death.
Sources and Commentaries
(23:22) Ethical Concerns during Harvest -- Edges of the Field - "Peah"

(א) אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. הַפֵּאָה, וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, וְהָרֵאָיוֹן, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם:
(1) These are the things that have no definite quantity: The corners [of the field]. First-fruits; [The offerings brought] on appearing [at the Temple on the three pilgrimage festivals]. The performance of righteous deeds; And the study of Torah. The following are the things for which one enjoys the fruits in this world while the principal remains for one in the world to come: Honoring one’s father and mother; The performance of righteous deeds; And the making of peace between a person and one's friend; And the study of Torah is equal to them all.
The count for day 33 (traditionally known as Lag BaOmer): "33. Three and thirty days, which are four weeks and five days in the Omer."

(טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמׇּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ (טז) עַ֣ד מִֽמׇּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהוה׃
(15) And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath (shabbat)—you shall count off seven weeks (seven shabbatot). They must be complete: (16) you must count until the day after the seventh week (shabbat) —fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to GOD.
(ג)ממחרת השבת. מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית אֵי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶהוּ (ספרא; מנחות ס"ו):
(3) ממחרת השבת ON THE MORROW AFTER THE DAY OF REST (Shabbat) [THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE IT] — This must mean on the morrow of the first day of the Passover festival (on the 16th of Nisan); for if you say that it means on the morrow of the weekly Sabbath you do not know which particular Sabbath Scripture is referring to (Menachot 66a).
(א)ממחרת השבת. אמרו חז״ל ממחרת יום טוב והמכחישים אמרו שהוא כמשמעו והמאמינים הביאו ראיות משנת השמטה והיובל והצום הגדול ויום תרועה שכתוב בו שבתון וכן שבתון נאמר בא׳ של סוכות ובשמיני ואמרו כי שבע שבתות שבועות וכמוהו באי השבת עם יוצאי השבת והם שנים פירושים בפסוק אחד והנה שלשים עיירים ...
(1) ON THE MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH. The sages said that on the morrow after the sabbath means on the morrow after the festival. Those who contradict the sages say that the word Sabbath is be taken literally. Those who believe in the Rabbinic tradition offer proof from the Sabbatical year, the Jubilee, the great fast, and the day of shofar sounding, for the word shabbaton (a solemn rest) is employed with regard to them. Scripture similarly employs shabbaton with regard to Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. They also say that the meaning of sheva shabbatot (v. 15) (seven weeks) refers to the holiday of Shavuot. The same is true of ba’eh shabbat im yotze’eh shabbat (those that were to come in on the Sabbath, with those that who had finished for the week (sabbath) (II Kings 11:9).
Here one verse uses two different meanings of the same word, and see (Judges 10:4), "Thirty burros (ayarim)... thirty boroughs (ayarim)."
...
(ד) וַֽיְהִי־ל֞וֹ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים בָּנִ֗ים רֹֽכְבִים֙ עַל־שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים עֲיָרִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים עֲיָרִ֖ים לָהֶ֑ם לָהֶ֞ם יִקְרְא֣וּ ׀ חַוֺּ֣ת יָאִ֗יר עַ֚ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
(4) (He had thirty sons, who rode on thirty burros (ayarim) and owned thirty boroughs (ayarim) in the region of Gilead; these are called Havvoth-jair to this day.)
In addition to 24:19-21, we see similar passages in Exodus 21:22-25 and Deuteronomy 19:18-21.
"In 1914 politician and journalist George Perry Graham argued against the death penalty in the Canadian House of Parliament. He mentioned the well-known verse of Exodus and then employed it in a trope about the members of the Parliament:
"Mr. GRAHAM: We can argue all we like, but if capital punishment is being inflicted on some man, we are inclined to say: ‘It serves him right.’ That is not the spirit, I believe, in which legislation is enacted. If in this present age we were to go back to the old time of ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ there would be very few hon[orable] gentlemen in this House who would not, metaphorically speaking, be blind and toothless."
"Few are the verses of the Bible which have been so frequently and glaringly misunderstood by Jew and non-Jew as 24, 20 from which our title is taken. This misconception has transformed our text into a symbol, the embodiment of vengeance at its crudest level. One who wishes to express his opposition to forgiveness, concession and compensation, insisting instead on his pound of flesh, on retaliation of the most brutal and painful kind resorts to the phrase: "eye for eye, tooth for tooth", a formula which conjures up a vision of hacked limbs and gouged eyes. Even he who is familiar with the traditional rabbinical interpretation of our text: "eye for eye" ie. monetary compensation does not rule out the possibility of this being merely an apologetical explanation, a later toning down of ancient barbarity, humanisation of the severity of the Torah by subsequent generations.
"But this is not the case. On the contrary, our Sages and commentators adduce many and varied proofs indicating that the plain immediate sense of the text can be no other than monetary compensation."
(א)עין תחת עין. סִמֵּא עֵין חֲבֵרוֹ נוֹתֵן לוֹ דְּמֵי עֵינוֹ כַּמָּה שֶׁפָּחֲתוּ דָּמָיו לִמְכֹּר בַּשּׁוּק, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם; וְלֹא נְטִילַת אֵבֶר מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּפֶרֶק הַחוֹבֵל (בבא קמא דף פ"ג):
(1) עין תחת עין EYE FOR EYE — If one blinded the eye of his fellow-man he has to pay him the value of his eye, i. e. he pays him how much his value would be diminished if he were to be sold as a slave in the market. In the same way all other cases are to be dealt with, but it does not mean the actual cutting off of the offender’s limb — just as our Rabbis have explained in the chapter beginning with the word החובל (Bava Kamma 84a).
(ב) נֵזֶק כֵּיצַד. שֶׁאִם קָטַע יַד חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ רַגְלוֹ רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עֶבֶד נִמְכָּר בַּשּׁוּק כַּמָּה הָיָה יָפֶה [אָז] וְכַמָּה הוּא יָפֶה עַתָּה וּמְשַׁלֵּם הַפְּחָת שֶׁהִפְחִית מִדָּמָיו. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כא כד)(ויקרא כד כ) "עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תַּחַת לְשַׁלֵּם מָמוֹן הוּא:
(2) What is meant by "the damages"? If a person cuts off the hand or the foot of a colleague, we theoretically consider the injured colleague as a servant being sold in the market place and evaluate his value before the injury and his value afterwards. The person who caused the injury must pay the depreciation in value.
This is alluded to in Exodus 21:24: "An eye for an eye." The oral tradition interprets תחת, translated as "for," as an indication that the verse requires financial recompense.
(ה) וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאֵיבָרִים (שמות כא כד)(ויקרא כד כ) "עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן" תַּשְׁלוּמִין הוּא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (שמות כא כה) "חַבּוּרָה תַּחַת חַבּוּרָה" וּבְפֵרוּשׁ נֶאֱמַר (שמות כא יח) "וְכִי יַכֶּה אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ בְּאֶבֶן אוֹ בְּאֶגְרוֹף" וְגוֹ' (שמות כא יט) "רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ יִתֵּן וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא". הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁתַּחַת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּחַבּוּרָה תַּשְׁלוּמִין. וְהוּא הַדִּין לְתַחַת הָאָמוּר בְּעַיִן וּבִשְׁאָר אֵיבָרִים:
(5) How do we know that the intent of the Torah's statement with regard to the loss of a limb, "An eye for an eye," is financial restitution? That same verse continues "a blow for a blow." And with regard to the penalty for a giving a colleague a blow, it is explicitly stated Exodus 21:18-19: "When a man strikes his colleague with a stone or a fist... he should pay for his being idled and for his medical expenses." Thus, we learn that the word tachat/ תחת mentioned with regard to a blow indicates the necessity for financial restitution, and so one can conclude that the meaning of the same word with regard to an eye or another limb is also financial restitution.
(ו) וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁדְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ נִרְאִים מֵעִנְיַן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְכֻלָּן מְפֹרָשִׁין הֵן מִפִּי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ מֵהַר סִינַי. כֻּלָּן הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה הֵן בְּיָדֵינוּ
וְכָזֶה רָאוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ דָּנִין בְּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וּבְבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי וּבְכָל בֵּית דִּין וּבֵית דִּין שֶׁעָמְדוּ מִימוֹת משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וְעַד עַכְשָׁו:
(6) Although these practical applications seem reasonable [when considering] the context [of the passages about physical damages] in the Written Law, and they were made explicit by Moses from Mount Sinai, they are all regarded as halachah [=Oral Tradition] [taught] to Moses.
This is what our ancestors saw in the court of Joshua and in the court of Samuel of Ramah, and in every single Jewish court that has functioned from the days of Moses our teacher until the present age.
"Exodus 21:26-27 stipulates that one who struck out the eye of his slave must give him his freedom, which is a form of compensation."
"It is reasonable to conclude that the law of the Torah was severe in the area of bodily injuries inflicted intentionally by one Israelite upon another. Later Jewish authorities thought that mutilation was unconscionable as a punishment. This testifies to their own sensibilities; they resorted to hermeneutic interpretation in a humane cause. This does not, however, alter the realities of biblical law in its original context, the realities of which the talmudic sages may well have been aware."
Summary and Next Class
- Summary of themes
- Next Class: 10. The Portions of Behar ("On Mount [Sinai]") and Bechukotai ("[If you follow] My laws"), the final portions of the book of Leviticus/Vayikra, chapters 25-27.
- Meet the Commentators: 21st century voices, female and male.



