Saadia's Tafsir on Vayikra 5 (Parashat Vayikra)

Vayikra 5:1

וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע אִם-לוֹא יַגִּיד וְנָשָׂא עֲו‍ֹנוֹ

. . . .

And any person who erred — in that he heard a voice of distress, and he was a witness, or saw that, or came to know of it, and did not report it — he has borne his burden of guilt.

Vayikra 5:2

אוֹ נֶפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּגַּע בְּכָל-דָּבָר טָמֵא אוֹ בְנִבְלַת חַיָּה טְמֵאָה אוֹ בְּנִבְלַת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה אוֹ בְּנִבְלַת שֶׁרֶץ טָמֵא וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא טָמֵא וְאָשֵׁם

. . . . .

And any person who approached any of the impure matters, or the carcass of an impure wild creature, or the carcass of an impure beast, or the carcass of any impure creeping thing — and that was hidden from him, and he is impure — then he has sinned.

Vayikra 5:3

אוֹ כִי יִגַּע בְּטֻמְאַת אָדָם לְכֹל טֻמְאָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִטְמָא בָּהּ וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם

. . . .

Or he approached the impurity of a human, with something of his impurity, of that which is capable of making him impure, and it was concealed from him — then he has sinned, though he knew what he had done.

Vayikra 5:4

אוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תִשָּׁבַע לְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתַיִם לְהָרַע אוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יְבַטֵּא הָאָדָם בִּשְׁבֻעָה--וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא-יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם לְאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה

. ]] . . . . .

And any person who swore with the utterance of his lips — to do harm or to do good — regarding all that a person may utter in an oath, and that was hidden from him, then he came to know what he had done — and he has sinned by one of these.

Vayikra 5:5

וְהָיָה כִי-יֶאְשַׁם לְאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה וְהִתְוַדָּה--אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עָלֶיהָ

.

And when he has sinned by one of these, then he shall confess what he erred in.

Vayikra 5:6

וְהֵבִיא אֶת-אֲשָׁמוֹ לַיהוָה עַל חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא נְקֵבָה מִן-הַצֹּאן כִּשְׂבָּה אוֹ-שְׂעִירַת עִזִּים--לְחַטָּאת וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן מֵחַטָּאתוֹ

. . . . .

And he shall bring his offering to God for his transgression which he transgressed — a female from the flock, a ewe, or a she-goat from the goats, for the sin-offering; and the imām shall seek forgiveness for him for his sins.

Vayikra 5:7

וְאִם-לֹא תַגִּיעַ יָדוֹ דֵּי שֶׂה--וְהֵבִיא אֶת-אֲשָׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ-שְׁנֵי בְנֵי-יוֹנָה לַיהוָה אֶחָד לְחַטָּאת וְאֶחָד לְעֹלָה

. . .

And if his means do not reach to the price of a sheep, he shall bring his offering for what he erred — two turtledoves or two young pigeons — to God: one of them for the sin-offering and the other for the burnt-offering.

Vayikra 5:8

וְהֵבִיא אֹתָם אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן וְהִקְרִיב אֶת-אֲשֶׁר לַחַטָּאת רִאשׁוֹנָה וּמָלַק אֶת-רֹאשׁוֹ מִמּוּל עָרְפּוֹ וְלֹא יַבְדִּיל

. . . .

And when he brings them to the imām, he shall present that which is for the sin-offering first, and shall separate its head from the side of its nape, but shall not sever it completely.

Vayikra 5:9

וְהִזָּה מִדַּם הַחַטָּאת עַל-קִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְהַנִּשְׁאָר בַּדָּם יִמָּצֵה אֶל-יְסוֹד הַמִּזְבֵּחַ חַטָּאת הוּא

. . .

And he shall sprinkle some of its blood upon the wall of the altar, and the remainder of the blood he shall drain out at its base — such is what constitutes a sin-offering.

Vayikra 5:10

וְאֶת-הַשֵּׁנִי יַעֲשֶׂה עֹלָה כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן מֵחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-חָטָא וְנִסְלַח לוֹ

. . .

And the second he shall perform as a burnt-offering, according to the established rite; and the imām shall seek forgiveness for him for his transgression which he transgressed, and he shall be forgiven.

Vayikra 5:11

וְאִם-לֹא תַשִּׂיג יָדוֹ לִשְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ לִשְׁנֵי בְנֵי-יוֹנָה--וְהֵבִיא אֶת-קָרְבָּנוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עֲשִׂירִת הָאֵפָה סֹלֶת לְחַטָּאת לֹא-יָשִׂים עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְלֹא-יִתֵּן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה--כִּי חַטָּאת הִוא

. . . . . .

And if his means do not reach to the price of two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he shall bring as his offering for what he erred — a tenth of a wayba of fine flour for the sin-offering; he shall not pour oil upon it, nor place frankincense upon it, for it is a sin-offering.

Vayikra 5:12

וֶהֱבִיאָהּ אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן וְקָמַץ הַכֹּהֵן מִמֶּנָּה מְלוֹא קֻמְצוֹ אֶת-אַזְכָּרָתָהּ וְהִקְטִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחָה עַל אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה חַטָּאת הִוא

. . . . .

He shall bring it to the imām, and the imām shall take from it a full fistful from its fine portion, and burn it upon the altar together with the offerings of God — such is what becomes a sin-offering.

Vayikra 5:13

וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל-חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-חָטָא מֵאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה--וְנִסְלַח לוֹ וְהָיְתָה לַכֹּהֵן כַּמִּנְחָה

. . .

And the imām shall seek forgiveness for him for his transgression which he transgressed by one of these, and he shall be forgiven; and it shall belong to the imām like the rest of the gift-offerings.

Vayikra 5:14

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses in speech.

Vayikra 5:15

נֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תִמְעֹל מַעַל וְחָטְאָה בִּשְׁגָגָה מִקָּדְשֵׁי יְהוָה וְהֵבִיא אֶת-אֲשָׁמוֹ לַיהוָה אַיִל תָּמִים מִן-הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ כֶּסֶף-שְׁקָלִים בְּשֶׁקֶל-הַקֹּדֶשׁ--לְאָשָׁם

. . . .

Any person who acted in violation — violating and erring inadvertently in something from the sacred things of God — he shall bring his offering to God: a sound ram from the flock, at its value in weights of silver by the weight of the sanctuary, as the offering.

Vayikra 5:16

וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר חָטָא מִן-הַקֹּדֶשׁ יְשַׁלֵּם וְאֶת-חֲמִישִׁתוֹ יוֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן אֹתוֹ לַכֹּהֵן וְהַכֹּהֵן יְכַפֵּר עָלָיו בְּאֵיל הָאָשָׁם--וְנִסְלַח לוֹ

. . . .

And that which he erred in from the sacred things he shall repay in its equivalent, and add a fifth to it, and give it to the imām; and the imām shall seek forgiveness for him with the ram of the offering, and he shall be forgiven.

Vayikra 5:17

וְאִם-נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וְעָשְׂתָה אַחַת מִכָּל-מִצְו‍ֹת יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂינָה וְלֹא-יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם וְנָשָׂא עֲו‍ֹנוֹ

. . . .

And any person who erred and did one of the commandments of God which are not to be done, and did not know that he had already sinned — he has borne his burden of guilt.

Vayikra 5:18

וְהֵבִיא אַיִל תָּמִים מִן-הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ לְאָשָׁם--אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל שִׁגְגָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-שָׁגָג וְהוּא לֹא-יָדַע--וְנִסְלַח לוֹ

. . . .

He shall bring a sound ram from the flock, at its value as an offering, to the imām; and the imām shall seek forgiveness for him for his inadvertent act in which he erred, though he did not know — and he shall be forgiven.

Vayikra 5:19

אָשָׁם הוּא אָשֹׁם אָשַׁם לַיהוָה

.

And it is a guilt-offering — for his guilt which he incurred before God.

Vayikra 5:20

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses in speech.

Vayikra 5:21

נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּיהוָה וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ בְּפִקָּדוֹן אוֹ-בִתְשׂוּמֶת יָד אוֹ בְגָזֵל אוֹ עָשַׁק אֶת-עֲמִיתוֹ

. .

Any person who erred and acted in violation before God — in that he denied to his fellow a deposit or a financial transaction, or seized by force, or defrauded his fellow —

Vayikra 5:22

אוֹ-מָצָא אֲבֵדָה וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ וְנִשְׁבַּע עַל-שָׁקֶר עַל-אַחַת מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם--לַחֲטֹא בָהֵנָּה

. . .

or found a lost thing and denied it, and swore falsely — regarding any such failing, from all that a person may do and thereby err —

Vayikra 5:23

וְהָיָה כִּי-יֶחֱטָא וְאָשֵׁם--וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת-הַגְּזֵלָה אֲשֶׁר גָּזָל אוֹ אֶת-הָעֹשֶׁק אֲשֶׁר עָשָׁק אוֹ אֶת-הַפִּקָּדוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָפְקַד אִתּוֹ אוֹ אֶת-הָאֲבֵדָה אֲשֶׁר מָצָא

. . .

then, when he has erred and sinned, he shall return the thing seized which he seized, or the fraud which he perpetrated, or the lost thing which he found,

Vayikra 5:24

אוֹ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר-יִשָּׁבַע עָלָיו לַשֶּׁקֶר--וְשִׁלַּם אֹתוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַחֲמִשִׁתָיו יֹסֵף עָלָיו לַאֲשֶׁר הוּא לוֹ יִתְּנֶנּוּ בְּיוֹם אַשְׁמָתוֹ

. . . . .

or whatever else of that which it is his way to swear over falsely — he shall return it in full, and add its fifth to it, and give it to the one to whom it belongs, on the day of his confession of his guilt.

Vayikra 5:25

וְאֶת-אֲשָׁמוֹ יָבִיא לַיהוָה אַיִל תָּמִים מִן-הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ לְאָשָׁם אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן

. .

And he shall bring his offering to God — a sound ram from the flock, at its value as an offering, to the imām.

Vayikra 5:26

וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְנִסְלַח לוֹ עַל-אַחַת מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה לְאַשְׁמָה בָהּ

. . .

And the imām shall seek forgiveness for him before God, and he shall be forgiven — for whichever failing, from all that is done whereby he incurs guilt in it.