(ה) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
(ו) דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַעֲשׂוּ֙ מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֣את הָֽאָדָ֔ם לִמְעֹ֥ל מַ֖עַל בַּיהוָ֑ה וְאָֽשְׁמָ֖ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִֽוא׃
(ז) וְהִתְוַדּ֗וּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂוּ֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַחֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ יֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַ֕ן לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָשַׁ֥ם לֽוֹ׃
(ח) וְאִם־אֵ֨ין לָאִ֜ישׁ גֹּאֵ֗ל לְהָשִׁ֤יב הָאָשָׁם֙ אֵלָ֔יו הָאָשָׁ֛ם הַמּוּשָׁ֥ב לַיהוָ֖ה לַכֹּהֵ֑ן מִלְּבַ֗ד אֵ֚יל הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְכַפֶּר־בּ֖וֹ עָלָֽיו׃
(ט) וְכָל־תְּרוּמָ֞ה לְכָל־קָדְשֵׁ֧י בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִהְיֶֽה׃
(י) וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־קֳדָשָׁ֖יו ל֣וֹ יִהְי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִתֵּ֥ן לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִהְיֶֽה׃ (פ)
(5) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
(6) Speak to the Israelites: When a man or woman commits any wrong toward a fellow man, thus breaking faith with the LORD, and that person realizes his guilt,
(7) he shall confess the wrong that he has done. He shall make restitution in the principal amount and add one-fifth to it, giving it to him whom he has wronged.
(8) If the man has no kinsman to whom restitution can be made, the amount repaid shall go to the LORD for the priest—in addition to the ram of expiation with which expiation is made on his behalf.
(9) So, too, any gift among the sacred donations that the Israelites offer shall be the priest’s.
(10) And each shall retain his sacred donations: each priest shall keep what is given to him.
(א) ואם אין לאיש גאל. שֶׁמֵּת הַתּוֹבֵעַ שֶׁהִשְׁבִּיעוֹ וְאֵין לוֹ יוֹרְשִׁים:
(ב) להשיב האשם אליו. כְּשֶׁנִּמְלַךְ זֶה לְהִתְוַדּוֹת עַל עֲוֹנוֹ; וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וְכִי יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גּוֹאֲלִים, אוֹ בֵן, אוֹ אָח, אוֹ שְׁאֵר בָּשָׂר הַקָּרוֹב מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת אָבִיו לְמַעְלָה עַד יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא זֶה הַגֵּר שֶׁמֵּת וְאֵין לוֹ יוֹרְשִׁים (סנהדרין ס"ח):
(ג) האשם המושב. זֶה הַקֶּרֶן וְהַחֹמֶשׁ (בבא קמא ק"י):
(ד) לה' לכהן. קְנָאוֹ הַשֵּׁם וּנְתָנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ מִשְׁמָר (ספרי): (ה) מלבד איל הכפרים. הָאָמוּר בְּוַיִּקְרָא שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא:
(1) ואם אין לאיש גאל BUT IF THE MAN HAS NO KINSMAN — This means that the claimant who put him to the oath, died and has left no heirs,
(2) להשיב האשם אליו TO WHOM THAT WHEREIN HE IS GUILTY COULD BE RESTORED, when he decided at a later period to confess his sin. — Our Rabbis asked (Sifrei Bamidbar 4:1; Bava Kamma 109a): But can you find anyone in Israel who has no kinsman whatsoever, neither a son nor a brother nor other relative near akin to him from his father’s family, going back as far as Jacob? But this person referred to is a convert who died and has no heirs (his non-Israelite relatives not being entitled to inherit his property) (Sifrei Bamidbar 4:1; Bava Kamma 109a).
(3) האשם המושב THAT WHEREIN HE IS GUILTY AND WHICH HATH TO BE RESTORED — i.e. the principal (האשם) and the fifth thereof (המושב) (cf. Bava Kamma 110a),
(4) לה’ לכהן BELONGS TO THE LORD, FOR THE PRIEST — This means the Lord becomes its owner and gives it to the priest of that Mishmar (shift) (Bava Kamma 109b). (5) מלבד איל הכפרים BESIDES THE RAM OF EXPIATION which is mentioned in the Sedrah ויקרא (Leviticus 5:25), as being incumbent upon him to offer.
(א) וּבֹ֨עַז עָלָ֣ה הַשַּׁעַר֮ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב שָׁם֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַגֹּאֵ֤ל עֹבֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר־בֹּ֔עַז וַיֹּ֛אמֶר ס֥וּרָה שְׁבָה־פֹּ֖ה פְּלֹנִ֣י אַלְמֹנִ֑י וַיָּ֖סַר וַיֵּשֵֽׁב׃
(ב) וַיִּקַּ֞ח עֲשָׂרָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים מִזִּקְנֵ֥י הָעִ֖יר וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁבוּ־פֹ֑ה וַיֵּשֵֽׁבוּ׃
(ג) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לַגֹּאֵ֔ל חֶלְקַת֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאָחִ֖ינוּ לֶאֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ מָכְרָ֣ה נָעֳמִ֔י הַשָּׁ֖בָה מִשְּׂדֵ֥ה מוֹאָֽב׃
(ד) וַאֲנִ֨י אָמַ֜רְתִּי אֶגְלֶ֧ה אָזְנְךָ֣ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְ֠נֵה נֶ֥גֶד הַֽיֹּשְׁבִים֮ וְנֶ֣גֶד זִקְנֵ֣י עַמִּי֒ אִם־תִּגְאַל֙ גְּאָ֔ל וְאִם־לֹ֨א יִגְאַ֜ל הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֗י ואדע [וְאֵֽדְעָה֙] כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין זוּלָֽתְךָ֙ לִגְא֔וֹל וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י אֶגְאָֽל׃
(ה) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בֹּ֔עַז בְּיוֹם־קְנוֹתְךָ֥ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד נָעֳמִ֑י וּ֠מֵאֵת ר֣וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּת֙ קניתי [קָנִ֔יתָה] לְהָקִ֥ים שֵׁם־הַמֵּ֖ת עַל־נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃
(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַגֹּאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לגאול־[לִגְאָל־] לִ֔י פֶּן־אַשְׁחִ֖ית אֶת־נַחֲלָתִ֑י גְּאַל־לְךָ֤ אַתָּה֙ אֶת־גְּאֻלָּתִ֔י כִּ֥י לֹא־אוּכַ֖ל לִגְאֹֽל׃
(1) Meanwhile, Boaz had gone to the gate and sat down there. And now the redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned passed by. He called, “Come over and sit down here, So-and-so!” And he came over and sat down.
(2) Then [Boaz] took ten elders of the town and said, “Be seated here”; and they sat down.
(3) He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, now returned from the country of Moab, must sell the piece of land which belonged to our kinsman Elimelech.
(4) I thought I should disclose the matter to you and say: Acquire it in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you are willing to redeem it, redeem! But if you will not redeem, tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem but you, and I come after you.” “I am willing to redeem it,” he replied.
(5) Boaz continued, “When you acquire the property from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you must also acquire the wife of the deceased, so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate.”
(6) The redeemer replied, “Then I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own estate. You take over my right of redemption, for I am unable to exercise it.”
איתמר היו לו בנים בהיותו עובד כוכבים ונתגייר רבי יוחנן אומר אין לו בכור לנחלה ור"ש בן לקיש אומר יש לו בכור לנחלה רבי יוחנן אומר אין לו בכור לנחלה דהא הוה ליה ראשית אונו ור"ש בן לקיש אומר יש לו בכור לנחלה גר שנתגייר כקטן שנולד דמי
§ It was stated that amora’im engaged in a dispute concerning the case of a man who had children when he was a gentile and he subsequently converted: Rabbi Yoḥanan says he does not have a firstborn with regard to inheritance, i.e., a son who is his firstborn after his conversion does not inherit a double portion; and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: He does have a firstborn with regard to inheritance. The Gemara elaborates: Rabbi Yoḥanan says: He does not have a firstborn with regard to inheritance, as this man already had “the first of his strength” (Deuteronomy 21:17), the Torah’s description of the firstborn in this context, before he converted. And Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: He does have a firstborn with regard to inheritance, as the halakhic status of a convert who just converted is like that of a child just born.
Converts Mourning the Death of Close Relatives
by Rabbi Joel Rembaum
While a גר is not obligated to fulfill the commandment to honor parents, the overwhehning majority of halakhic authorities who deal with this issue expect גרים to show respect for their non-Jewish parents and desist from demeaning them. Such acts of respect would include visiting them when they arc ill. According to certain authorities the reason for this is הכרת הטוב, "recognition of goodness" the parents generated for their children." Others simply recognize that common sense dictates that respect be shown by גרים to their non-Jewish parents. Again, the גר-parent relationship is viewed as continuing to be viable.
Converts Mourning the Death of Close Relatives
by Rabbi Joel Rembaum
Consider the words of a גר who lost her non-Jewish father while she was a rabbinical student:
Now [the time of her father's death] was the time for the halakhah to do what my Episcopalian faith had not been able to do. But it's not there for you as a convert! I felt betrayed - it's all reshut, and that's no help. I had to create my own ritual. I wasn't obligated to mourn, so I couldn't ask people who didn't really want to do it, to help me. The community doesn't respond to your obligation because you don't have one. And you don't feel you have the right to ask for this on the basis of reshut. 1 didn't get much support from the rabbi of my Shul or from my classmates and faculty either. It was hard to find a minyan to say kaddish .... This is the time when you tend to revert to old motifs and rituals. I needed help in dealing with that. The rabbis and the community weren't aware of this problem, hut it's a normal reaction for a mourner. People should expect it, and be aware of it. The community needs to help the convert especially work through this.
...
A member of my congregation who converted to Judaism twenty years ago recently ended her year of mourning for her Catholic father, with whom she remained very close. Upon his death she called me and asked: what do I do? I told her: you are a Jew; you have to mourn your father in the prescribed Jewish way. I was adamant. I did not offer her a choice. I told her that I would make sure that there was a minyan for shivah services at home and would ensure that all her needs as a mourner would be met. She took my counsel seriously. At the funeral, held in a Catholic cemetery, she saw to it that the casket was lowered and earth was placed on it. This was not offensive to her Catholic family, but it did deviate from the norm at Catholic funerals. She sat shivah, a service was held in her home each evening and she came to synagogue regularly throughout the year to recite kaddish. It was clear to her that as a Jew she had to manage her grief in a Jewish way. On the last morning of shivah, as we took the traditional walk, she thanked me for urging her to follow the tradition. She said that it had done its job; she felt comforted. Her Jewish identity was affirmed.
(א) ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו. לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ מַתְּנוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה, יָכוֹל יָבוֹאוּ וְיִטְּלוּם בִּזְרוֹעַ, תַּ"ל "וְאִישׁ אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִהְיוּ", מַגִּיד שֶׁטּוֹבַת הֲנָאָתָן לַבְּעָלִים, וְעוֹד מִדְרָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה דָרְשׁוּ בוֹ בְּסִפְרֵי; וּמִ"אַ וְאִישׁ אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִהְיוּ, מִי שֶׁמְּעַכֵּב מַעַשְׂרוֹתָיו וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָן, לוֹ יִהְיוּ הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת — סוֹף שֶׁאֵין שָׂדֵהוּ אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁהָיְתָה לְמוּדָה לַעֲשׂוֹת (תנחומא ראה):
(ב) איש אשר יתן לכהן. מַתָּנוֹת הָרְאוּיוֹת לוֹ:
(ג) לו יהיה. מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה (ברכות סג.):
(1) ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו AND EVERY MAN’S HOLY THINGS SHALL BE HIS — Because the gifts due to the priests and the Levites are merely mentioned in the Torah (Deuteronomy 18:1—8) (without any statement as to how they are to come into possession of them), therefore one might think they may come and take them by force. On this account, it states here, ‘‘and every man’s holy things shall be his” — in some respect — thus it teaches us that the טובת הנאה, the gratification of using them in this respect as he wishes, belongs to the owner. — Many other Halachic rules have they (the Rabbis) deduced about it (this statement) in Sifrei Bamidbar 6:2. — An Agadic explanation of ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו is the following: Whosoever retains the tithes and does not give them to the Levite, only the tithes will be his, i.e., his field will ultimately yield no more than a tithe of what it was accustomed to yield (so that his whole possession will not exceed the gifts he should have given to the priests and the Levites; cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Re'eh 10).
(2) איש אשר יתן לכהן, A MAN, HOWEVER, WHO GIVES TO THE PRIEST the gifts that are due to him,
(3) לו יהיה HE SHALL HAVE great riches (Berakhot 63a).
(ב) ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו למה נאמר לפי שהוא אומר (במדבר י״ח:י״ט) כל תרומות הקדשים אשר ירימו בני ישראל, שומע אני ישלם בזרוע. תלמוד לומר ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו מגיד שטובת הנאתן (קדשים) לבעליהם. ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו הרי שמדד להם בארץ ונתוספו אחרים עליהם יכול קורא אני עליו (ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו) [איש אשר יתן לכהן לו יהיה] תלמוד לומר (איש אשר יתן לכהן לו יהיה) [ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו]. או אפילו מדד בקופה ונתוספו אחרים עליהם קורני עליו ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו, תלמוד לומר איש אשר יתן לכהן לו יהיה. ר' יוסי אומר הרי שפדה את בנו בתוך שלשים יום ומת קורני עליו איש אשר יתן לכהן לו יהיה, תלמוד לומר ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו. לאחר שלשים יום אין מוציאין מיד כהן וקורא אני עליו איש אשר יתן לכהן לו יהיה:
(2) (Bamidbar 5:10) "And every man, his holy things, to him shall they be": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Ibid. 18:19) "All the terumoth of the holy things which the children of Israel will separate for the L-rd have I given to you (Aaron) and to your sons, etc.", I might think that he (a Cohein) could forcibly seize them (the priestly gifts). It is, therefore, written "And every man, his holy things, to him shall they be" — He has the option of giving them to any Cohein he wishes.
"And a man, his holy things, to him shall they be": If one measured out (terumah) for them (certain Cohanim) on the ground and others (later) joined them, I might think that I pronounce over him "Whatever a man gives to the Cohein, (in this instance the Cohein for whom he measured it out), to him (that Cohein) shall it be"; it is, therefore, written "And every man, his holy things, to him (the man) shall they be" (i.e., he retains the option of giving it to those who came later).
I might then think that if he measured it out (for him) in a basket and others joined later, I still pronounce over him "And every man, his holy things, to him (the man) shall they be" (and he can give it to the later ones); it is, therefore, (for such a circumstance) written "Whatever a man gives to the Cohein, (in this instance, the first Cohein), to him (that Cohein) shall it be."
R. Yossi says if one redeemed his (first-born) son within thirty days, and he (the son) died, I might think that I pronounce over him (the father) "Whatever a man gives to the Cohein to him (the Cohein) shall it be"; it is, therefore, written "And every man, his holy things, to him (the man) shall they be." (If he died) after thirty days, the money is not taken back from the Cohein, it being pronounced over the father "Whatever a man gives to the Cohein, to him (the Cohein) shall it be."