Commentary for I Samuel 20:26
וְלֹֽא־דִבֶּ֥ר שָׁא֛וּל מְא֖וּמָה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא כִּ֤י אָמַר֙ מִקְרֶ֣ה ה֔וּא בִּלְתִּ֥י טָה֛וֹר ה֖וּא כִּֽי־לֹ֥א טָהֽוֹר׃ (ס)
Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day; for he thought: ‘Something hath befallen him, he is unclean; surely he is not clean.’
Rashi on I Samuel
Something happened. He has experienced [a discharge of] semen.
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Rashi on I Samuel
He must be impure. And he has not yet immersed himself for his [discharge of] semen, for had he immersed himself for his [discharge of] semen, he would not have to wait for sunset [to eat] ordinary food.26See Vayikra 22:4.
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Rashi on I Samuel
For he is not ritually pure. This [clause] gives reason for the matter, because he is not pure, he, therefore, did not come, so that he would not contaminate the feast.27Either because they were accustomed to maintain the stringencies associated with ritual purity even for ordinary food; or perhaps the New Moon feast consisted of the consecrated food of the peace offerings.—Radak.
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