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Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Leviticus 22:11

וְכֹהֵ֗ן כִּֽי־יִקְנֶ֥ה נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ קִנְיַ֣ן כַּסְפּ֔וֹ ה֖וּא יֹ֣אכַל בּ֑וֹ וִילִ֣יד בֵּית֔וֹ הֵ֖ם יֹאכְל֥וּ בְלַחְמֽוֹ׃

But if a priest buy any soul, the purchase of his money, he may eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they may eat of his bread.

Rashi on Leviticus

וכהן כי יקנה נפש BUT IF THE PRIEST BUY ANY SOUL… [HE MAY EAT OF IT] — This refers to a Canaanitish servant who has been acquired even in respect to his body (not only as regards his work).
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Siftei Chakhamim

A Canaanite slave. Rashi is answering the question: The previous verse implies that a [slave’s] body does not belong to the master, yet here it is written, “If a kohein shall purchase ... ?” He answers that the verse above is speaking of a Hebrew slave, while here it is speaking of a Canaanite slave.
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Rashi on Leviticus

ויליד ביתו AND THEY THAT ARE BORN IN HIS HOUSE — This refers to the children of his maid-servants. A priest's wife may eat תרומה as may be derived from this verse, for she, too, is “an acquisition obtained by his money” (Ketuvot 57b; cf. Mishna Kiddushin 1:1… ‎'האשה נקנית בכסף וכו‎‎‎, one of the ways in which a marriage may be contracted is by the passing of money or its equivalent from the man to the woman. A wife is therefore a קנין כסף). But it may also be derived from another verse (Numbers 18:11) "[the heave-offering…] everyone that is clean in thy house may eat of it”. Thus is it expounded in Sifrei Bamidbar 117 2.
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Siftei Chakhamim

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