Le Lévitique 27:28 Commentaire : Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Chizkuni & Siftei Chakhamim

אך כל חרם NOTWITHSTANDING NO DOOMED THING… [SHALL BE SOLD OR REDEEMED] — Our Rabbis are of different opinions regarding this matter (i. e. regarding the explanation of the word חרם used in this section). Some say: “All things declared doomed without any statement as to their purpose”, go to the Temple treasury. And if you ask, “But how then can I explain the text addressed to Aaron (Numbers 18:14) “every חרם in Israel shall be thine” (i. e. the priest’s)? Then I reply that I explain it to refer to חרמים expressly made for priests, i. e. that the donor expressly said, “this shall be a doomed thing for the priests” (so that it is not a סתם חרם). Others, however, say, that all things declared doomed without any statement as to their purpose go to the priests (in accordance with Numbers 18:14) (Arakhin 28b).

from anything that is his i.e., anything under his control.

אך כל חרם, “however no segregated matter that had been presented to the Temple treasury without any further specification;” Rashi quotes a disagreement between the sages as to who is the recipient of items sanctified without a specific address. According to one opinion such monies or goods become the property of the Temple treasury, meaning that they are to be used for repairs to the Temple, etc.; the other opinion is that such monies, etc. described here as cherem, segregated property, are to be distributed amongst the priests whose property they become. He also interprets the line at the end of our verse כל חרם קדש קדשים הוא, “every segregated matter is most holy,” in that sense.

לא ימכר ולא יגאל IT SHALL NOT BE SOLD NOR REDEEMED but shall be given to the priest. Now, according to him who holds that “doomed things not specially assigned” go to the priests, this verse must be explained as referring to such “unassigned doomed things”. He, however, who holds that “unassigned doomed things” go for the Temple repair, explains this verse as referring to such “doomed things” that were expressly declared to be for the priests, since all agree that such doomed things intended for the priests cannot be redeemed before they came into the possession of the priest (when the priest may do whatever he likes with them, because they are חולין; Scripture is thus right in stating 'לא ימכר וכו‎), whilst doomed things intended for the Most High (i. e. for the Sanctuary) are redeemable (Arakhin 29b).