Вайикра 1:17 Комментарий: Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Ramban & Or HaChaim

ושסע AND HE SHALL CLEAVE [IT] — The term שסע is used only for rending with the hands. Similarly it states in the story of Samson (Judges 14:6) “and he rent him (וישסעהו) as he would have rent a kid” (Zevachim 65b).

He will split as in “completely cleft” [11:3], meaning “cut”

AND HE SHALL REND IT ‘BICHNAFAV’ — “together with its feathers. He need not pluck out the feathers of its plumage. Knafav means the actual feathers [not the wings].” This is the language of Rashi. But it is not correct, for if so, then Scripture does not mention from which place he is to rend [the bird], whether from its front or back. Rather, the meaning thereof is as follows: “he shall rend it at the place of its wings,” for the letter beth [in the word bichnafav] serves here as “the beth of apparatus,” [teaching that the rending is to be done from the back of the bird where “the wings” are, for knafav, as will be explained, means “its wings,” and not “its feathers” as Rashi explained]; similar to the expression, ba’aron, (in the ark), ba’bayith, (in the house), or ba’sadeh (in the field). Knafav does not mean “feathers” [as Rashi wrote], but is similar to all expressions of knafayim mentioned in Scripture [which mean wings]: every bird, whatever hath ‘kanaf’ (wings);¹⁸⁷Genesis 7:14. and he stretcheth ‘knafav’ (his wings) towards the south.¹⁸⁸Job 39:26. Similarly, ‘bichnaf’ (the skirt) of his robe.¹⁸⁹I Samuel 15:27. Literally: “the wing” of his robe. Notzah is the down [the soft under-plumage] on the body of birds, something like that which is written, a great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of ‘hanotzah’ (down).¹⁹⁰Ezekiel 17:3. Similarly we have learned [in the Mishnah]:¹⁹¹Taharoth 1:3. “Large feathers and down are both capable of contracting uncleanness and conveying uncleanness, and join together [with the flesh to make up the required size that is needed to convey uncleanness].” The Rabbis have also said:¹⁹²Sifra, Acharei 12:2. “excepting the beak and claws, the large feathers and the down.”

בכנפיו means: he shall rend it together with its feathers he need not pluck out the feathers that form its plumage before doing so.