Leviticus 22:13

13 but if a priest's daughter is widowed or divorced, without offspring, and returns to her father's house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father's food. No lay person shall eat of it.

Leviticus 22:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 22:13

But if the priest's daughter be a widow or divorced
If her husband be dead, or if living, and she is put away by him, whether a Levite, or an Israelite: and have no child:
by him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi add, nor is with child by him: and is returned to her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat
of her father's meat;
not of all, or any part, only of some, of the heave offering, but not of the shoulder or breast, which is the tradition of the wise men, as Maimonides F13 relates. There are two cases in this affair excepted by them, which they suppose are implied in this clause; the one is, if she is detained and reserved for her husband's brother, according to the law in ( Deuteronomy 25:5 ) ; she being without children; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``and is not kept or reserved for her husband's brother,''
which is implied by her being returned to her father's house; and the other is, if she is with child; for though she had no children by her husband, yet if she is pregnant, that made her unlawful to eat of the holy things; for then she is not as in her youth F14. The Jewish canon concerning such a person runs thus F15; the daughter of a priest, married to an Israelite, may not eat of the heave offering; if he dies, and she has a son by him, she may not eat of the heave offering; if she is married to a Levite, she may eat of the tithes: if he dies, and she has a son by him, she may eat of the tithes: if she is married to a priest, she may eat of the heave offering; if he dies, and she has a son by him, she may eat of the heave offering; if her son by the priest dies, she may not eat of the heave offering; if her son by the Levite dies, she may not eat of the tithes; if her son by an Israelite, she may return to her father's house, as it is said ( Leviticus 22:13 ) ; but there shall no stranger eat thereof;
as not anyone of another nation, so not anyone of another family beside the priest's, no, not the son of a priest's daughter by an Israelite, which some think is principally intended; and so Aben Ezra remarks this is said of a son, if she had any, and upon whose account she herself might not eat.
FOOTNOTES:

F13 In Misn. Yebamot, c. 9. sect. 6.
F14 Misn Yebamot, c. 7. sect. 4. & Bartenora in ib.
F15 Misn. Yebamot, c. 9. sect. 6.

Leviticus 22:13 In-Context

11 but if a priest acquires anyone by purchase, the person may eat of them; and those that are born in his house may eat of his food.
12 If a priest's daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the sacred donations;
13 but if a priest's daughter is widowed or divorced, without offspring, and returns to her father's house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father's food. No lay person shall eat of it.
14 If a man eats of the sacred donation unintentionally, he shall add one-fifth of its value to it, and give the sacred donation to the priest.
15 No one shall profane the sacred donations of the people of Israel, which they offer to the Lord,
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.