ראשיכם אל תפרעו. יש אומרים לגדל פרע: LET NOT THE HAIR OF YOUR HEADS GO LOOSE. Some say that tifra’u (go loose) means to let the hair grow long.
תפרומו. תקרעו והנכון שהוא מן בגדיו יהיו פרומים וראשו יהיה פרוע ורבים אמרו מכוסה ואחרים אמרו מגולה והאמת דברי הקבלה: REND. The word tifromu means rend. Actually the word tifra’u (go loose) is related to the word faru’a (go loose)16Both words come from the same root. in his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose (Lev. 13:45).17I.E. offers proof for the opinion which he quotes at the opening of this verse. He does so because he is about to offer differing opinions. Many say that it means18The meaning of faru’a and by extension tifra’u. covered.19See the Sifra on Lev. 13:45. Others say that it means uncovered.20This is the opinion of Rabbi Akiba. See the Sifra on Lev. 13:45. The words of tradition are true.21That the meaning of tifra’u is to grow the hair long. I.E.’s point is that there is no connection between tifra’u in our verse and faru’a in Lev. 13:45. Hence the difference of opinion regarding the latter has no bearing on the definition of tifra’u (Meijler).
ולא תמותו. מלת ולא מושכת עצמה כמו ולא למדתי חכמה וכן הוא ולא על כל העדה יקצוף כי אתם תכפרו בעדם: THAT YE DIE NOT. The word ve-lo (that…not) is to be read as if written twice. Compare, And I have not learned wisdom (Prov. 30:3).22Prov. 30:3 literally reads: “I have not learned wisdom, I have knowledge of the Holy One.” According to I.E. this should be read, I have not (lo) learned wisdom, I have no (lo) knowledge of the Holy One. Our verse is to be understood as follows: and that He be not wroth with all the congregation,23Our verse reads, ve’al kol ha-edah yiktzof. The latter literally reads, and that He be wroth with all the congregation. That makes no sense in this context. Hence I.E. suggests that the word lo be inserted into the clause and that it be read as if written: and that He be not (lo) wroth with all the congregation. for you will atone for them.
וטעם ואחיכם כל בית ישראל. תמצאנו רמוז בפרשת ראה אנכי: [BUT LET YOUR BRETHREN, THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.] You will find the meaning of this alluded to in the Torah portion Behold, I Set (Deut. 11:26).24It is not clear what I.E. is referring to. Weiser suggests that I.E. intended to allude to our verse in his comments on the Torah portion Re’eh, but did not follow through on his intention.