[Pentateuch & Haftorah [P&H] give this title to this chapter:
PROHIBITION OF —
- UNLAWFUL MARRIAGES,
- UNCHASTITY, and
- MOLECH WORSHIP
- an identifiable newly-birthed nation,
- with a reputation of being ‘chosen’ by the God
- it proclaims as its Master
- whose Name is YHWH,
- with Whom these people agreed to a covenant
- that includes a lifestyle that is unique and different from the surrounding nations,
—-well, no part of national life is left uncorrected IF the lifestyle goes against the Will of its new Master. And evidently, A LOT goes against the Will of YHWH. Otherwise, there would be no new instructions, guidelines to be given if all is well and in accordance with His Will.
Actually this chapter is self-explanatory, easy to read. Still, we will share the commentary of P&H because of the additional background they give on the cultural conditions prevailing in the times during which these laws were given. Today, there are existing laws against incest, pedophilia, polygamy, though none on bestiality or homosexuality that we are aware of. In fact, in the USA, marriage is being redefined by man-made laws so that same-sex marriage has been upheld by their Supreme Court as part of the issue of ‘equality’. What YHWH has declared as prohibited relationships, men as usual defy in their man-made laws. Let us read in this chapter, the consequences of such defiance.
Translation is EF/Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses. Commentary is from P&H, Pentateuch and Haftorahs, ed. Dr. J.H.Hertz.–Admin1].
Leviticus/Wayyiqrah 18
1 YHVH spoke to Moshe, saying:2 Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them:
I am YHVH your God!
These words proclaim the Source from which the precepts emanate, as well as the Power who will not brook the wanton violation of these fundamental laws.
3 What is done in the land of Egypt, wherein you were settled, you are not to do;what is done in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you, you are not to do;
by their laws you are not to walk.
Neither the immoral practices of the land they elft, nor the abominations of the land they were going to, should influence their religious life.
(statutes) lit. ‘laws, engraven,’ denotes the ordinances which control the life of the nations. The vicious practices of paganism, especially of Egypt and Canaan, were sanctioned by their national laws. ‘Both the practices and the laws were contrary to Reason, Conscience, and the Divine Will’ (Wogue).
4 My regulations you are to do, my laws you are to keep, walking by them,I am YHVH your God!
ordinances. Israel was receiving a new code of laws that was to take the place of what they had seen in force in Egypt and would find in Canaan. Judgments are laws dictated by the moral sense, like the prohibition of theft: statutes are distinctive precepts addressed to the Israelite, like the prohibition of swine’s flesh; see on Gen. XXVI,5.
do . . keep. The two verbs are complementary. Do is the mechanical performance; keep includes the idea of study and understanding of the principle underlying the command. Only where there is intelligent conformity to the letter of the Torah, does its spirit become a transforming power in the lives of men.
I am יהוה your ‘Elohiym/I am the LORD. i.e. I who command these precepts am the LORD your God. The refrain—“I am the LORD’ gives peculiar solemnity to the demands which it accompanies in these chapters. Man must obey, because it is God who commands. “The Divine imperative is its own self-sufficient motive’ (Moore).
5 You are to keep my laws and my regulations,which when a human does them, he lives by (means of) them,
I am YHVH!
if a man do. The Rabbis emphasize the word man. Rabbi Meir used to say, “Whence do we know that even a heathen, if he obeys the law of God, will thereby attain to the same spiritual communion with God as the High Priest? Scripture says, ‘which if a man do, he shall live by them’—not priest, Levite, or Israelite, but man.” (Talmud).
he will have life in them/he shall live by them. He will gain the life eternal in the world to come (Onkelos, Targum Jonathan, RAshi); yea, through it alone can he gain true life in this world, as the life of the wicked is not really Life (Hoffmann). The plain meaning is, that by adhering to the precepts of God, a man will enjoy well-being and length of days; cf. ‘that your days may be multiplied, (Deut. XI,21). ‘No country was ever prosperous and strong in which the sanctity of family life and the value of personal purity were not upheld and practised’ (W.R. Inge).
The Rabbis take the words ‘he shall live by them’ to mean that God’s commandments are to be a means of life and not of destruction to His children. With the exception of three prohibitions, all commandments of the Law are, therefore, in abeyance whenever life is endangered. No man, however, is to save his life at the price of public idolatry, murder, or adultery. This was the decision of the Rabbis in the war of extermination which the Roman Emperor Hadrian waged against Judaism; see on XXII, 32.
v. 6-18. FORBIDDEN MARRIAGES
All unions between the sexes that are repellent to the finer feelings of man, or would taint the natural affection between near relations, are sternly prohibited. Primary prohibited marriages are:—
- blood – relations –mother, sister, daughter, granddaughter, father’s sister and mother’s sister;
- cases of affinity—the wives of blood-relations and of the wife’s blood relatons.
All unions—whether temporary or permanent—between persons belonging to these groups are classed as ‘incestuous’. They have no binding force whatsoever in Jewish Law and can in no circumstance be deemed a ‘marriage’; hence, no divorce is required for their dissolution. The issue are illegitimate.
The Rabbis have expanded the primary Prohibited Degrees in the ascending and descending line. These expansions are known as ‘secondary Prohibited Marriages’, e.g. as the mother is forbidden,, so is the grandmother and great grandmother; as the step-mother so is the grandfather’s wife; as the daughter-in-law, so is the grandson’s wife. Marriages of the secondary Prohibited Degrees must be dissolved by a divirce, and the children are legitimate.
The above Prohibited Degrees of marriage, whether Biblical or Rabbinical, are based on instinctive abhorrence and natural decorum. Jewish sectaries, however, as well as various Christian Churches, largely under the influence of Roman Law, greatly extended these prohibitions, until even an alliance between the great-grandchildren of two brothers and sisters was by them deemed forbidden. The Church introduced further prohibitions in connection with ‘spiritual kinship” i.e., a godfather could not marry the child at whose baptism he was sponsor. The hardship resulting from such unbounded extension of Prohibited Degrees by Roman Law and Church, was to some extent mitigated by dispensation, which the Church granted in certain circumstances; but this led to great abuses. Both dispensation and ‘spiritual kinship’ are, of course, unknown in Judaism.
The Rabbis explain that prior to the Revelation at Sinai, only the following marriages were prohibited: viz. mother, father’s wife, married woman, and sister on mother’s side. Hence Abraham was permitted to marry his half-sister; and Jacob, two sisters.
6 Any-man, any-man-to any kin of one’s (own) flesh you are not to come-near, exposing their “nakedness”!I am YHVH!
No one shall contract a marriage with a blood-relation. The broad principle is here stated, and tehn particulars are given in v. 7-8.
There was dire need for the legislation in this chapter. Many of the incestuous marriages herein mentioned were common among contemporary peoples, and were recognized in parts of the Roman world as late as the early Middle Ages. In Egypt, marriage with a sister was quite usual, especially in royal families. The Greeks countenanced marriage with a half-sister. Among the Persians, marriages with mother, sisters, and daughters were expressly recommended as meritorious and as mot pleasing to the gods. Such were the usages, not of barbarous and reckless tribes unused to moral restrictions, but of the cultured nations of antiquity. ‘It is evident that Mosaism brought the world a new message in the matter of marriage (Dillmann). When we think of the influence of this Chapter on the Western and Near Eastern peoples, we realise that Judaism is indeed a religious civilization!
near of kin., lit. ‘flesh of his flesh’; his flesh and blood. Within a certain degree of consanguinity two relatives are regarded as one flesh, and one person.
uncover their nakedness. Used for, ‘to take to wife’ in alliances which can never be regarded as ‘marriage’. It is employed here, instead of the usual phrase, in order to bring out more strikingly the moral hideousness and animality of the transgression (S.R. Hirsch).
7 The nakedness of your father,Forbids a union between mother and son, as a dishonour both to father and mother
and the nakedness of your mother, you are not to expose!She is your mother-you are not to expose her nakedness!
8 The nakedness of your father’s wife, you are not to expose!
She is the nakedness of your father.
[father’s wife. Forbids union with a step-mother. As marriage makes man and wife one (Gen. II, 24), a step-mother was regarded as a blood-relation of the nearest kind. It was a practice among Eastern heirs-apparent to take possession of the father’s wives, as an assertion of their right to the throne, that action identifying them with the late ruler’s personality in the eyes of the people. This explains Reuben’s conduct in Gen. XXXV, 22, and Absalom’s in II Sam. XVI,20-22.
9 The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother,born in the house or born outside-
you are not to expose their nakedness!
born in the house. A half-sister born of a legal marriage; see ,17
or born outside A half-sister born either of an illegal marriage or out of wedlock (Ibn Ezra).
10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter,you are not to expose their nakedness!
Indeed, they are your nakedness.
your son’s daughter As marriage with a step-grand-daughter is forbidden in v. 17, this verse seems superfluous. The Rabbis, however, understood it as referring to the daughter of an illegitimate son or daughter. Marriage with a daughter is not expressly forbidden; because, in view of this prohibition of the grand-daughter, it is self-evident.
they are your nakedness. ‘They are part of yourself’ (Moffatt).
11 The nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife, (as one) born to your father-she is your sister.
You are not to expose her nakedness!
he daughter of your father’s wife, Descent from the same mother was long deemed a closer degree of relationship than descent from the same father (Gen. XX,12). Consequently, v. 9 might have been misunderstood to apply to either ‘thy sister (viz. of the same mother) who is the ‘daughter of thy father,’ i.e. a half-sister from the same mother but different father. Union with a half-sister from the same father but different mother might thus have been thought permissible. Hence the need of a clear prohibition of the daughter from the same father by another mother, is here given (Hoffman).
12 The nakedness of your father’s sister, you are not to expose!She is the kin of your father.
This prohibition, too, was new to Israelites and contrary to their former usage (Exod. VI,20).
13 The nakedness of your mother’s sister, you are not to expose!Indeed, she is the kin of your mother.
14 The nakedness of your father’s brother, you are not to expose!
To his wife you are not to come-near-
she is your aunt!
Union with the wife of a father’s brother is an offence against two persons whom marriage had made ‘one flesh’ (see v.8). For that reason, her nephew could not marry her after his uncle’s death. The Rabbis declare marriage with the wife of a mother’s brother equally illegal.
15-18. Cases of affinity by marriage.
15 The nakedness of your daughter-in-law, you are not to expose!She is your son’s wife.
You are not to expose her nakedness!
Forbids marriage between a man and his daughter-in-law after divorce or the husband’s death. It was deemed a foul offence, almost on a plane with ‘marriage’ with a daughter.
16 The nakedness of your brother’s wife, you are not to expose!She is the nakedness of your brother.
17 The nakedness of a woman and her daughter (together), you are not to expose!
Her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter you are not to take-in-marriage, exposing their nakedness!
They are kin,it is insidiousness!
lewdness. lit. ‘harlotry’. The union of a man with both a woman and her daughter or grand-daughter, whether at the same time or after the death of one, is considered an execrable action, an ‘enormity’ (RV Margin).
18 And a woman along with her sister, you are not to take-in-marriage, producing-rivalry, exposing her nakedness in addition to her, during her lifetime!to be a rival to her. Better, as a fellow-wife. Sisterly love would thereby turn to rivalry and hatred. in her lifetime. During the first wife’s life-time, even if he had divorced her, he could not marry her sister. After her death it wa]s permitted, and was even deemed by the Rabbis a praiseworthy thing to do, as no other woman would show the same affection to the orphaned children of the deceased sister.
19-23. IMMORAL PRACTICES FORBIDDEN
19 To a woman during her tum’a of being-apart you are not to come-near, exposing her nakedness!- during her tum’a exclusion via impurity; malfeasance; idolatry
- tum’ath the state of being impure
- impure. In V,24, the same matter had been dealt with from the point of view of the ritual defilement that is thereby incurred. Here the practice is denounced as contrary to the principles of moral purity; see also ,18.
While recognizing the sacred nature of the estate of wedlock, Judaism prescribes continence even in marriage. ‘The Jewish ideal of holiness is not confined to the avoidance of the illicit; its ideal includes the hallowing of the licit’ (Moore). It categorically demands reserve, self-control, and moral freedom in the most intimate relations of life. It ordains the utmost consideration for the wife not only throughout the monthly period of separation, bt also during the seven following days of convalescence and recovery which are terminated by ritual purification through total immersion either in a fountain, or a ‘gathering of living water’. By the reverent guidance in these vital matters which these laws afford, Jewish men have been taught respect for womanhood, moral discipline, and ethical culture. As for Jewish women, they were, on one hand, given protection from uncurbed passion; and, on the other hand, taught to view marital life under the aspect of holiness.
Even apart from their purely religious side, the importance of these regulations, scrupulously observed throughout the generations in Israel, cannot be over-estimated. They have fostered racial sanity and well-being, and have proved as favourable to hygiene as to morals. The overwhelming majority of Jewish women still live, thank God, under the ‘yoke’ of these laws–to their own good and biologic good fo the Jewish people. Striking testimony has been given by scientists to the fact that, though health is not put forward as the primary purpose of these regulations, yet such is their indubitable result. These laws of marital continence are now held by some scientists to accord with the fundamental rhythm in woman’s nature. While medical opinion is not unanimous on this difficult subject, there can be no doubt as to the significance of statistics like the following: an investigation, conducted over a number of years at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, in connection with 80,000 Jewish women who observe niddah and taharah laws, showed that the proportion of those suffering from uterine cancer was one to 15 of non-Jewish women of corresponding social and economic status. Even more noteworthy is the difference in proportion of a certain form of cancer among Jewish and non-Jewish men respectively (Sorsby, Cancer and Race, 1931). ‘The Mosaic Code again stands out as an astonishing example of inspired wisdom and foresight which should appeal with redoubled force to the enlightened minds of today. Discipline and self-restraint are perhaps the lessons most needed for the present times’ (Lieut.0Col. F.E. Freemantle, Chairman, International Cancer Conference, London, July 1928).
20 To the wife of your fellow you are not to give your emission of seed, becoming-tamei through her!you are not to give your emission of seed,[seed; viable semen; progeny],
to tamei [contaminated; impure] through her. This prohibition is so vital to human society that it is included in the Ten Commandments, immediately after the protection of life, as being of equal importance with it.
21 Your seed-offspring you are not to give-over for bringing-across to the Molekh,
that you not profane the name of your God,
I am YHVH!
seed; viable semen; progeny
or bringing-across to the Molekh, [god of child burnt-sacrifice],
neither shall thou profane. Better, that thou profane not; such savage idolatry being an infamous travesty of all religion or adoration of God.
Or pass through the fire. We have here the first mention in the Bible of the dreadful practice of child-sacrifice to a deity of the surrounding heathen Semites. Israel’s Teachers shudder at this hideous aberration of man’s sense of worship, and they do not rest till all Israel shares their horror of it. Sexual impurity, especially when it is allied with, or elevated into, a form of worship, as it was in the cults of Baal and Astarte, dehumanizes, and leads to the deadening of the holiest human instincts.
22 With a male you are not to lie (after the manner of) lying with a woman,it is an abomination!
with mankind. Discloses the abyss of depravity from which the Torah saved the Israelite. This unnatural vice was also prevalent in Greece and Rome.
perversion. ‘A violation of nature and of the Divine order’ (Dillmann); cf.Exod. XXII,18; Lev.XX, 15 f. The almost incredible bestialities, revealing the hideous possibilities of corrupt human nature, enumerated in v. 21-23, are but too well attested in laws, customs, and legends of the ancient and modern societies. Nowhere in literature is there such an uncompromising condemnation of these offences as in XVIII and XX. It led to their extirpation in the midst of Israel, and eventually to their moral outlawry among all peoples came under the sway of the Hebrew Scriptures.
23 With any animal you are not to give your emission of seed, becoming-tamei through it;a woman is not to stand before an animal, mating with it,
it is perversion!.
24-30. An exhortation to lay to heart the fate of the Canaanites, whose loathsome customs, disruptive of social morality, would bring about their annihilation.
24 You are not to make-yourselves-tamei through any of these,for through all these, they make-themselves-tamei, the nations that I am sending out before you.
Whenever sex is withdrawn from its place in marriage and separated from its function as the expression of reverent and lawful wedded love (whereby its quality is completely changed), the person concerned is defiled. The Rabbis deem sexual immorality the strongest of defilements cutting man off from God. any of these things. The words refer to all the foregoing—the forbidden marriages, the neglect of marital restrictions, as well as unnatural abominations.
25 Thus the land became-tamei, and I called it to account for its iniquity,so that the land vomited out its inhabitants.
contaminated; impure]. [the land was defiled. Only moral offences, and not ceremonial transgressions, are said to defile the land. Every ‘enormity’ first defiles the person who commits it, be he a Canaanite or an Israelite, and he in turn defiles the land (Buchler).
The land (i.e. its inhabitants) is punished. Through pestilence and drought, its inhabitants are vomited out in the same manner as the human system rejects food which is disagreeable to it. The verbs in this verse visualize the future as though it had actually come into being.
26 But you are to keep, yourselves, my laws and my regulations,not doing any of these abominations,
the native and the sojourner that sojourns in your midst,
27 for all these abominations did the men of the land do that were before you,
and the land
became-tamei-
28 that the land not vomit you out for your making it tamei
as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 For whoever does any of these abominable-things-
cut off shall be those persons that do (them) from amid their kinspeople!
In most of the offences mentioned, the penalty prescribed is death. With the remainder, the culprits were expelled from the Community and presumably from the country, since their presence contaminated the land.
30 You are to keep my charge by not doing (any of) the abominable practices that were done before you,that you not become-tamei through them,
I am YHVH your God!
The Rabbis understood this phrase in the sense of ‘guard My charge’; i.e. it is the duty of the Religious Authorities to make a ‘fence round the Law’, in order to keep men far from sin, and to warn and instruct the people as to the seriousness and sacredness of these prohibitions.
I am יהוה your ‘Elohiym [Mighty One]! [The former inhabitants indulged in unnatural vices because the worship of their gods was demoralizing. It is otherwise with Israel. The Lord is their God, and His service is elevating and spiritualizing. Hence there is here a natural transition to the next chapter with its opening command, Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy.’