וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל תֹּאמַר֒ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן מִזַּרְע֛וֹ לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת עַ֥ם הָאָ֖רֶץ יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ בָאָֽבֶן׃

And to the children of Israel you shall say: Each man from the children of Israel, or from the strangers that reside in Israel, who gives of his offspring to the worship of Molekh , he shall be put to death; the people of the land, the community, shall stone him with stones .

וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ נָתַ֣ן לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ לְמַ֗עַן טַמֵּא֙ אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי׃

Meanwhile, I shall direct My attention to that man and will excise him from the midst of his people, because he gave of his offspring to Molekh, in order to defile My Sanctuary, and to profane My sacred name. Aside from the actual sin of idol worship, this act constitutes a severe desecration of God’s name.

וְאִ֡ם הַעְלֵ֣ם יַעְלִימֽוּ֩ עַ֨ם הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ מִן־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא בְּתִתּ֥וֹ מִזַּרְע֖וֹ לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הָמִ֥ית אֹתֽוֹ׃

If the people of the land avert their eyes from that man, when he gives of his offspring to Molekh, and do not put him to death; that is, if they do not fulfill their duty to execute him, such as in a case where the judges share the same false beliefs as those on trial,

וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־פָּנַ֛י בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וְהִכְרַתִּ֨י אֹת֜וֹ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כָּל־הַזֹּנִ֣ים אַחֲרָ֗יו לִזְנ֛וֹת אַחֲרֵ֥י הַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם׃

I will direct My attention to that man and to his family, and I will excise him and everyone who strays after him, to stray after Molekh, from the midst of their people.

וְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּפְנֶ֤ה אֶל־הָֽאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים לִזְנ֖וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ הַהִ֔וא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ׃

The person who turns to the mediums or to the necromancers, who communicate with the dead, to stray after them by seeking their council, I will direct My attention to that person and will excise him from the midst of his people. The verse does not state that such individuals are punished by the court; rather, they are punished by God. Other early commentaries maintain that one who turns to a medium is not punished by excision, but has indeed transgressed a prohibition.

וְהִ֨תְקַדִּשְׁתֶּ֔ם וִהְיִיתֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֑ים כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

In general, you shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy. This statement refers both to the previous verses and the following ones. Some of these statutes apply specifically to the children of Israel and are not universal, while others are universally considered repulsive. In any case, the main focus of this passage is the special level of sanctity that the nation of Israel must uphold. For I am the Lord your God, and therefore you must be committed to this sanctity.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃

You shall observe My statutes and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you. I am the One who bestows upon you a unique status, and therefore you must observe My commandments, both the simple, understandable ones, and those which may appear to you as the arbitrary decrees of a King.

כִּֽי־אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְקַלֵּ֧ל אֶת־אָבִ֛יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֖וֹ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת אָבִ֧יו וְאִמּ֛וֹ קִלֵּ֖ל דָּמָ֥יו בּֽוֹ׃

For each man who curses his father or his mother, even if he does not harm them in any other way, shall be put to death; he cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him, on his hands. He is guilty and shall be punished for his transgression in this world. The obligation to honor one’s parents also appears in the Ten Precepts. Here, however, the verse emphasizes the severity of dishonoring one’s parents and the accompanying punishment. In other cultures as well, it is considered inappropriate to curse another, let alone one’s parents. However, in the framework of the sanctity of Israel such behavior is absolutely intolerable. One who curses his parents is therefore sentenced to death.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנְאַף֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִנְאַ֖ף אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת׃

A man who commits adultery with the wife of a man, that is, who commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. The repetitive language of the verse points to the dual aspects of the crime of adultery: Transgression of a prohibition, as well as injury to one’s neighbor. The prohibition against adultery with the wife of a man points to the religious aspect, while the prohibition against committing adultery with the wife of one’s neighbor points to its social aspect. Not all prohibitions of a sexual nature directly affect a third party, but the adulterer sins against both God and his fellow man.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יו גִּלָּ֑ה מֽוֹת־יוּמְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃

The man that lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness, the act is shameful and disgraceful to his father; both of them shall be put to death; their blood is upon them.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־כַּלָּת֔וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמְת֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם תֶּ֥בֶל עָשׂ֖וּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃

If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall be put to death; they have performed a perversion; their blood is upon them. Alternatively, the verse means: Father and son have mixed up one woman between them. This prohibition parallels the previous one, as lying with the wife of one’s father and lying with one’s daughter-in-law are two sides of the same coin. However, in the instance of lying with one’s father’s wife, there is an aspect of shaming one’s father, while in the instance of lying with one’s daughter-in-law, the verse stresses the repulsive intermingling and partnering.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֤ב אֶת־זָכָר֙ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֔ה תּוֹעֵבָ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃

A man who lies with a male, in the manner that one lies with a woman, willingly and with consent, both of them have performed an abomination. Just as in the cases involving relations between a man and a woman, this prohibition applies equally to both the active and passive participants. They shall be put to death by stoning; their blood is upon them.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקַּ֧ח אֶת־אִשָּׁ֛ה וְאֶת־אִמָּ֖הּ זִמָּ֣ה הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֞שׁ יִשְׂרְפ֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ וְאֶתְהֶ֔ן וְלֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ה זִמָּ֖ה בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃

A man who takes a woman and her mother, or a woman and her daughter, as the order makes no difference, it is lewdness . While the case where two male relatives have relations with one woman is described by the verse as a perversion, the case where one man has relations with two related women is described as lewdness. This lewdness stems from the fact that both women are intermingled in his thoughts, his imagination, and his life. He and they shall be burned in fire, and there shall be no lewdness among you.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן שְׁכָבְתּ֛וֹ בִּבְהֵמָ֖ה מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה תַּהֲרֹֽגוּ׃

A man who copulates with an animal, he shall be put to death; and the animal you shall kill. Obviously, an animal does not possess mental competence and cannot be considered guilty of a transgression. Nevertheless, it is put to death due to the shame that was brought upon the children of Israel through it, and because it was a stumbling block for people. In other words, the man is put to death for his transgression, while the animal is killed because it was used in the performance of the transgression, just as vegetation or vessels used for idol worship must be destroyed.

וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּקְרַ֤ב אֶל־כָּל־בְּהֵמָה֙ לְרִבְעָ֣ה אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָרַגְתָּ֥ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃

Similarly, a woman who approaches any animal in order for it to copulate with her, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall be put to death by stoning; their blood is upon them.

וְאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחֹת֡וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֣יו א֣וֹ בַת־אִ֠מּוֹ וְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ וְהִֽיא־תִרְאֶ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ חֶ֣סֶד ה֔וּא וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמָּ֑ם עֶרְוַ֧ת אֲחֹת֛וֹ גִּלָּ֖ה עֲוֺנ֥וֹ יִשָּֽׂא׃

The verse now turns to prohibitions for which a punishment to be administered by the courts is not prescribed; rather, one who transgresses these prohibitions is liable to receive excision: A man who takes his sister, daughter of his father or daughter of his mother, meaning even if she is his half-sister, and he sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace [ h · ]. Ḥesed resembles the Aramaic term ḥisuda , disgrace. Note that ḥesed , which usually means kindness in Hebrew, is a contronym, a word with two opposite meanings. And they shall be excised in the sight of the members of their people; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. By describing a scenario in which each sibling sees the nakedness of the other, the verse makes it clear that it does not refer to a case where a young sister falls victim to incestuous rape by her older brother, but to a mutual act in which two consenting adults are aware of their actions and proceed deliberately.

וְ֠אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה דָּוָ֗ה וְגִלָּ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ אֶת־מְקֹרָ֣הּ הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה וְהִ֕יא גִּלְּתָ֖ה אֶת־מְק֣וֹר דָּמֶ֑יהָ וְנִכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם׃

A man who lies with a menstruating woman, and he uncovered her nakedness, he has probed, specifically in a negative, sexual sense, her source of blood, and she has exposed the source of her blood. Once again, the verse stresses the participation of each side, as it is possible for this act to occur at the hands of the man alone, e.g., in the case of a man who forces himself on his wife who is menstruating. If the woman uncovers her nakedness knowingly and willingly, then both of them shall be excised by the hand of Heaven from the midst of their people.

וְעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲח֧וֹת אִמְּךָ֛ וַאֲח֥וֹת אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּ֧י אֶת־שְׁאֵר֛וֹ הֶעֱרָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃

The nakedness of the sister of your mother and the sister of your father you shall not uncover; for he exposed his kin, as they are blood relatives; they shall both bear their iniquity.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ עֶרְוַ֥ת דֹּד֖וֹ גִּלָּ֑ה חֶטְאָ֥ם יִשָּׂ֖אוּ עֲרִירִ֥ים יָמֻֽתוּ׃

A man who lies with his aunt, the wife of his father’s brother or mother’s brother, he exposed his uncle’s nakedness, they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִקַּ֛ח אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יו נִדָּ֣ה הִ֑וא עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֛יו גִּלָּ֖ה עֲרִירִ֥ים יִהְיֽוּ׃

A man who takes his brother’s wife as a wife for himself, even if she is no longer married to the brother, e.g., they divorced or the brother died, it is an abhorrent act; he exposed his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ׃

The chapter concludes with a general commandment: You shall observe all My statutes, My commandments that are not subject to human judgment, and all My ordinances, namely, the instructions to the courts, stated in this passage and the previous one; and you shall perform them, and the land to which I am bringing you to live there will not spew you out. It may be inferred that if you do not observe My statutes and ordinances, you will indeed be spewed out of the land.

וְלֹ֤א תֵֽלְכוּ֙ בְּחֻקֹּ֣ת הַגּ֔וֹי אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֤י אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ עָשׂ֔וּ וָאָקֻ֖ץ בָּֽם׃

And you shall not follow the practices of the nation, which I am sending forth from before you; as they, those nations, did all these prohibited acts, and I abhorred them.

וָאֹמַ֣ר לָכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֮ תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָם֒ וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לָכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֹתָ֔הּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֲנִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּֽים׃

I said to you: You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to inherit it, a land flowing with milk and honey. Your inheritance of the land serves a dual purpose: On the one hand, it is the fulfillment of My promise to you; on the other hand, I will thereby expel the sinful nations who are unworthy of residing in the land. I am the Lord, who has the authority to perform these actions, and I am also your God, who has distinguished you from the peoples. The inhabitants of the Land of Israel are guilty of transgressing the prohibitions enumerated above; in response, God has rejected them and will remove them from the land. Some of these prohibitions, however, apply only to the children of Israel, due to their distinction from the peoples.

וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה הַטְּהֹרָה֙ לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה וּבֵין־הָע֥וֹף הַטָּמֵ֖א לַטָּהֹ֑ר וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜ם בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה וּבָע֗וֹף וּבְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי לָכֶ֖ם לְטַמֵּֽא׃

O you shall distinguish between the pure animal, that which is permitted for consumption, and the non-pure, which may not be eaten, and between the non-pure birds and the pure. The list of pure and non-pure animals and birds appears in an earlier chapter (11:1–31). They are referenced here in the context of the distinction between Israel and the other nations, even though these prohibitions are less severe than the forbidden sexual relations. And you shall not render yourselves detestable by means of consuming the animals, or the birds, or by consuming any creature that creeps on the ground, which I have distinguished for you to deem non-pure. The soul of a member of Israel is polluted in some manner by consuming non-kosher animals.

וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ קְדֹשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וָאַבְדִּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּ֖ים לִהְי֥וֹת לִֽי׃

You shall be holy to Me, and distinguished in various ways, for I, the Lord, am holy. The holy is that which is situated beyond the boundary. To be holy, then, means to separate oneself. And I have distinguished you from the peoples to be Mine.

וְאִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם א֛וֹב א֥וֹ יִדְּעֹנִ֖י מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑תוּ בָּאֶ֛בֶן יִרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם׃ (פ)

The concluding verse of this chapter seems quite puzzling. Perhaps it is related to the concept of the exclusivity of the unique bond between God and Israel: A man or a woman, if there is among them a medium or a necromancer, they shall be put to death; with stones they shall stone them; their blood is upon them. The verse is not referring to those who seek the council of such individuals (see 19:31), but to the mediums and necromancers themselves.