לֹא־יִקַּ֥ח אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יְגַלֶּ֖ה כְּנַ֥ף אָבִֽיו׃ (ס)

The Torah now presents a series of laws that deal with restrictions on marriage. A man shall not take his father’s wife, even after his father dies or gets divorced, and he shall not uncover the edge of his father’s garment, his father’s nakedness.

לֹֽא־יָבֹ֧א פְצֽוּעַ־דַּכָּ֛א וּכְר֥וּת שָׁפְכָ֖ה בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

One with crushed testicles and one with a severed or severely damaged penis shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord by marrying a daughter of Israel.

לֹא־יָבֹ֥א מַמְזֵ֖ר בִּקְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה גַּ֚ם דּ֣וֹר עֲשִׂירִ֔י לֹא־יָ֥בֹא ל֖וֹ בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

A child born from incest or adultery [ mamzer ] shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord; he may not marry an Israelite woman of unflawed lineage. This prohibition applies to his descendants as well; even the tenth generation and beyond, that is, forever, he shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord. There is no remedy for this person or his descendants. On the other hand, he remains a member of the people of Israel with regard to every other matter, and it is permitted for him to marry women of similarly flawed lineage, e.g., a mamzeret .

לֹֽא־יָבֹ֧א עַמּוֹנִ֛י וּמוֹאָבִ֖י בִּקְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה גַּ֚ם דּ֣וֹר עֲשִׂירִ֔י לֹא־יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֛ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

The following restrictions on marriage stem from the collective memory of the nation of Israel. An Amonite or a Moavite convert shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord; even the tenth generation and beyond shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord forever. In contrast to the previous verse, here the Torah explicitly states that the prohibition is in effect forever.

עַל־דְּבַ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־קִדְּמ֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמַּ֔יִם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַאֲשֶׁר֩ שָׂכַ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ אֶת־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֗וֹר מִפְּת֛וֹר אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃

This is because the Amonites and Moavites did not cooperate with Israel; they did not even greet you with bread and with water, basic humanitarian aid, on the way, upon your exodus from Egypt, but rather avoided all contact with you (see 2:1–19). And it is also because he, the king of Moav, hired against you Bilam son of Beor, from Petor, Aram Naharayim, to curse you. This was the most powerful weapon that they could have used against you.

וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּהֲפֹךְ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֧יךָ לְּךָ֛ אֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה לִבְרָכָ֑ה כִּ֥י אֲהֵֽבְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

But the Lord your God was unwilling to heed the curses of Bilam, and the Lord your God transformed for you the curse into a blessing. Although Bilam desired and attempted to curse you, he ended up showering Israel with beautiful blessings, because the Lord your God loved you . However, this does not diminish the guilt of the Amonites and the Moavites.

לֹא־תִדְרֹ֥שׁ שְׁלֹמָ֖ם וְטֹבָתָ֑ם כָּל־יָמֶ֖יךָ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (ס)

Because Moav and Amon refused to aid Israel, and because of their attempt to harm you with their contemptible conspiracy, you shall not seek their peace or their welfare all your days, forever. Their sin is unforgivable, and it is therefore inappropriate to assist them.

לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא (ס) לֹא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ׃

On the other hand, you shall not completely despise an Edomite, as he is your brother. Edom is the nation that has the closest genealogical relation to Israel, while Amon and Moav are more distantly related. Whereas Lot, the father of Amon and Moav, was Abraham’s nephew, Edom, a name for Esau, was Jacob’s brother and the son of Isaac and Rebecca. In addition, you shall not despise an Egyptian, but for another reason: As you were a stranger in his land. Although the Egyptians enslaved Israel for many years, they initially hosted the nation in their land and treated them well, and gratitude must be expressed to them. Just as you must remember the negative behavior of Amon and Moav, so too you must remember the Egyptians’ ambivalent treatment of you.

בָּנִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם דּ֣וֹר שְׁלִישִׁ֑י יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

Therefore, children that will be born to them, Egyptian and Edomite converts, in the third generation, shall enter into the assembly of the Lord. By Torah law, only the grandchildren of those converts may enter into the nation of Israel through marriage.

כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מַחֲנֶ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וְנִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ מִכֹּ֖ל דָּבָ֥ר רָֽע׃

When you go out in a camp against your enemies, you shall be vigilant from every evil thing. In the military and in wartime people tend toward a spiritual and moral decline, leading to a breach of the standards of conduct. Therefore, observance of purity and holiness is critical.

כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה טָה֖וֹר מִקְּרֵה־לָ֑יְלָה וְיָצָא֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה לֹ֥א יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

If, for example, there is among you, in the camp, a man who will not be pure due to a nocturnal incident, an unintended seminal emission, which is liable to occur at night especially to young men, he shall go outside the camp when he awakens and realizes what happened. He shall not come into the midst of the camp.

וְהָיָ֥ה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶ֖רֶב יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וּכְבֹ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה׃

It shall be that toward evening of that day he shall bathe in water, immerse himself in a ritual bath, and with the setting of the sun, he shall come into the camp. A man who experiences a seminal emission is ritually impure for one day; once he immerses in a ritual bath, he is pure at nightfall. The Sages explain that the reason a man who experienced a seminal emission must leave the camp is that the Ark of the Covenant would accompany the military encampment of Israel, causing it to have sanctified status. A man who has had a seminal emission is prohibited from entering the Temple proper, known as the camp of the Divine Presence, and the entire Temple complex surrounding it, known as the camp of the Levites.

וְיָד֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְךָ֔ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָצָ֥אתָ שָׁ֖מָּה חֽוּץ׃

An additional law with regard to the cleanliness and sanctity of the military camp is presented: A designated place shall be for you outside the camp, and you shall go out there. A special place for relieving oneself must be designated outside the camp.

וְיָתֵ֛ד תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ עַל־אֲזֵנֶ֑ךָ וְהָיָה֙ בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣ ח֔וּץ וְחָפַרְתָּ֣ה בָ֔הּ וְשַׁבְתָּ֖ וְכִסִּ֥יתָ אֶת־צֵאָתֶֽךָ׃

Furthermore, a spade shall be for you with your weapons, e.g., your sword or spear, and it shall be, upon your sitting outside to relieve yourself, you shall dig with it, with the spade, a small hole in the ground, and once you finish you shall return and cover your excrement.

כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ ׀ בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֗ךָ לְהַצִּֽילְךָ֙ וְלָתֵ֤ת אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה מַחֲנֶ֖יךָ קָד֑וֹשׁ וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְשָׁ֖ב מֵאַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)

The reason for all these laws is: As the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to save you, and to deliver your enemies defeated before you. The Israelite military fights in the name of God, and therefore your camp shall be holy, and this is so that He shall not see a shameful matter among you, and consequently turn from behind you, leave you.

לֹא־תַסְגִּ֥יר עֶ֖בֶד אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁר־יִנָּצֵ֥ל אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵעִ֥ם אֲדֹנָֽיו׃

You shall not hand over to his master a runaway Canaanite slave, whether his master is Israelite or gentile, who has been liberated to you, who flees to your land, from his master, even if his master claims him from you.

עִמְּךָ֞ יֵשֵׁ֣ב בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בַּמָּק֧וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר בְּאַחַ֥ד שְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ בַּטּ֣וֹב ל֑וֹ לֹ֖א תּוֹנֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס)

With you he shall reside in your midst, among the people of Israel, in the place that he will choose within one of your gates in which it is good for him; you shall not mistreat him.

לֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ה קְדֵשָׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה קָדֵ֖שׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

There shall not be a prostitute [ kedesha ], especially one who engages in ritual prostitution, from the daughters of Israel, and there shall not be a male prostitute [ kadesh ], whether for heterosexual or homosexual relations, from the sons of Israel.

לֹא־תָבִיא֩ אֶתְנַ֨ן זוֹנָ֜ה וּמְחִ֣יר כֶּ֗לֶב בֵּ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְכָל־נֶ֑דֶר כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

You shall not bring a gift that was given as the fee of a harlot, or that you received as the price of a dog, to the House of the Lord your God for any vow, as fulfillment of a vow to the House of God, for the two of them, the fee of a harlot and the price of a dog, are an abomination to the Lord your God. Therefore it is inappropriate to bring them to His Temple.

לֹא־תַשִּׁ֣יךְ לְאָחִ֔יךָ נֶ֥שֶׁךְ כֶּ֖סֶף נֶ֣שֶׁךְ אֹ֑כֶל נֶ֕שֶׁךְ כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּֽׁךְ׃

You shall not lend with interest to your brother, your fellow Jew, interest [ neshekh ] of silver that was lent, interest of food, or interest of any item that is lent with interest. Interest is called neshekh , bite, because with it the lender “bites” that which is not his.

לַנָּכְרִ֣י תַשִּׁ֔יךְ וּלְאָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַשִּׁ֑יךְ לְמַ֨עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֜ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֔ךָ עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (ס)

To the foreigner, a gentile, you shall lend with interest, it is permitted to borrow or lend with interest, but to your brother, a fellow Jew, you shall not lend with interest, so that the Lord your God will bless you in all your endeavors, on the land that you are coming there to take possession of it.

כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֙דֶר֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תְאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּֽי־דָּרֹ֨שׁ יִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃

When you shall take a vow to bring a donation to the Temple of the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; you must pay it by the deadline. The Sages discuss the definition of this deadline and conclude that it is three pilgrimage festivals after having taken the vow. Nevertheless, one is commanded to fulfill his vow already at the first pilgrimage festival ab initio . If you delay payment beyond the deadline, the Lord your God will ultimately seek it from you, and there will be a sin, a deficiency, in you.

וְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃

If you shall refrain from vowing, there will be no sin in you. One is not obligated to vow, as no sin is performed by refraining from donating money to the Temple. The sin is when you violate your word and delay your commitment.

מוֹצָ֥א שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר וְעָשִׂ֑יתָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֜רְתָּ לַיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ נְדָבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּפִֽיךָ׃ (ס)

Therefore that which emerges from your lips you shall observe and you shall perform as you vowed a pledge to the Lord your God, of your volition, that you spoke with your mouth.

כִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּכֶ֣רֶם רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֧ עֲנָבִ֛ים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ֖ שָׂבְעֶ֑ךָ וְאֶֽל־כֶּלְיְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתֵּֽן׃ (ס)

When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard as a laborer, you may eat grapes as you desire to your contentment, but into your vessel you shall not place them.

כִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּקָמַ֣ת רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְקָטַפְתָּ֥ מְלִילֹ֖ת בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָנִ֔יף עַ֖ל קָמַ֥ת רֵעֶֽךָ׃ (ס)

Likewise, when you come into your neighbor’s standing grain to work, you may pick ripe stalks with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain. You may not use a tool to harvest stalks of grain for yourself. Although one of the Sages in the Mishna interprets this verse literally, as referring to anyone who enters another’s vineyard or field, the other Sages disagree, maintaining that it refers only to a laborer. These are benefits to which a laborer is entitled for his work, and are limited to what can be gathered in the field without collecting a large amount to take home.