וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: I am the Lord your God.

כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ׃

You shall not follow the practices of the land of Egypt in which you lived, and you shall not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, and you shall not follow their statutes, their ways. You shall not follow their mores or their prescribed laws.

אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֧י תַּעֲשׂ֛וּ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Rather, My ordinances you shall perform, and My statutes you shall observe, to follow them; I am the Lord your God.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם הָאָדָ֖ם וָחַ֣י בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall perform and live by them. The commandments concerning the standards of sexual morality, which mandate the distinctiveness and sanctity of the children of Israel, shape the proper way to lead one’s life. I am the Lord, I live forever.

אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ אֶל־כָּל־שְׁאֵ֣ר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ לֹ֥א תִקְרְב֖וּ לְגַלּ֣וֹת עֶרְוָ֑ה אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

Any man of you shall not approach his kin to uncover nakedness, to engage in sexual relations; I am the Lord. This general declaration serves to underline the basic principle of this passage that sexual relations with all close blood relatives are prohibited.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֛יךָ וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אִמְּךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אִמְּךָ֣ הִ֔וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your father and the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. In practically all societies, sexual relations between a mother and son are proscribed. Although this prohibition applies directly to a mother, in any normal family the shame and embarrassment caused by such an act would impact both parents. Consequently, the verse first mentions both the father and mother.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אֵֽשֶׁת־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יךָ הִֽוא׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your father’s wife, even if she is not your mother, you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness [ erva ]. The narrow meaning of the word erva is nakedness, as it has been explained here, or it can specifically refer to the sexual organs. However, it can also be used in the sense of shame or embarrassment. Consequently, one possible interpretation of this verse is that sexual relations with one’s father’s wife would cause the father shame and embarrassment.

עֶרְוַ֨ת אֲחֽוֹתְךָ֤ בַת־אָבִ֙יךָ֙ א֣וֹ בַת־אִמֶּ֔ךָ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת בַּ֔יִת א֖וֹ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת ח֑וּץ לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽן׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, and all the more so if she is the daughter of both your father and your mother, although this case is not explicitly mentioned in the verse, whether she is born into the household or born outside of wedlock, you shall not uncover their nakedness, as they are your relatives.

עֶרְוַ֤ת בַּת־בִּנְךָ֙ א֣וֹ בַֽת־בִּתְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָ֑ן כִּ֥י עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ הֵֽנָּה׃ (ס)

The nakedness of the daughter of your son, or of the daughter of your daughter, and certainly of your daughter herself, although she is not mentioned in the verse, you shall not uncover their nakedness, for it is your nakedness. One’s relationship with one’s own children is even closer than one's relationship with other relatives; sexual relations with one’s child would constitute the parent’s own personal nakedness or shame.

עֶרְוַ֨ת בַּת־אֵ֤שֶׁת אָבִ֙יךָ֙ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת אָבִ֔יךָ אֲחוֹתְךָ֖ הִ֑וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ (ס)

The nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife, who was born to your father and not necessarily to your mother, she is your sister; therefore, you shall not uncover her nakedness. There is overlap between this verse and the prohibition of verse 9. Consequently, sexual relations with the daughter of one’s father who is also the daughter of the father’s wife is prohibited by two commandments. However, if one does not share either parent with the daughter of his father’s wife, he is not considered her relative at all, and she is not forbidden to him. Indeed, there are historical precedents of men marrying their stepsisters.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחוֹת־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה שְׁאֵ֥ר אָבִ֖יךָ הִֽוא׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your father’s sister you shall not uncover; she is your father’s kin, or flesh.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחֽוֹת־אִמְּךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּֽי־שְׁאֵ֥ר אִמְּךָ֖ הִֽוא׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your mother’s sister you shall not uncover, as she is your mother’s kin.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחִֽי־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֶל־אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִקְרָ֔ב דֹּדָֽתְךָ֖ הִֽוא׃ (ס)

The aunts mentioned in the previous two verses are blood relatives from the side of each parent. This verse adds that even an aunt who is not a blood relative is prohibited. The nakedness of your father’s brother you shall not uncover; you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. Since she is married to your uncle, she should be considered as much your aunt as the sister of your father or mother.

עֶרְוַ֥ת כַּלָּֽתְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֵ֤שֶׁת בִּנְךָ֙ הִ֔וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ (ס)

The Torah lists further prohibitions involving relatives through marriage. The nakedness of your daughter-in-law you shall not uncover; she is your son’s wife. Therefore, you shall not uncover her nakedness.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אֵֽשֶׁת־אָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֖יךָ הִֽוא׃ (ס)

The nakedness of your brother’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your brother’s nakedness.

עֶרְוַ֥ת אִשָּׁ֛ה וּבִתָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֶֽת־בַּת־בְּנָ֞הּ וְאֶת־בַּת־בִּתָּ֗הּ לֹ֤א תִקַּח֙ לְגַלּ֣וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ שַׁאֲרָ֥ה הֵ֖נָּה זִמָּ֥ה הִֽוא

The list of forbidden relations began with close blood relatives, e.g., parents, children, and siblings, before continuing with those who are relatives through marriage. In contrast, the next two prohibitions do not involve a familial relationship between the man and woman but rather focus on a preexisting relationship with a female relative of the woman. The nakedness of a woman and her daughter you shall not uncover. It is prohibited for a man to have relations with a mother and her daughter. This applies not only to her actual daughter, as even her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter you shall not take to uncover her nakedness. They are kin; it is lewdness [ zima ]. Alternatively, zima means the thought process of sinners and is similar to the word mezima , plot. Although a man is permitted to wed either woman, he may not marry one of them once he has already been married to the other. Such a marriage would ruin the mother-daughter relationship. An additional negative consequence of such a marriage is that the husband is more liable to think of one woman while he is with the other, as there is often a resemblance between mother and daughter.

וְאִשָּׁ֥ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָ֖הּ לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח לִצְרֹ֗ר לְגַלּ֧וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ עָלֶ֖יהָ בְּחַיֶּֽיהָ׃

Similarly, a woman with her sister you shall not take to be rivals to uncover her nakedness through her in her lifetime. It is prohibited to marry two sisters. The verse clearly states that a man may not marry his wife’s sister if his wife is still alive, even if she is no longer his wife and he has divorced her. The prohibition against marrying two sisters is similar to the prohibition against marrying a mother and her daughter. However, the permissibility of marrying the sister of one’s wife after the wife’s death is a unique feature of this case that does not apply to the prohibition of marrying a mother and her daughter or to any of the other forbidden relations. The prohibition is in effect only during the lifetime of the sister one marries first.

וְאֶל־אִשָּׁ֖ה בְּנִדַּ֣ת טֻמְאָתָ֑הּ לֹ֣א תִקְרַ֔ב לְגַלּ֖וֹת עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃

The following forbidden sexual relationships are not prohibited due to familial connections of any kind between the participants. To a woman in her state of menstrual impurity you shall not approach to uncover her nakedness. It is prohibited to engage in sexual relations with a woman when she is in a state of menstrual impurity. Furthermore, one may not even approach to uncover her nakedness, which is a broader prohibition than refraining from actual sexual relations. It is prohibited for a man to engage in all forms of close contact with a woman in a state of menstrual impurity, and it makes no difference whether she is not related to him or if she is his own wife.

וְאֶל־אֵ֙שֶׁת֙ עֲמִֽיתְךָ֔ לֹא־תִתֵּ֥ן שְׁכָבְתְּךָ֖ לְזָ֑רַע לְטָמְאָה־בָֽהּ׃

And with the wife of your counterpart, another Jewish man, you shall not engage in sexual relations, to defile yourself with her.

וּמִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֥ לֹא־תִתֵּ֖ן לְהַעֲבִ֣יר לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֧א תְחַלֵּ֛ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The Torah now turns to a different type of prohibition: You shall not give from your offspring to pass him as a symbolic or an actual offering to Molekh, which is the name of a particular idol or cult that was widespread at the time. And you shall not profane the name of your God; I am the Lord. According to the alternative opinion that Molekh is not the name of any particular idol, this might mean that one may not worship God by sacrificing children, as in the Molekh ritual, since this is a degenerate practice that profanes the name of God. This interpretation also fits the verses in Deuteronomy that discuss the topic of burning one’s sons or daughters.

וְאֶ֨ת־זָכָ֔ר לֹ֥א תִשְׁכַּ֖ב מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֑ה תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

This verse adds another prohibition to the list of forbidden sexual relations that are not due to familial ties, in addition to adultery and relations with a menstruating woman: You shall not lie with a male in the manner of lying with a woman; it is an abomination. Homosexual relations between two men is not considered a normal sexual act; it is an abomination.

וּבְכָל־בְּהֵמָ֛ה לֹא־תִתֵּ֥ן שְׁכָבְתְּךָ֖ לְטָמְאָה־בָ֑הּ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה לֹֽא־תַעֲמֹ֞ד לִפְנֵ֧י בְהֵמָ֛ה לְרִבְעָ֖הּ תֶּ֥בֶל הֽוּא׃

You shall not engage sexually with any animal to defile yourself with it. The defilement of this deed is due to its nature as a purely sexual act, with no possibility of mutual human attachment or procreation. Up to this point, the forbidden sexual acts have been stated as prohibitions for males, though it is clear from context and parallel sources that these prohibitions apply equally to females. The verses have been addressed to men because the man is generally the more active party in these acts. Here the verse addresses a situation where no man is involved at all: And a woman shall not stand before an animal for it to copulate with her; it is a perversion. The verse insists that bestiality is a perversion, though it appears to not have been unheard of in Canaanite culture.

אַל־תִּֽטַּמְּא֖וּ בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֤י בְכָל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ נִטְמְא֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃

To conclude the section, the verse adds that transgressions in the area of forbidden sexual relations are not only legally proscribed, but also cause moral and spiritual debasement. Therefore, do not defile yourselves in any of these; for in all these were defiled the nations that I am sending forth from before you. Various types of forbidden sexual relations, including adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality, were a central feature of ancient Canaanite culture.

וַתִּטְמָ֣א הָאָ֔רֶץ וָאֶפְקֹ֥ד עֲוֺנָ֖הּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַתָּקִ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃

The land was defiled, and I visited its iniquity upon it. These acts are not merely private, personal transgressions. When they become accepted and normative they defile the land itself. Severe sexual transgressions contaminate not only the individual who commits them, but one’s surroundings as well, and they cause punishment to be inflicted on the entire land. And the land spewed out its inhabitants, by conquest at the hands of other nations or through natural disasters.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם אַתֶּ֗ם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וְלֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ מִכֹּ֥ל הַתּוֹעֵבֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑לֶּה הָֽאֶזְרָ֔ח וְהַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃

In contrast to those nations, you, the children of Israel, shall observe My statutes, which determine what is considered a familial relationship, although these definitions are not predicated on human logic, and My ordinances, laws with discernible logical or practical underpinnings. You shall not perform any of these abominations, the native and the stranger who resides among you, as these restrictions apply to anyone who resides in the land.

כִּ֚י אֶת־כָּל־הַתּוֹעֵבֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל עָשׂ֥וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם וַתִּטְמָ֖א הָאָֽרֶץ׃

For all these abominations were performed by the people of the land, who were living there before you, the Canaanites, and the land was defiled through these acts.

וְלֹֽא־תָקִ֤יא הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם בְּטַֽמַּאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר קָאָ֛ה אֶת־הַגּ֖וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִפְנֵיכֶֽם׃

If you do not sin, the result will be that the land will not expel you by your defiling it, as it spewed out the nation that was before you. The Land of Israel in particular cannot tolerate moral debasement, and it spews out the sinners who defile it.

כִּ֚י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה מִכֹּ֥ל הַתּוֹעֵב֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וְנִכְרְת֛וּ הַנְּפָשׁ֥וֹת הָעֹשֹׂ֖ת מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם׃

For anyone who shall perform any of these abominations listed above, as opposed to other, less severe prohibitions involving sexual relations that are not mentioned here, the people who perform them shall be excised from among their people. Even prior to the involvement of a human court in the case of one who violates these prohibitions, those who transgress these prohibitions are liable to excision at the hands of Heaven.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י לְבִלְתִּ֨י עֲשׂ֜וֹת מֵחֻקּ֤וֹת הַתּֽוֹעֵבֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשׂ֣וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִֽטַּמְּא֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (פ)

You shall keep My commission to refrain from performing any of the abominable practices that were performed before you in the land of Canaan, and you shall not defile yourselves through performing them; I am the Lord your God. The phrase “you shall keep My commission” may also be rendered as: You shall establish a safeguard for My commission. The Sages interpreted this as a mandate to enact protective measures to prevent people from performing transgressions.