{"id":9563,"date":"2014-09-03T05:00:56","date_gmt":"2014-09-03T02:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=9563"},"modified":"2019-11-21T10:57:25","modified_gmt":"2019-11-21T08:57:25","slug":"14-03-05","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-05\/","title":{"rendered":"05. The Sanctity of Avoiding Sexual Transgression"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we have learned, the basic level of sanctity in marriage is when a husband and wife form a halakhic relationship and avoid sexual transgressions (gilui arayot<\/em>). Rambam lists 37 Torah prohibitions in his Laws of Sexual Prohibitions, which can be divided into five categories:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Incest, including sexual relations between a man and his mother, daughter, sister, aunt, sister-in-law, stepdaughter, or step-granddaughter. This category includes most of the sexual prohibitions.<\/li>\n
  2. Sexual relations between those who are forbidden from marrying each other: a Jew and a non-Jew; a mamzer <\/em>with a non-mamzer<\/em>; or a marriage involving a eunuch.<\/li>\n
  3. Bestiality and male homosexuality.<\/li>\n
  4. Adultery, i.e., sexual relations between a man and a married woman.<\/li>\n
  5. Sexual relations between a man and a nidda<\/em>.[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

    There is one other severe sexual transgression: the rape of a woman or man, and certainly of a minor. This crime usually involves an additional transgression as well, such as relations with a nidda<\/em>, incest, or male homosexual relations. However, even when there are no accompanying prohibitions, the damage done to the rape victim is extremely serious, so much so that in a sense it is the same as murder. Thus, when speaking of rape, the Torah tells us, \u201cFor the case is like that of a man attacking another and murdering him\u201d (Devarim 22:26).<\/p>\n

    Another seventeen mitzvot<\/em> in the Torah relate to the framework of marriage. These include laws pertaining to divorce, yibum<\/em> (levirate marriage), \u1e25alitza<\/em> (levirate divorce), the laws pertaining to the seduction or rape of a young virgin, and laws pertaining to a sota<\/em> (a woman whose husband suspects her of adultery).[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

    We should not downplay the degree of sanctity achieved by one who successfully abides by all these rules and mitzvot<\/em>, for we see that most people who are not committed to Torah and mitzvot<\/em> do not manage to preserve their marital covenant. Even among the religiously observant, not everyone manages to resist temptation.<\/p>\n

    The Sages said:<\/p>\n

    One who sits passively and does not sin is rewarded as if he did a mitzva. R. Shimon bar Rabbi [Yehuda Ha-Nasi] said: It says, \u201cBut make sure that you do not partake of the blood; for the blood is the life\u201d (Devarim 12:23). If a person is rewarded for avoiding [drinking] blood, which most people find disgusting, how great must the reward be for avoiding theft and sexual immorality, which most people crave and lust after. One who avoids these earns reward for himself, his children, and his descendants until the end of time.\u201d (m.<\/em> Makkot<\/em> 3:16)<\/p>\n

    The Torah teaches, \u201cYou shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy\u201d (Vayikra 19:2). Rashi explains, \u201cAvoid forbidden sexual relations and sins. For wherever you find clear sexual boundaries, you also find holiness.\u201d Accordingly, anyone who is faithful to his marriage is considered holy.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n[2]<\/a>. The following is Rambam\u2019s list of Torah commandments, as it appears at the beginning of Laws of Sexual Prohibitions, in Sefer Kedusha<\/em>:<\/p>\n
      \n
    1. Not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s mother; 2. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s father\u2019s wife; 3. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s sister; 4. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s stepsister; 5. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s son\u2019s daughter; 6. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s daughter; 7. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s daughter\u2019s daughter; 8. not to marry a woman and her daughter; 9. not to marry a woman and her son\u2019s daughter; 10. not to marry a woman and her daughter\u2019s daughter; 11. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s father\u2019s sister; 12. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s mother\u2019s sister; 13. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s father\u2019s brother\u2019s wife; 14. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s son\u2019s wife; 15. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s brother\u2019s wife; 16. not to have sexual relations with one\u2019s wife\u2019s sister; 17. for a man not to have sexual relations with an animal; 18. for a woman not to have sexual relations with an animal; 19. for a man not to have sexual relations with another man; 20. not to uncover the nakedness of one\u2019s father; 21. not to uncover the nakedness of one\u2019s father\u2019s brother; 22. not to have sexual relations with a married woman; 23. not to have sexual relations with a woman while she is a nidda<\/em>; 24. not to marry a non-Jew; 25. not to allow an Ammonite or Moabite to marry into the congregation of Israel; 26. not to prevent the third-generation offspring of an Egyptian convert to Judaism from marrying into the congregation of Israel; 27. not to prevent the third-generation offspring of an Edomite convert to Judaism from marrying into the congregation of Israel; 28. not to allow amamzer<\/em>to marry into the congregation of Israel; 29. not to allow a eunuch to marry into the congregation of Israel; 30. not to castrate any male, even an animal or bird; 31. for a\u00a0kohen gadol<\/em> not to marry a widow; 32. for a kohen gadol<\/em> not to have sexual relations with a widow, even outside the context of marriage; 33. for a kohen gadol<\/em> to marry a virgin who had just reached adulthood; 34. for a kohen<\/em> not to marry a divorcee; 35. for a kohen<\/em> not to marry a\u00a0zona<\/em>; 36. for a kohen<\/em> not to marry a\u00a0\u1e25alala<\/em>; 37. for a person not to touch affectionately someone they may not marry, even if they refrain from intercourse.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      [3]<\/a>. Rambam\u2019s Sefer Nashim<\/em> is dedicated entirely to these laws. This is his list of Torah commandments in the order he discusses them in that book. The Laws of Marriage contain four mitzvot<\/em>: 1. To marry a woman by means of a ketuba<\/em> and kiddushin<\/em>; 2. not to have sexual relations with a woman without a ketuba<\/em> and kiddushin<\/em>; 3. not to withhold food, clothing, and conjugal rights; 4. to\u00a0procreate from one\u2019s wife. The Laws of Divorce contain two mitzvot<\/em>: 1. That divorce is by means of a bill of divorce (get<\/em>); 2. not to remarry one\u2019s divorced wife if she had since married and divorced another. The Laws of\u00a0Levirate Marriage and Levirate Divorce contain three mitzvot<\/em>: 1. To perform\u00a0yibum<\/em>; 2. to perform\u00a0\u1e25alitza<\/em>; 3. for\u00a0the levirate widow not to marry anyone else until she is no longer under her brother-in-law\u2019s authority. The Laws of [Seduction and Rape of] a Young Virgin contain five mitzvot<\/em>: 1. For a seducer to be fined; 2. a rapist must marry his victim; 3. for a rapist never to initiate divorce of his wife\/victim; 4. for a husband who slanders his wife (motzi shem ra<\/em>) to remain married to her forever; 5. for a husband who is motzi shem ra<\/em> not to divorce his wife. The Laws of Sota<\/em> contain three mitzvot<\/em>: 1. To perform the sota <\/em>ritual as delineated by the Torah; 2. not to place oil on her offering; 3. not to place frankincense on her offering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      As we have learned, the basic level of sanctity in marriage is when a husband and wife form a halakhic relationship and avoid sexual transgressions (gilui arayot). Rambam lists 37 Torah prohibitions in his Laws of Sexual Prohibitions, which can be divided into five categories: Incest, including sexual relations between a man and his mother, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-14-03"],"yoast_head":"\n05. 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Rambam lists 37 Torah prohibitions in his Laws of Sexual Prohibitions, which can be divided into five categories: Incest, including sexual relations between a man and his mother, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-05\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-09-03T02:00:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-11-21T08:57:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-05\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-05\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\"},\"headline\":\"05. 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