## Or HaChaim on Leviticus Chapter 20

###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:2:1)

**וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל** נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַזְהִיר כְּלָלוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַהֲרֹג הַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ, וְאָמַר בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּלְּבַד חִיּוּב הַמַּעֲבִיר גַּם חִיּוּב כָּל הָעָם לְהַעֲנִישׁוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואל בני ישראל תאמר, "Moreover, you shall say to the children of Israel, etc."** The reason for the expression "and to the children of Israel" is that all of them are to be involved in executing anyone who hands any of his children to the fire-god Molech. The conjunctive letter ו at the very beginning of the paragraph hints that not only the person who delivers a child to the Molech is guilty of punishment but also those who fail to punish such a person.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:3:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:3:1)

**וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת פָּנַי וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מָה מָקוֹם לְעֹנֶשׁ זֶה, אַחַר שֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּין לְמַטָּה וְיִרְגְּמוּ אוֹתוֹ אָבֶן?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואני אתן את פני באיש ההוא, "And also I Myself will set My face against that person, etc."** What further punishment does G'd have in mind seeing the guilty party has already been executed by a human tribunal?


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:3:2
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:3:2)

**וְנִרְאֶה** כִּי יוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁמִּלְּבַד עֹנֶשׁ הַהֲרִיגָה, עוֹד יִהְיֶה לוֹ עֹנֶשׁ לַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהִכְרַתִּי אוֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ׳ מֵעֲנַף נֵצֶר הַקְּדֻשָּׁה. וְנָתַן הַכָּתוּב טַעַם לִשְׁנֵי עֳנָשִׁים אֵלּוּ וְאָמַר **כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ** וְכוּ׳ **לְמַעַן טַמֵּא** וְגוֹמֵר **וּלְחַלֵּל** וְגוֹ׳, הֲרֵי שְׁנֵי פְּגָמִים וּכְנֶגְדָּן שְׁנֵי עֳנָשִׁין: כְּנֶגֶד טַמֵּא מִקְדָּשׁ יִרְגְּמוּהוּ בָּאֶבֶן, וּכְנֶגֶד חִלּוּל שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ גַּם הוּא יִתְחַלֵּל וְנִכְרָת נַפְשׁוֹ מֵעַמָּהּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
I believe the Torah informs us that in addition to the physical death of that person by execution there is further punishment in store for his soul. This is alluded to by the words והכרתי אותו מקרב עמו, "I will cut him off from amongst his people." This is a reference to the holy root from which all Jewish souls emanate. The Torah explains the reason for these two punishments and writes: 1) "for he has given of his seed to Molech in order to defile My Sanctuary" 2)…"and to desecrate My holy name." The execution of the sinner's body is the retribution for defiling the Sanctuary, the destruction of the sinner's holy roots is retribution for profaning the Lord's name.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:4:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:4:1)

**וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ** – טַעַם הַכֶּפֶל, לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הֶעְלִימוּ מִן הָאֶחָד שׁוּב אֵינָם יְכוֹלִין שֶׁלֹּא לְהַעְלִים מֵהַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וְיַעְלִימוּ וַדַּאי מִכֻּלָּם, כִּי אִם יִרְצוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּין בָּהֶם יֹאמְרוּ לָהֶם ״לָמָּה לֹא עֲשִׂיתֶם דִּין בָּאֶחָד״. אוֹ יֹאמַר **הַעְלֵם** לְבַל יִמְנָעוּהוּ מִלִּתֵּן לַמּוֹלֶךְ, **יַעְלִימוּ** מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ מִשְׁפָּט אַחַר אֲשֶׁר נָתַן, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״בְּתִתּוֹ מִזַּרְעוֹ״ וְגוֹמֵר.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואם העלם יעלימו עם הארץ, "And if the people at large choose to ignore, etc."** The reason the word "they will ignore" is repeated is to tell us that if the people choose to ignore the first time this abominable crime is committed, they will have paved the way for ignoring all subsequent repetitions of this abomination. Even if they would want to punish people then for practicing this cult, the guilty party would challenge the authorities pointing out that the first guilty party had been allowed to get away with this practice. Alternatively, the first word העלם refers to the failure of preventing the father from carrying out his intention to sacrifice his son to the Molech; the second יעלימו refers to the failure of the people to bring such a father to justice.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:5:1)

**וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת פָּנַי וְגוֹמֵר.** מַשְׁמָעוּת הַכָּתוּב יַגִּיד שֶׁאִם לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט הָעָם, יַעֲשֶׂה ה׳ מִשְׁפָּט בּוֹ וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ גַּם כֵּן, מַה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אִם הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים דִּין עַם הָאָרֶץ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם דְּבָרִים רְחוֹקִים, מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ, אִם הֵם חַיָּבִין, בֵּין עָשׂוּ דִּין כְּמוֹ כֵן בָּרָשָׁע עַצְמוֹ בֵּין לֹא עָשׂוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ושמתי אני את פני, "then also l will set My face, etc."** The plain meaning of the text appears to be that if the people will not exact retribution then G'd will turn His wrath also against the whole family of that father. If the people had carried out the prescribed judgment, G'd on His part would have punished only the guilty **individual.** This seems a most unusual aspect of G'd's justice! If members of the family shared in the father's guilt why would G'd not punish them regardless of whether the father has been executed?


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:2
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:5:2)

**וְנִרְאֶה** לְפָרֵשׁ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **וְאִם הַעְלֵם** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין דִּין לְמַטָּה יִהְיֶה דִּין לְמַעְלָה, ״וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי״ וְגוֹ׳. וּכְשֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ דִּין לְמַעְלָה יִפְתְּחוּ גַּם כֵּן פִּנְקְסֵי בְּנֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְיִתְעוֹרְרוּ הַדִּינִים עַל כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ.** וְחָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ שִׂימַת פָּנִים זוֹ מַה עוֹשָׂה, וְאָמַר כְּנֶגֶד הָאִישׁ עַצְמוֹ ״וְהִכְרַתִּי אוֹתוֹ״, וּכְנֶגֶד מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ יִפְתְּחוּ סִפְרֵי דִּינֵיהֶם, אִם יֵשׁ מֵהֶם זוֹנִים כְּמוֹתוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל הַכָּרֵת, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״וְאֵת כָּל הַזֹּנִים אַחֲרָיו״ מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ, אֲבָל אוֹתָם שֶׁנִּפְתְּחוּ סְפָרָיו וְנִמְצָא שֶׁלֹּא זָנוּ לֹא יִכָּרְתוּ. וְאָמַר עוֹד **לִזְנוֹת** וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לוֹמַר ״הַזֹּנִים וְגוֹ׳ אַחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ״, נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא זָנָה עַד עַתָּה, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הֶעֱבִיר בְּנוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁחָשַׁב לִזְנוֹת, מַחְשֶׁבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נִתְפָּסִים עָלֶיהָ כְּמַעֲשֶׂה, וְיַכְרִית ה׳ אֶת הַחוֹשֵׁב כָּעוֹשֶׂה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (יחזקאל יד:ה) ״לְמַעַן תְּפֹשׂ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִבָּם״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
We feel that the meaning of the verse is to tell us that whenever the judges appointed by G'd on earth fail to mete out justice, justice will be meted out in the celestial spheres. G'd announces this by saying: "I will set My face, etc." Once the heavenly tribunal opens the file of the accused, the files of his family members will be scrutinised at the same time. This is what the Torah meant by mentioning ובמשפחתו, "and against his family." The Torah explained in our verse that G'd's setting His face against the sinner would result in his being being cut off, plus all others who had gone astray by making common cause with the father. The files of the family members will be examined each on his own merit. Any family member who will not be found guilty of the Molech cult whether in deed or thought will not be wiped out. The Torah uses the words הזונים אחריו **לזנות**, "who go astray after him in order to go astray" (the Molech cult) in the present tense to tell us that even if they had not yet been guilty **in deed** they are considered as guilty as if they already had performed the abominable act. Ezekiel 14,5 expressed this thought more directly when he wrote למען תפש את בית ישראל בלבם, "in order to catch the house of Israel while (the sin) is still in their hearts." [We find independent confirmation of this in *Chulin* 142. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:3
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:5:3)

**נִמְצֵאתָ** אוֹמֵר, שֶׁאִם עַם הָאָרֶץ יַעֲשׂוּ דִּין בָּעוֹשֵׂה רַע – אֵין דִּין לְמַעְלָה, וְלֹא יָמוּת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל זוּלַת הָעוֹבֵד לַמּוֹלֶךְ. אֲבָל אִם לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ דִּין, נִפְתָּחִים סִפְרֵי כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה וּמִתְעוֹרֵר הַדִּין גַּם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְנִתְפָּסִים גַּם עַל הַמַּחְשָׁבָה. וְהוּא מַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (דברים רבה ה:ד): בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּין וְכוּ׳ אֵין וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. קָשֶׁה, פְּשִׁיטָא שֶׁכְּשֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ דִּין לְמַטָּה מַה מָקוֹם לַדִּין לֵיעָשׂוֹת לְמַעְלָה? וּלְדַרְכֵּנוּ יְדוּיַּק עַל נָכוֹן, שֶׁכְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין דִּין לְמַטָּה נִמְנָע דִּין לְמַעְלָה, פֵּרוּשׁ דִּין הַשְּׁאָר שֶׁאֵין סִפְרֵיהֶם נִפְתָּחִים. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ראש השנה טז:) שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּפְתָּחִים סִפְרֵי הַדִּינִים, אָדָם נִכְנָס בְּסַכָּנָה וְצָרִיךְ זְכוּת גָּדוֹל לִיפָּטֵר.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
As a result of what we said we may intepret our verse as assuring us that if the people at large bring the guilty party to justice he alone will be punished and his family will not even be examined by the heavenly tribunal at that time. Should the people fail to get involved, G'd will involve the family of the sinner to the extent that they harbour thoughts similar to those of the father. If so, the family members will be punished by G'd for their ideology though they cannot, of course, be brought to trial on earth. This is the meaning of *Devarim Rabbah* 5,4 that "in a place where there is judgment there is no judgment, whereas in a place where there is no judgment there is judgment." The difficulty with this saying is that it is obvious that when judgment is carried out in our world that there is no need to carry out judgment in the celestial spheres. Why would the *Midrash* have to tell us something so obvious? When you follow our approach, however, the *Midrash* makes sense as the judgment in the celestial spheres referred to is that of the family of the guilty party. You will find that our sages said in *Rosh Hashanah* 16 that whenever the Book of judgment of a person is opened in the celestial spheres that person's life is in danger and he needs a special merit in order to emerge unscathed.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:7:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:7:1)

**וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים.** יְצַו ה׳ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹטִים אֶל בְּחִינַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, וּבָזֶה הוּא מַבְטִיחָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּמַדְרֵגַת מַלְאָכִים הַנִּקְרָאִים קְדוֹשִׁים, דִּכְתִיב (דניאל ח:יג) ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֶחָד קָדוֹשׁ״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים.** וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (במדבר רבה פ״כ) בְּפָסוּק ״כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב״ וְגוֹ׳ כִּי הַמַּלְאָכִים יִהְיוּ עוֹמְדִים בַּשּׁוּרָה הַחִיצוֹנָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּפְנִים, וְשׁוֹאֲלִים מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים לְעַם קְדוֹשׁוֹ ״מַה פָּעַל אֵל״. נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר כִּי קְדוֹשָׁיו בִּמְקוֹם הַמַּלְאָכִים הֵם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחָזַר הַכָּתוּב וּפֵרֵשׁ הַדָּבָר שֶׁבּוֹ יִתְקַדְּשׁוּ וְאָמַר **וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי**, פֵּרוּשׁ, תִּשְׁמְרוּ מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וּתְקַיְּמוּ מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה, בָּזֶה אֲנִי מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם, כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה שֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה מִתְגַּלֶּה עָלָיו וּבָזֶה מִתְקַדֵּשׁ, וּכְמוֹ מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (תיקונים ע) כִּי הָאֵיבָר שֶׁבּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה שׁוֹרֶה עָלָיו שֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת מִצְוָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים, "and sanctify yourselves so that you will be holy."** G'd directs that we should strive to be holy; when people do this they are assured of attaining the spiritual level of angels who are called קדושים, "holy beings." We know this from Daniel 8,13 "ויאמר אחד קדוש," "one holy one said, etc." This is what is meant by והייתם קדושים. Our sages in *Bamidbar Rabbah* 20, comment on Numbers 23,23 כעת יאמר ליעקב ולישראל מה פעל אל. "at a time when Jacob as well as Israel is told at once what G'd had worked." They describe an outer circle of angels and an inner circle of Israelites. The angels who are standing in the outer circle are forced to ask the Israelites (who are closer to the centre) what G'd has been doing. This teaches that when the Bible speaks of "His holy ones" in a context of angels, the reference is to the Jewish people. In verse 8 the Torah specifies the means by which the Israelites are to sanctify themselves by saying: ושמרתם את חוקותי ועשיתם אותם. The word ושמרתם refers to observance of negative commandments, whereas the word ועשיתם refers to the performance of positive commandments. Between them the commandments are the means by which G'd will sanctify us. The Torah associates G'd's four lettered name י־ה־ו־ה with the performance of the commandments. The *Tikkuney Ha-Zohar* chapter 70 explain how by the performance of each commandment the respective organ with which that commandment is performed merits that G'd's name comes to rest on it, a concept alluded to in the letters of the word מצוה.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:9:1)

**כִּי אִישׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יְקַלֵּל.** קָשֶׁה אָמְרוֹ **כִּי** שֶׁנּוֹתֵן טַעַם לְמַה שֶׁלְּפָנָיו, וְלֹא אָמַר דָּבָר קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה טַעְמוֹ. וְאִם עַל שְׁמִירַת הַחֻקִּים, וְכִי לֹא נִכְלַל בְּפָסוּק זֶה אֶלָּא קִלְלַת אָבוֹת שֶׁהֻצְדַּק לוֹמַר כִּי? עוֹד, לָמָּה כָּפַל לוֹמַר ״אִישׁ אִישׁ״? וּבְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים אָמְרוּ: ״אִישׁ״ – אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ, אִשָּׁה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״אִישׁ אִישׁ״, עַד כָּאן. קָשֶׁה, מִנַּיִן יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעַת לְמַעֵט אִשָּׁה שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְרִבּוּי, וַהֲלֹא הִשְׁוָה הַכָּתוּב אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ לְכָל עֳנָשִׁים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל, וּכְאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא טו.). וְאִם לְצַד שֶׁחָשׁ הַכָּתוּב לְפָרֵשׁ אִישׁ שֶׁבָּא לְמַעֵט אִשָּׁה, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב אִישׁ לִטְעוֹת לוֹמַר שֶׁבָּא לְמַעֵט אִשָּׁה, וְיֹאמַר ״אָדָם כִּי יְקַלֵּל״ וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד לָמָּה כָּפַל לוֹמַר ״אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קִלֵּל״?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כי איש איש אשר יקלל, "for any man whatsoever who curses, etc."** Why did the Torah commence this verse with the word כי, a word which indicates that the reason for something is to be found in what had been discussed previously? How is the fact that someone might curse his father or his mother related to what the Torah described in the previous verses? Moreover, why did the Torah have to repeat the word איש? *Torat Kohanim* claims that if the Torah had written the word איש only once I would have assumed that the prohibition applies only to males and not to females. As a result the Torah was forced to repeat the word איש איש to include everybody in this prohibition. This is most perplexing. Why would anyone have doubted that this commandment applies also to females? We have learned repeatedly that negative commandments apply equally to males and females and that the penalties are the same for both males and females (compare *Baba Kama* 15). If the Torah did not feel comfortable with the choice of the word איש, it could simply have written the word אדם and I would have known that both males and females were being addressed. Furthermore, why did the Torah **repeat** the words: "for he has cursed his father or his mother?"


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:2
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:9:2)

אָכֵן כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא, לְצַד שֶׁצִּוָּה קֹדֶם לָזֶה עַל הַעֲבָרַת בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ, וְהִקְפִּיד הַכָּתוּב עַל זַרְעוֹ לְבַד, אֲבָל בֶּן אֲחֵרִים וַאֲפִלּוּ קְרוֹבָיו כְּגוֹן אָחִיו וַאֲחוֹתוֹ פָּטוּר, כִּדְתַנְיָא בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (סנהדרין סד:) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: אֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא עַל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵכוֹ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְצָרִיךְ לוֹמַר טַעַם חִיּוּבוֹ עַל בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ וְלֹא עַל בְּנֵי הַזּוּלַת, שֶׁהוּא לְצַד שֶׁבָּנָיו הֵם נִדּוֹנִין כִּנְכָסָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, לָזֶה מוֹעִילִים מַעֲשָׂיו כְּשֶׁמַּקְרִיבוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּמַה שֶׁמַּעֲבִירָן לַמֹּלֶךְ, אֲבָל חוּץ מֵהֶם אֵין מַעֲשָׂיו עוֹשִׂין רֹשֶׁם, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערכין כח, בבא מציעא ז:) אֲפִלּוּ לְגַבֵּי קָדְשֵׁי שָׁמַיִם: אֵין אָדָם מַקְדִּישׁ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ. וּמֵעַתָּה יֹאמַר אָדָם, וַהֲלֹא גַּם הַבֵּן אֵינוֹ כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁל הָאָב, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדה לא.) שֶׁהָאָב וְהָאֵם הֵם שֻׁתָּפִין בָּאָדָם, הַלֹּבֶן מֵהָאָב וְהָאֹדֶם מֵהָאֵם, וְאִם כֵּן מִזֶּה הַטַּעַם עַצְמוֹ לֹא יִתְחַיֵּב הָאָב עַל הַבֵּן מִצַּד חֵלֶק הָאֵם. לָזֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב אַחַר אַזְהָרָה וְעֹנֶשׁ מַעֲבִיר בָּנָיו לַמֹּלֶךְ: ״כִּי אִישׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יְקַלֵּל וְגוֹ׳ מוֹת יוּמָת״, וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר ״אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ״, פֵּרוּשׁ, זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ אוֹ זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדִּקְדְקוּ בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים בְּפָסוּק זֶה עַצְמוֹ חִיּוּב עַל כָּל אֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, הֲרֵי שֶׁהַבֵּן מֵת לְצַד שֶׁנָּגַע בְּאָבִיו אוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אִמּוֹ, וְאֵין אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים וַהֲרֵי אֵין כָּל הַבֵּן שֶׁל הָאָב אוֹ שֶׁל הָאֵם לַהֲמִיתוֹ בִּשְׁבִילָם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
I believe that the key to all this is in the previous commandment concerning someone who subjected a son or daughter to the cult of the fire-god Molech. In that instance the Torah was careful to make the culprit culpable only if he sacrificed "some of his own seed." Nothing was said about someone inducting someone else's offspring to the cult of that fire-god. According to that verse if someone sacrificed his brother, sister, or other relative to the fire-god he would not be punishable. In fact we have the following *Baraitha* in *Sanhedrin* 64 which states: "he is not guilty (of punishment) unless he committed this abomination with a direct descendant of his." Thus far the *Baraitha.* We have to explain why there should be a penalty for inducting one's offspring whereas doing the same thing with one's other relatives is not punishable. The reason may be that one's children are considered as if they were part of a person's assets. This is why there is a direct relationship between someone who sacrifices his possessions to an idol such as passing his child through the fires of the Molech cult. When one does a similar thing with people who are not considered as his possessions the idol to whom one presents such a sacrifice remains unimpressed When the idol remains unimpressed so does G'd; seeing one did not"sacrifice" his dearly beloved possessions to an alien deity. We know from *Baba Metzia* 7 that even when one sanctifies one's property for G'd one cannot do so unless one owns what one has sanctified. In view of all this a person may say that a father does not own his child outright seeing that the mother is an equal party. The Talmud in *Niddah* 31 tells us that father and mother are partners in the child they produce, the father having contributed the white (bloodcells) whereas the mother contributed the red (bloodcells). Seeing that this is so the father cannot be held totally responsible for the actions of his son because the son represents the mother's input also. After telling us of the punishment for a father who uses his son or daughter as an offering to the fire-god Molech, the Torah continues with איש איש אשר יקלל, saying מות יומת, such a son or daughter shall be executed. The Torah is careful to speak about cursing את אביו ואת אמו, i.e. either the father by himself or the mother by herself. *Torat Kohanim* explains that it suffices to curse either father or mother to incur the penalty prescribed. In other words, we **do not** apply the principle that seeing son and daughter are both composites of the input of both father and mother, that the mother's part (of the sinner) cannot be executed on account of a sin committed by the father's part of the sinner. The reason the son has to die is because he insulted **either** the father's **or** the mother's honour.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:3
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:9:3)

וְאִם תֹּאמַר גַּם עַל זֶה דָּן אָנֹכִי לָמָּה יִהְיֶה הַמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה, לָזֶה גָּמַר אוֹמֶר **אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קִלֵּל**, פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי כְּשֶׁמְּקַלֵּל אָבִיו מְקַלֵּל גַּם אִמּוֹ עִמּוֹ וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, וְהַטַּעַם לְצַד שֶׁהָאָב וְהָאֵם הֵם גּוּף אֶחָד, כְּמַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות כד.): אִשְׁתּוֹ כְּגוּפוֹ, וּכְפִי זֶה בֵּין הַנַּעֲשֶׂה לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם אוֹ הַנַּעֲשֶׂה מֵאֶחָד מֵהֶם לִבְנֵיהֶם יֵחָשֵׁב לִשְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד. וְלָזֶה תִּמְצָא שֶׁיַּעֲנִישׁ ה׳ לָאִישׁ לְהָמִית אִשְׁתּוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (משלי כב:כז) ״לָמָּה יִקַּח מִשְׁכָּבְךָ מִתַּחְתֶּיךָ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The Torah repeats אביו ואמו קלל, "he cursed his father or his mother," to tell us that anyone cursing father or mother automatically also cursed his other parent. This is so because each individual contains elements of both his father and his mother. This is a practical consequence of the statement of our sages in *Berachot* 24 אשתו כגופו, that one's wife is considered part of one's body.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:4
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:9:4)

וְכָפַל לוֹמַר **אִישׁ אִישׁ** מִשּׁוּם שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁתָּלָה הַכָּתוּב זְכָרִים בִּנְקֵבוֹת וּנְקֵבוֹת בִּזְכָרִים, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדה לא.): אִשָּׁה מַזְרַעַת תְּחִלָּה יוֹלֶדֶת זָכָר, אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בְּלֵידַת הַזָּכָר לְלֵידַת הַנְּקֵבָה, וּמִצַּד זֶה יִשְׁתַּנֶּה הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בִּבְחִינַת הַמּוֹלִידִים, וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם לוֹמַר לְצַד שֶׁתָּלָה הַכָּתוּב זְכָרִים בִּנְקֵבוֹת לֹא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל הַעֲבָרַת הַבָּנִים אוֹ הָאִמָּהוֹת עַל הַעֲבָרַת הַבָּנוֹת לְצַד שֶׁתְּלָאָם הַכָּתוּב בָּאָבוֹת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״אִישׁ אִישׁ״ – אֶחָד לְגוּפוֹ וְאֶחָד לְאִשָּׁה, שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם יֶשְׁנָם בְּחִיּוּב הַעֲבָרַת בֵּן וּבַת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Accordingly, it does not matter whether the sin is committed **by** either son or daughter or is committed **against** either one's son or one's daughter, the act is totally culpable, i.e. it is considered as if it had been committed by both the female and the male part of the human being who executed it. The words איש איש remind us of the fact that every individual is a composite of male and female input but that the Torah does not separate between them once they are part of one body. We are taught in *Niddah* 31 "when a woman experiences orgasm first she will give birth to a male child." This means that the female input determines the sex of the male child and that the male input determines the sex of the female child. As a result of this statement the Torah differentiates in the ritual impurity legislation applying to the mother depending on whether she gave birth to a male child or to a female child. This also demonstrates that the two partners who respectively beget or give birth to the child are not equal in all respects. This fact gave rise to the thought that fathers should not be executed when they use a son for the Molech cult, nor mothers when they use a daughter for that cult seeing a person is considered the product of his father or mother respectively rather than an independent entity. The Torah therefore had to repeat איש איש to ensure that we appreciate that the individual committing the sin is evaluated as an entity by itself, is not part of either mother or father when it comes to his culpability. Either a father or a mother using either son or daughter for the abomination described in our paragraph is fully liable for his or her respective sin.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:5
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:9:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:9:5)

**עוֹד** נִרְאֶה, כִּי לְצַד שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ״, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַזַ״ל (ילקוט שמעוני תרי״ט) שֶׁ״אָבִיו״ בָּא לְמַעֵט אֲבִי אָבִיו, וְ״אִמּוֹ״ בָּא לְמַעֵט אֵם אִמּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יֵהָרְגוּ, לָזֶה חָשׁ הַכָּתוּב לִטְעוֹת וְלוֹמַר שֶׁהַמִּעוּט בָּא ״אָבִיו״ וְלֹא אָבִיהָ, ״אִמּוֹ״ וְלֹא אִמָּהּ, וְאִם כֵּן הַנָּשִׁים פְּטוּרוֹת מֵעֹנֶשׁ זֶה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״אִישׁ אִישׁ״ לְרַבּוֹת אִשָּׁה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
*Yalkut Shimoni* item 619 on our verse interprets the word אביו, "his father," as excluding the grandfather from the death penalty if he uses his grandson as an offering for the Molech cult, and the word אמו as excluding the grandmother from that penalty if she does likewise. The Torah was very conscious that careless wording would lead to faulty conclusions on the part of the sages. Therefore the Torah wrote איש איש in the legislation about cursing father or mother so no one should interpret that the culpability extends only to אביו, "his father," and not to אביה, "her father," i.e. that if a daughter cursed her father she would not be culpable for her deed.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:22:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:22:1)

**וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת פָּסוּק זֶה, הֲגַם שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר כֵּן בְּפָרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת (ויקרא יח:כו), נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִשְׁמֹר הַמִּצְווֹת לְבַל יִתְבַּטְּלוּ בֵּין מֵהֶם בֵּין מִזּוּלָתָם, וּבָזֶה לֹא תָקִיא הָאָרֶץ. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאִם לֹא יִהְיוּ נִשְׁמָרִים הַמִּצְווֹת תָּקִיא הָאָרֶץ גַּם הַשּׁוֹמְרִים, עַל שֶׁלֹּא מִחוּ בְּשֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְרוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ושמרתם את כל חקותי, "And you shall observe all My statutes, etc.** The reason the Torah had to repeat this verse although we have read it already in 18,26 is to urge us to ensure that the statutes do not become abolished in practice through failure of either oneself or others to observe them. Observance of the statutes insures that the land will not spew you out. If the community one lives in fails to protest non-observance of these חוקים by others one will still be subject to the land spewing out its inhabitants even if personally one had been meticulous in one's observance of Torah law.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:24:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:24:1)

**וַאֲנִי אֶתְּנֶנָּה וְגוֹ׳ אֶרֶץ זָבַת וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה, אַחַר שֶׁאָמַר ״לָרֶשֶׁת אוֹתָהּ״ מַה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״וַאֲנִי אֶתְּנֶנָּה״? עוֹד, לָמָּה סָמַךְ שֶׁבַח הָאָרֶץ לְזִכְרוֹן הַיְּרֻשָּׁה? וְנִרְאֶה לִי שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁמִּלְּבַד מַה שֶׁיִּירְשׁוּ, עוֹד יִתֵּן לָהֶם שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָאָרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ יוֹתֵר מֵהַשִּׁעוּר מַה שֶׁלְּפָנֶיהָ, גַּם שָׁלַל שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַן יְרֻשָּׁתָם אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁהוּא זְמַן הַחֻרְבָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁסִּפְּרוּ מַכִּירֶיהָ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה בַּעֲווֹנֵינוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואני אתננה לכם..ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, "And I give to you… a land flowing with milk and honey."** After G'd had already said: "in order for you to inherit it," why does the Torah have to add the words: "and I will give it to you?" Besides, why does the Torah link the excellence of the land to our inheriting it? The answer may be that not only does G'd give us the land as an inheritance, but He gives us an addditonal gift namely the excellence of this land. The Torah also hints that the excellence of the land is linked to our inhabiting it **as an inheritance.** Should the Temple and Jewish independence be destroyed, the excellence of the land would disappear because it no longer serves as our inheritance. Unfortunately we have had to learn the truth of this due to our sins.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:1
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:26:1)

**וִהְיִיתֶם לִי קְדֹשִׁים וְגוֹ׳** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **לִי**, יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תורת כהנים כאן): אַל יֹאמַר אָדָם אִי אֶפְשִׁי בִּבְשַׂר חֲזִיר וְכוּ׳, אֶלָּא אֶפְשִׁי וְאֶפְשִׁי, אֶלָּא אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וְכוּ׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וִהְיִיתֶם לִי קְדֹשִׁים** – שֶׁתִּהְיוּ פְּרוּשִׁים לִי לְשֵׁם מִצְוֹתַי וְלֹא לְצַד תִּעוּב הַדָּבָר הַנֶּאֱסָר. וְלָזֶה סָמַךְ מַאֲמָר זֶה לְהַבְדָּלַת בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה לִרְמֹז לְמַה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והייתם לי קדושים, "And you shall be holy unto Me, etc."** The reason the Torah adds the word לי in this verse may best be understood in connection with the comment of *Torat Kohanim* on this verse that one should never say: "I cannot eat pig's meat," but one should say: "I would love to eat pig's meat but alas, G'd has forbidden it to me." Similarly in our verse G'd does not want us to be holy because we detest the various phenomena in this world G'd has prohibited to us, but He wants us to be holy because He has commanded us to be so, i.e. לי. This is also the reason this verse appears next to the commandment to separate between the ritually pure and the ritually impure mammals and fowl (verse 25).


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:2
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:26:2)

וְאָמְרוֹ **כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי ה׳** וְגוֹ׳, נָתַן טַעַם לְמִצְוָה זוֹ שֶׁל הַבְדָּלַת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה, **כִּי קָדוֹשׁ וְגוֹ׳ וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי.** וְהָעִנְיָן עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל פְּרִישׁוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעַכּוּ״ם הוּא הַדָּבָר עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל פְּרִישַׁתְכֶם מִן הַבְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה. בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הִבְדִּילָנוּ מִן הַטְּמֵאִים מֵאָדָם עַד בְּהֵמָה עַד עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The Torah added: כי קדוש אני, "for I am holy," to tell us the reason we must keep our distance from the impure creatures. G'd continues to explain this concept of separation. He has separated us from the Gentiles; it is no more than fitting then that we separate ourselves from the impure species. We have reason to bless the Lord for having set us apart from both human and animal impurity.


###### Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:3
[Or HaChaim on Leviticus 20:26:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Leviticus/r/20:26:3)

**חסלת פרשת קדושים**