Giving One's Seed to Molekh/1/en
Giving One's Seed to Molekh
Introduction
Ambiguous Prohibition
The Molekh prohibition makes its first appearance in Vayikra 18:
(כא) וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמֹּלֶךְ וְלֹא תְחַלֵּל אֶת שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי י"י.
Vayikra 20 then follows up with the punishment meted out to one who engages in such behavior:
(ב) וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תֹּאמַר אִישׁ אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ מוֹת יוּמָת עַם הָאָרֶץ יִרְגְּמֻהוּ בָאָבֶן. (ג) וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמֹּלֶךְ לְמַעַן טַמֵּא אֶת מִקְדָּשִׁי וּלְחַלֵּל אֶת שֵׁם קׇדְשִׁי.
But what does it mean to give one's seed to the Molekh, and how is this performed? Is it merely a single action as might be indicated by the single verb of "יִתֵּן" in Vayikra 20, or a more extended process as per the doubled "תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר" formulation of Vayikra 18?
Child Sacrifice
The verses in Vayikra 18 and 20 are not explicit regarding what Molekh is. However, Molekh is found in two other verses. In Melakhim II 23:10 we are told:
Child sacrifice appears in numerous places in Tanakh. The burning of one's children is found twice in Devarim, each time with a different formulation:
(יב:לא) לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן לַי"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי כׇל תּוֹעֲבַת י"י אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵא עָשׂוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם כִּי גַם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵיהֶם יִשְׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם.
(יח:י) לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ קֹסֵם קְסָמִים מְעוֹנֵן וּמְנַחֵשׁ וּמְכַשֵּׁף.
Molekh is only found in two other verses, and neither is perfectly clear about what Molekh is.
Context
The two prohibitions of Molekh, in Vayikra 18 and 20, are found in similar contexts. Vayikra 18 contains a list of the forbidden abominations of the Egyptians and Canaanites which is made up exclusively (except, perhaps, the prohibition of Molekh) of offenses of a sexual nature. Similarly, the prohibition in Vayikra 20 immediately precedes the list of punishments for these offenses. However, in Vayikra 20 there is an additional sin located between Molekh and the list of sexual offenses: the prohibition of turning to necromancers ("הָאֹבֹת וְאֶל הַיִּדְּעֹנִים"). Interestingly, in Devarim 18:10-11, the prohibition of passing ones children through fire is immediately followed by the prohibition on practitioners of black magic, including the same "אוֹב וְיִדְּעֹנִי". These parallels raise the following questions:
- Is there a connection between Molekh and sexual crimes, and in particular, the neighboring laws of adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality?
- How does Molekh relate to necromancy and dark magic?
