Giving One's Seed to Molekh/1/en
Giving One's Seed to Molekh
Introduction
Ambiguous Action
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 those who engage in such conduct:
(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 drawn out process as per the doubled "תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר" formulation of Vayikra 18? And why is specifically this act associated with the defiling of Hashem's sanctuary and desecration of His name?
Other Molekhs
The verses in Vayikra 18 and 20 are not explicit regarding the character of the Molekh. However, Molekh is found in three other verses. Two of these verses deal with child sacrifice. In Melakhim II 23:10 we are told:
וְטִמֵּא אֶת הַתֹּפֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּגֵי בֶן (בני) הִנֹּם לְבִלְתִּי לְהַעֲבִיר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ וְאֶת בִּתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ לַמֹּלֶךְ.
Similarly, in Yirmeyahu 32:35 we find:
וַיִּבְנוּ אֶת בָּמוֹת הַבַּעַל אֲשֶׁר בְּגֵיא בֶן הִנֹּם לְהַעֲבִיר אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם לַמֹּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוִּיתִים וְלֹא עָלְתָה עַל לִבִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת הַתּוֹעֵבָה הַזֹּאת לְמַעַן הַחֲטִיא (הַחֲטִי) אֶת יְהוּדָה.
These two verses imply that worship of Molekh includes the burning of children, although they are still unclear as to the identity of Molekh and the relationship between it and other gods, such as Baal. However, in Melakhim I 11:7, we are told explicitly who Molekh is:
אָז יִבְנֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בָּמָה לִכְמוֹשׁ שִׁקֻּץ מוֹאָב בָּהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם וּלְמֹלֶךְ שִׁקֻּץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן.
According to this verse, Molekh is the god of the Ammonites. However, not everyone agrees that this Molekh is the same as the one in the other verses, especially since Melakhim II 23:13 refers to the Ammonite god as Milkom.
Child Sacrifice
Melakhim II 23:10 implies that the worship of Molekh involves both children and fire, although it does not say explicitly what such worship entails. However, other verses in Tanakh, which mention the worship of idolatry through fire and children, can be used to fill in the blanks. In Devarim 12:31 we are told:
לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן לַי"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי כׇל תּוֹעֲבַת י"י אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵא עָשׂוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם כִּי גַם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵיהֶם יִשְׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם.
This verse speaks of the existence of a child sacrifice cult, which would immolate their children for their gods. This practice is also mentioned in Melakhim II 17:31 as the way the the Sifarvim would worship their gods Adarmelekh and Anamelekh, and in Yirmeyahu 7:31 as an Israelite practice.
However, it should be noted that the verses speaking of Molekh never mention burning (שריפה); the only verbs used are "לְהַעֲבִיר"1 and "נָתַן", which may imply a different action.
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 for, 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?
