Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Kedoshim/0/he

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נושאים לשולחן שבת – פרשת קדושים

Is Intermarriage Biblically Prohibited?

In ויקרא י"ח:כ"א and כ':ב'-ה' the Torah commands not to give of one's seed to the Molekh. What does the violation of this prohibition entail? Some commentators assume that the verse refers to an idolatrous rite, such as child immolation or consecration, while others connect it to sexual offenses, such as relations or marriage to a non-Jew.

  • What textual support might be brought for each position? See נתינת זרע למולך.
  • Though the Torah prohibits intermarriage with the seven Canaanite nations, it nowhere explicitly legislates against marriage to other outsiders. How might this omission be understood, and how might it affect exegetes' reading of this passage?

The Laws of Hybrids

The laws of hybrids (כלאים)1 are often brought as the classic example of a law whose purpose is not self-evident and inherently logical. Commentators, nonetheless, attempt to explain the reasoning behind the various commandments. See מטרת חוקי כלאיים.

On Self Control

According to רש"ר הירשויקרא י"ט:כ"ג-כ"האודות ר' שמשון רפאל הירש, the goal of the mitzvah of orlah, the prohibition to eat from a tree in its first three years, is to teach man self-restraint. [See מטרת איסור ערלה.] He connects this to the directive of "קדושים תהיו," explaining that holiness can only be achieved via self-control.

  • R. Hirsch explains that the root "קדש" means to separate.  How does this work with his understanding that holiness is intricately connected to self discipline? Why is self-restraint so crucial for attaining holiness?
  • עקדת יצחקויקרא דרוש י'אודות ר' יצחק עראמה goes a step further to suggest that all laws whose reason is unclear (such as the prohibition to wear linen and wool together) need have no other purpose other than the fact that they restrict man.  Is it possible that the goal of certain prohibitions is simply to have prohibitions?
  • Is abstinence always to be lauded? Is indulgence always negative? What is a healthy balance between the two?

עוד...

לעוד נושאים בפרשה, ראו: רשימת נושאים – פרשת קדושים.