Mitzvah —
153
Not to have sexual relations with your brother's wife
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עֶרְוַ֥ת אֵֽשֶׁת־אָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֖יךָ הִֽוא׃ - פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
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Leviticus 18:16 - "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה
Forbidden to have sexual relations with one’s brother’s wife.
This mitzvah prohibits sexual relations with one’s brother’s wife, recognizing such intimacy as a violation of the brotherly bond. The Torah calls it uncovering the “nakedness of your brother,” highlighting the gravity of the betrayal. While this is generally prohibited, there is a unique exception in the case of yibbum (levirate marriage), where a man is commanded to marry his brother’s widow if the brother died childless (see Mitzvah 128).
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 1:6): Establishes the prohibition as absolute except in the specific mitzvah of yibbum.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 202): The root is to maintain the sanctity of marriage and prevent betrayal within family bonds.
- Talmud (Yevamot 3a): Explores the prohibition extensively, clarifying its scope and the circumstances of its suspension in the mitzvah of yibbum.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
