145

Not to have sexual relations with your daughter's daughter

The Luchos - Ten Commandments
עֶרְוַ֤ת בַּת־בִּנְךָ֙ א֣וֹ בַֽת־בִּתְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָ֑ן כִּ֥י עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ הֵֽנָּה׃ - פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
Leviticus 18:10 - "The nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter you shall not uncover their nakedness, for they are your own nakedness."

This Mitzvah's Summary

מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה

Forbidden to have sexual relations with one’s granddaughter through one’s daughter.

This mitzvah prohibits sexual relations with one’s granddaughter, the daughter of one’s daughter. The Torah equates such intimacy with uncovering one’s own nakedness, stressing its severity. The prohibition upholds the holiness of family relationships and draws a clear boundary between generations, ensuring that the most fundamental bonds of family remain sacred.

Commentary & Classical Explanation:

  • Rambam (Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 2:8): Lists both a son’s daughter and a daughter’s daughter as equally forbidden, both under the Torah’s category of incest.
  • Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 194): The root is to protect the sanctity of family and prevent confusion and corruption of lineage.
  • Talmud (Sanhedrin 55b): Expounds on this verse, making clear that both types of grandchildren are included, emphasizing that they are considered “your own nakedness.”
(Source: Chabad.org)

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Mitzvot that define and deepen the relationship between a person and their Creator. These include commandments involving belief, prayer, Shabbat, festivals, sacrifices, and personal holiness — acts rooted in divine connection rather than human interaction.

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