Mitzvah —
150
Not to have sexual relations with your mother's sister
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עֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחֽוֹת־אִמְּךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּֽי־שְׁאֵ֥ר אִמְּךָ֖ הִֽוא׃ - פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
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Leviticus 18:13 - "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is the close relative of your mother."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה
Forbidden to have sexual relations with one’s maternal aunt.
This mitzvah prohibits sexual relations with one’s mother’s sister. The Torah emphasizes that she is the she’er (close relative) of one’s mother, reinforcing the sacred boundaries of family relationships. Such intimacy is a severe violation of the laws of arayot (forbidden unions), undermining holiness and respect within the family structure.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 2:10): Lists this prohibition explicitly, with equal severity to that of relations with one’s father’s sister.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 199): The root is to prevent moral corruption and protect family purity by upholding proper respect for close relatives.
- Talmud (Sanhedrin 76a): Notes that both paternal and maternal aunts are included with equal seriousness under the Torah’s incest laws.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
