147

Not to marry a woman and her son's daughter

The Luchos - Ten Commandments
עֶרְוַ֥ת אִשָּׁ֛ה וּבִתָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֶֽת־בַּת־בְּנָ֞הּ וְאֶת־בַּת־בִּתָּ֗הּ לֹ֤א תִקַּח֙ לְגַלּ֣וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ שַׁאֲרָ֥ה הֵ֖נָּה זִמָּ֥ה הִֽוא׃ - פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
Leviticus 18:17 - "You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; you shall not take [in marriage] her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness they are close relatives, it is evil counsel."

This Mitzvah's Summary

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

Forbidden to have sexual relations with a woman and her son’s daughter.

This mitzvah prohibits marrying or having relations with a woman and her granddaughter through her son. The Torah extends the prohibition of relations with a woman and her daughter to include her descendants, stressing that such acts are zimah (depravity). These prohibitions preserve the sanctity of family lines and prevent moral corruption.

Commentary & Classical Explanation:

  • Rambam (Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 2:10): Lists a woman’s granddaughter, whether through her son or daughter, as fully forbidden under the laws of arayot.
  • Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 196): The root is to guard the structure of family relationships and to prevent unions that cause moral and social destruction.
  • Talmud (Sanhedrin 75a): Explains that the Torah explicitly extends the prohibition to these descendants to emphasize the gravity of the sin.
(Source: Chabad.org)

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