Not to tear the skin in mourning

Mourning – אֲבֵלוּת

• This mitzvah sets the boundaries of Jewish mourning by forbidding pagan self-mutilation while permitting sanctified acts like kriah. Rambam (Avodat Kochavim 12:16) and Sefer HaChinuch (467) explain that the prohibition protects mourners from despair. The Talmud (Moed Katan 27b) defines structured mourning periods, ensuring grief is expressed but never through bodily desecration.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Deut. 14:1–2 links the prohibition to Israel’s holiness. Ramban notes that mutilation undermines kedushah, while halachic mourning elevates it. Through structured aveilut, grief becomes a sanctified act rather than a profane expression.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Rashi and Ramban stress that reverence for Hashem should restrain a mourner from destructive practices. Mourning is meant to be an act of yirah—accepting Hashem’s decree with awe, channeling pain into mitzvot instead of self-harm.

Idolatry – עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה

• Rambam associates gashing with idolatrous mourning rituals. By rejecting these customs, Israel distances itself from avodah zarah and asserts loyalty to Hashem. Sefer HaChinuch underscores that avoiding such rites keeps Jewish grief distinct and holy.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• The Sages darshened lo titgodedu also as “do not form agudot” (Yevamot 13b). While separate from the plain prohibition, it reinforces that mourning should unite the community, not divide it. This mitzvah preserves communal integrity during times of loss.

Between a person and G-d – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• As Hashem’s children, harming one’s body in grief denies His ownership over us. Ramban explains that mourning must be conducted in trust and dignity. Sefer HaChinuch frames it as cultivating emunah by channeling loss through prayer and mitzvot.

Lashes – מַלְקוֹת

• The Mishnah (Makkot 3:6) and Gemara (21a) list gashing as a lav punishable by lashes. Rambam codifies this in Avodat Kochavim 12:16. The penalty underscores the Torah’s message: even grief must remain within halachic boundaries.

Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה

• Jewish mourning honors family bonds but lo titgodedu ensures grief does not dishonor the body or family name. Practices like shivah, kriah, and Kaddish sanctify the memory of loved ones within the framework of Torah.

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch highlights that this mitzvah strengthens faith: grief is framed within acceptance of Divine will. Self-mutilation reflects despair, while halachic mourning affirms hope in Hashem’s providence and resurrection of the dead.

Torah – תּוֹרָה

• The mitzvah shows Torah’s guidance extends even to grief. The Talmud (Moed Katan 26–27) and halachic codes regulate mourning, transforming it into a Torah-framed discipline that uplifts both mourner and deceased.