170

The High Priest must not have sexual relations with a widow even outside of marriage

The Luchos - Ten Commandments
אַלְמָנָ֤ה וּגְרוּשָׁה֙ וַחֲלָלָ֣ה זֹנָ֔ה אֶת־אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֣א יִקָּ֑ח כִּ֛י אִם־בְּתוּלָ֥ה מֵעַמָּ֖יו יִקַּ֥ח אִשָּֽׁה׃ - פָּרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר
Leviticus 21:14 - "A widow, a divorcee, a woman who is desecrated or a prostitute he shall not marry [any] of these. Only a virgin of his people may he take as a wife."

This Mitzvah's Summary

מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Holiness – קְדוּשָּׁה

The High Priest is forbidden from having sexual relations with a widow, even outside marriage.

This mitzvah extends the prohibition upon the High Priest beyond marriage to include all intimacy with a widow. His unique position requires absolute purity in his household, free of prior attachments. Engaging with a widow, even without marriage, violates this standard of holiness.

Commentary & Classical Explanation:

  • Rambam (Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 17:1–2): Clarifies that the prohibition for the Kohen Gadol includes both formal marriage and relations outside of marriage with a widow.
  • Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 274): The root is to emphasize the High Priest’s extraordinary sanctity, ensuring that his intimate life remains untarnished and set apart.
  • Talmud (Yevamot 59a): Interprets “he shall not take” expansively to prohibit even informal relations with a widow.
(Source: Chabad.org)

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