Rashi on TanakhLeviticus 18

I am Adonoy, your God, I am He who said at Sinai: “I am Adonoy your God,” and you accepted My kingship upon on yourselves; therefore, accept My decrees [which follow]. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] says: It was revealed and known before Him that they will eventually tear [themselves] loose [from the laws] of forbidden relations in the days of Ezra; therefore, He came to them with a decree: I am Adonoy your God — know Who decrees [this] on you, a Judge who will exact punishment and [Who] is faithful in giving reward.

After the practices of the Land of Egypt. This tells [us] that the practices of the Egyptians and Canaanites were the most corrupt of all the nations, and that place in which the Israelites settled was the most corrupt of all.

To which I am bringing you. This tells [us] that those nations which the Israelites conquered were the most corrupt of all.

And you shall not follow their statutes. What did Scripture leave [unsaid] which was not previously stated? Rather, this verse refers to their customs, matters which are [social] obligations for them, such as [attending] theaters and stadiums. Rabbi Meir says: These are the “ways of the Amorites” which the Sages enumerated.

You shall fulfill My laws, these are matters mentioned in the Torah as law, which if they were not mentioned, would have been proper to mention.

And keep My statutes, matters which are a royal decree, against which the evil inclination raises objections: Why should we keep them? And the nations of the world raise objections against them; such as [the law against] eating of pork, the wearing of shaatnez, and the purification [power] of מֵי חַטָּאת . Therefore, it is said: I am Adonoy, My decree is upon you, you may not evade [them].

To follow them. You may not evade them, that you not think: “I have learned the wisdom of Israel, I will go and learn the wisdom of the nations.”

You shall keep My statutes, etc. [This comes] to include other subdivisions [of these laws] which the Torah has not detailed. Another interpretation: it provides for keeping and fulfilling the statutes and keeping and fulfilling the laws, for [until now the Torah] only provided “fulfilling” for laws, and “keeping” for statutes.

He shall live through them, in the World to Come, for if you say [that this refers] to this world, will he not in the end die [even if he keeps the mitzvos]?

I am Adonoy, faithful to give a reward [to those deserving of it].

You shall not approach, [the word תִּקְרְבוּ] provides a warning for a female as [well as] a male, and therefore it is expressed in plural form.

I am Adonoy, faithful to give a reward [to those deserving of it].

The nakedness of your father, this [refers] to your father’s wife — or perhaps it [follows] its plain meaning? “The nakedness of your father” is said here, and it is said later, “the nakedness of his father he uncovered”, just as later [the phrase refers] to the wife of his father, here too [the phrase] refers to the wife of his father.

And the nakedness of your mother, to include his mother [who] is not the wife of his father.

The nakedness of your father’s wife, to extend [the prohibition even] after [his father’s] death.

Your father’s daughter, even the daughter of a [woman] raped [by your father].

Whether she is born in the house or she is born outside — whether they tell your father: “Maintain her mother [as your wife],” and whether they tell him: “Divorce her mother,” as [in the case of] a מַמְזֶרֶת or a נְתִינָה .

The nakedness of your son’s daughter, etc. His daughter [from a woman he] raped, is mentioned in the verse, and [regarding] his daughter and daughter’s daughter from his wife we learn from the [prohibition] of “the nakedness of a woman and her daughter,” of which it is said, “you may not uncover,” whether she is [offspring] of his or from another man.

The nakedness of your son’s daughter, [This could be derived by] a קַל וָחמֶר for your [own] daughter, but because we do not derive a prohibition from a logical argument, [it was] derived from a גְזֵרָה שָׁוָה in Tractate Yevomos.

The nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife. [This] teaches us that he is not liable for [marrying] his sister [born] of a handmaiden or a non-Jewish woman; therefore it is said: “the daughter of your father’s wife” — [referring] to [a woman] fit for marriage.

The nakedness of your father’s brother you shall not uncover. And what is nakedness? You shall not approach his wife.

Your son’s wife. I said this only when your son has a [legal] marital relationship with her, excluding a woman raped, a handmaiden or a non-Jewish woman.

The nakedness of a woman and her daughter. The verse forbade [them] only by means of the marriage of the first, and that is why it is said, “you shall not take” — an expression of “taking [in marriage].” So too in the context of the punishment: “[a man] who takes a woman and her mother” — [there too] an expression of “taking [in marriage].” But if he raped a woman, he is permitted to marry her daughter.

They are kin, they are related to one another.

It is lewdness, an [evil] plan, as it Targum [states]: “a sinful plan,” that your [evil] inclination advises you to sin.

And her sister, both as one.

To vex [her], an expression of vexation, to make one a vexation for the other.

In her lifetime. [This] teaches you that if he divorced her, he may not marry her sister as long as [his former wife] is alive.

To Molech. This is an idolatrous form of worship whose name is “Molech,” and this is its worship: that he hands over his son to priests, and they make two large bonfires, and they made the son pass on foot between the two bonfires.

You shall not hand over this [refers] to his handing over [his son] to the priests.

To be passed through Molech, this [refers] to passing [the child] through the fire.

It is defilement. An expression of prostitution, incest and adultery, and so too: “My anger is against their depravity.” Another interpretation: It is תֶּבֶל : an expression of mixing and intermixture of the seed of mankind and the seed of animals.

[So that] the land not expel you. A parable: [This may be compared to] a king’s son whom they fed a disgusting food, which did not remain in his bowels but [which] he vomited — so is the Land of Israel: It cannot sustain sinners. And its Targum[ic interpretation]: “that it not empty out,” and expression of emptying out — it empties itself out of them.

Anyone who will do, both male and female are implied.

You shall keep My watch — to warn the Court on this.

And you will not defile yourselves through them; I am Adonoy your God. Thus, if you become defiled, I am not your God, and you are cut off from Me, and what benefit do I have from you [then] if you are liable to destruction? Therefore it is said: “I am Adonoy your God.”