Saadia's Tafsir on Vayikra 18 (Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim)

Vayikra 18:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses in speech.

Vayikra 18:2

דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

. .

Command the sons of Israel and say to them: I am God, your Lord.

Vayikra 18:3

כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ-מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ-כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶם לֹא תֵלֵכוּ

. . . .

Do not do as the deeds of the people of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelt; and do not do as the deeds of the people of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you in there; and do not follow their customs.

Vayikra 18:4

אֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי תַּעֲשׂוּ וְאֶת-חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

. .

My ordinances you shall carry out, and My statutes you shall keep and follow them. I am God, your Lord — I shall recompense you with good.

Vayikra 18:5

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת-חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה

. . .

Keep My statutes and My ordinances, for the recompense of any person who acts according to them is that he shall live the everlasting life. I am God, enduring in existence.

Vayikra 18:6

אִישׁ אִישׁ אֶל-כָּל-שְׁאֵר בְּשָׂרוֹ לֹא תִקְרְבוּ לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָה אֲנִי יְהוָה

. .

Every man among you shall not approach a kinswoman of his own to uncover her nakedness. I am God — I have forbidden you this.

Vayikra 18:7

עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ וְעֶרְוַת אִמְּךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה אִמְּךָ הִוא לֹא תְגַלֶּה עֶרְוָתָהּ

. . .

The nakedness of your father, and the nakedness of your mother, you shall not uncover. Now when I said 'the nakedness of your mother' — she is your mother herself; you shall not uncover her nakedness.

Vayikra 18:8

עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת-אָבִיךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ הִוא

.

And as for the nakedness of your father — it is the wife of your father; you shall not uncover her nakedness.

Vayikra 18:9

עֶרְוַת אֲחוֹתְךָ בַת-אָבִיךָ אוֹ בַת-אִמֶּךָ מוֹלֶדֶת בַּיִת אוֹ מוֹלֶדֶת חוּץ--לֹא תְגַלֶּה עֶרְוָתָן

. .

And the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, whether born within or without — you shall not uncover their nakedness.

Vayikra 18:10

עֶרְוַת בַּת-בִּנְךָ אוֹ בַת-בִּתְּךָ לֹא תְגַלֶּה עֶרְוָתָן כִּי עֶרְוָתְךָ הֵנָּה

. .

And the nakedness of the daughter of your son or the daughter of your daughter — you shall not uncover either of them, for they are your own nakedness.

Vayikra 18:11

עֶרְוַת בַּת-אֵשֶׁת אָבִיךָ מוֹלֶדֶת אָבִיךָ אֲחוֹתְךָ הִוא--לֹא תְגַלֶּה עֶרְוָתָהּ

. .

And the nakedness of the daughter of the wife of your father, born of your father — she is the one who has been shown to be your sister; you shall not uncover her nakedness.

Vayikra 18:12

עֶרְוַת אֲחוֹת-אָבִיךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה שְׁאֵר אָבִיךָ הִוא

.

And the nakedness of your father's sister you shall not uncover, for she is a kinswoman of your father.

Vayikra 18:13

עֶרְוַת אֲחוֹת-אִמְּךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה כִּי-שְׁאֵר אִמְּךָ הִוא

.

And the nakedness of your mother's sister you shall not uncover, for she is a kinswoman of your mother.

Vayikra 18:14

עֶרְוַת אֲחִי-אָבִיךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה אֶל-אִשְׁתּוֹ לֹא תִקְרָב דֹּדָתְךָ הִוא

. .

And the nakedness of your uncle you shall not uncover — that is, you shall not approach his wife, for she is as your aunt.

Vayikra 18:15

עֶרְוַת כַּלָּתְךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה אֵשֶׁת בִּנְךָ הִוא לֹא תְגַלֶּה עֶרְוָתָהּ

. .

And the nakedness of your daughter-in-law you shall not uncover — she is your son's wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness.

Vayikra 18:16

עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת-אָחִיךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה עֶרְוַת אָחִיךָ הִוא

.

And the nakedness of your brother's wife you shall not uncover, for she is as the nakedness of your brother.

Vayikra 18:17

עֶרְוַת אִשָּׁה וּבִתָּהּ לֹא תְגַלֵּה אֶת-בַּת-בְּנָהּ וְאֶת-בַּת-בִּתָּהּ לֹא תִקַּח לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ--שַׁאֲרָה הֵנָּה זִמָּה הִוא

. . .

And the nakedness of a woman and her daughter you shall not uncover; likewise the daughter of her son or the daughter of her daughter — you shall not take her so as to uncover their nakedness, for they are kinswomen of one another, and this is lewdness.

Vayikra 18:18

וְאִשָּׁה אֶל-אֲחֹתָהּ לֹא תִקָּח לִצְרֹר לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ עָלֶיהָ--בְּחַיֶּיהָ

. . .

And a woman alongside her sister you shall not take, to be a rival to her, to uncover her nakedness along with her in her lifetime.

Vayikra 18:19

וְאֶל-אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טֻמְאָתָהּ--לֹא תִקְרַב לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ

. .

And to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, you shall not approach to uncover her nakedness.

Vayikra 18:20

וְאֶל-אֵשֶׁת עֲמִיתְךָ--לֹא-תִתֵּן שְׁכָבְתְּךָ לְזָרַע לְטָמְאָה-בָהּ

. .

And with the wife of your fellow, you shall not make your lying for seed, nor to defile yourself with her.

Vayikra 18:21

וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא-תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמֹּלֶךְ וְלֹא תְחַלֵּל אֶת-שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְהוָה

. .

And do not give of your offspring for offering to idols, nor profane the name of your Lord. I am God, the Punisher.

Vayikra 18:22

וְאֶת-זָכָר--לֹא תִשְׁכַּב מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה תּוֹעֵבָה הִוא

.

And a male — you shall not lie with him after the manner of lying with women, for it is an abomination.

Vayikra 18:23

וּבְכָל-בְּהֵמָה לֹא-תִתֵּן שְׁכָבְתְּךָ לְטָמְאָה-בָהּ וְאִשָּׁה לֹא-תַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי בְהֵמָה לְרִבְעָהּ--תֶּבֶל הוּא

. . .

And with any of the beasts, you shall not make your lying so as to defile yourself with it; and likewise a woman shall not present herself before a beast for it to mount her, for it is a grave calamity.

Vayikra 18:24

אַל-תִּטַּמְּאוּ בְּכָל-אֵלֶּה כִּי בְכָל-אֵלֶּה נִטְמְאוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר-אֲנִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ מִפְּנֵיכֶם

. .

Do not disobey Me in any of these things, for by the like of them the nations disobeyed Me — those whom I am expelling from before you.

Vayikra 18:25

וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ וָאֶפְקֹד עֲו‍ֹנָהּ עָלֶיהָ וַתָּקִא הָאָרֶץ אֶת-יֹשְׁבֶיהָ

. .

And when the people of the land became defiled, I called them to account for their sins, and the land scattered its inhabitants.

Vayikra 18:26

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אַתֶּם אֶת-חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מִכֹּל הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵלֶּה הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם

. . .

So keep, yourselves, My statutes and My ordinances, and do nothing of all these abhorrent things — whether the native-born or the stranger who has come to dwell among you.

Vayikra 18:27

כִּי אֶת-כָּל-הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵל עָשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵיכֶם וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ

. .

For all these abhorrent things were done by the people of the land who were before you, until it became defiled.

Vayikra 18:28

וְלֹא-תָקִיא הָאָרֶץ אֶתְכֶם בְּטַמַּאֲכֶם אֹתָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר קָאָה אֶת-הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵיכֶם

.

So that the land to which you have brought defilement shall not scatter you, as it scattered the nations that were before you.

Vayikra 18:29

כִּי כָּל-אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה מִכֹּל הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵלֶּה--וְנִכְרְתוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הָעֹשֹׂת מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם

.

And know that whoever does anything of all these abhorrent things — those souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.

Vayikra 18:30

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת-מִשְׁמַרְתִּי לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת מֵחֻקּוֹת הַתּוֹעֵבֹת אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשׂוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם וְלֹא תִטַּמְּאוּ בָּהֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

. . . .

And keep what I have entrusted to you to keep, so that you do not do any of the customs of the abhorrent things that were done before you, and do not disobey Me in them. I am God, your Lord — I shall recompense you with good.