Saadia's Tafsir on Vayikra 20 (Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim)

Vayikra 20:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses directly.

Vayikra 20:2

וְאֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תֹּאמַר אִישׁ אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן-הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ מוֹת יוּמָת עַם הָאָרֶץ יִרְגְּמֻהוּ בָאָבֶן

. . . .

Command the sons of Israel and say to them: Any person from the sons of Israel, or from the stranger who has entered among them, who gives of his offspring to the idols — let him be killed outright; that is, that the people of the town shall stone him with stones.

Vayikra 20:3

וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת-פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמֹּלֶךְ--לְמַעַן טַמֵּא אֶת-מִקְדָּשִׁי וּלְחַלֵּל אֶת-שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי

. . . .

And I shall pour out My wrath upon that person, and cut him off from among his people — since he gave of his offspring to the idols, in order to defile My sanctuary and to debase My holy name.

Vayikra 20:4

וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ אֶת-עֵינֵיהֶם מִן-הָאִישׁ הַהוּא בְּתִתּוֹ מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ--לְבִלְתִּי הָמִית אֹתוֹ

. .

And if the people of the town should turn a blind eye, looking away from that man even as he gives of his offspring to the idols, and they do not kill him —

Vayikra 20:5

וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת-פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ וְאֵת כָּל-הַזֹּנִים אַחֲרָיו לִזְנוֹת אַחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ--מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם

. . .

I shall pour out My wrath upon that person and upon those who are associated with him, and cut him off, and all those who rebelliously follow after him after the idol, from among their people.

Vayikra 20:6

וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּפְנֶה אֶל-הָאֹבֹת וְאֶל-הַיִּדְּעֹנִים לִזְנֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם--וְנָתַתִּי אֶת-פָּנַי בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ

. . .

And any person who has turned to sorcerers and diviners, to lead the people astray in following them — I shall pour out My wrath upon that person, and cut him off from among his people.

Vayikra 20:7

וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם--וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

.

So sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am God your Lord, the Holy One.

Vayikra 20:8

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת-חֻקֹּתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם

.

And keep My statutes and act according to them, for I am God who sanctifies you.

Vayikra 20:9

כִּי-אִישׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יְקַלֵּל אֶת-אָבִיו וְאֶת-אִמּוֹ--מוֹת יוּמָת אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קִלֵּל דָּמָיו בּוֹ

. . .

Any person who has cursed his father and his mother — let him be killed outright; since he cursed his father and his mother, his blood is thereby made forfeit.

Vayikra 20:10

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת-אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת-אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ--מוֹת-יוּמַת הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָפֶת

.

And any man who committed adultery with a man's wife, or committed adultery with the wife of his fellow — let the adulterer and the adulteress be killed outright.

Vayikra 20:11

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו--עֶרְוַת אָבִיו גִּלָּה מוֹת-יוּמְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם

. .

And any man who lay with his father's wife has thereby uncovered his father's nakedness — let them both be killed, for their blood is made forfeit by this.

Vayikra 20:12

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-כַּלָּתוֹ--מוֹת יוּמְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם תֶּבֶל עָשׂוּ דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם

. .

And any man who lay with his daughter-in-law — let them both be killed; since they did an outrageous thing, their blood is thereby made forfeit.

Vayikra 20:13

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-זָכָר מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה--תּוֹעֵבָה עָשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מוֹת יוּמָתוּ דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם

. .

And any man who lay with a male in the manner of lying with women — they have both together done an abomination; let them be killed outright, for their blood is made forfeit.

Vayikra 20:14

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִקַּח אֶת-אִשָּׁה וְאֶת-אִמָּהּ--זִמָּה הִוא בָּאֵשׁ יִשְׂרְפוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶתְהֶן וְלֹא-תִהְיֶה זִמָּה בְּתוֹכְכֶם

. .

And any man who took a woman and her mother — that is a vile act; let him and them both be burned with fire, on account of the degradation; and there shall be no vile act among you.

Vayikra 20:15

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן שְׁכָבְתּוֹ בִּבְהֵמָה--מוֹת יוּמָת וְאֶת-הַבְּהֵמָה תַּהֲרֹגוּ

. .

And any man who directed his lying with a beast — let him be killed outright; and the beast also — kill it.

Vayikra 20:16

וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרַב אֶל-כָּל-בְּהֵמָה לְרִבְעָה אֹתָהּ--וְהָרַגְתָּ אֶת-הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת-הַבְּהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָתוּ דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם

. . .

And any woman who approached a beast to be mounted by it — kill the woman and the beast; since they did an outrageous thing, their blood is thereby made forfeit.

Vayikra 20:17

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-יִקַּח אֶת-אֲחֹתוֹ בַּת-אָבִיו אוֹ בַת-אִמּוֹ וְרָאָה אֶת-עֶרְוָתָהּ וְהִיא-תִרְאֶה אֶת-עֶרְוָתוֹ חֶסֶד הוּא--וְנִכְרְתוּ לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי עַמָּם עֶרְוַת אֲחֹתוֹ גִּלָּה עֲו‍ֹנוֹ יִשָּׂא

. . . . .

And any man who took his sister — whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother — and looked upon her nakedness, and she looked upon his nakedness: that is a disgrace; they shall both be cut off from the presence of their people, since he uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he has borne his guilt.

Vayikra 20:18

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-אִשָּׁה דָּוָה וְגִלָּה אֶת-עֶרְוָתָהּ אֶת-מְקֹרָהּ הֶעֱרָה וְהִוא גִּלְּתָה אֶת-מְקוֹר דָּמֶיהָ--וְנִכְרְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם

. . .

And any man who lay with a menstruating woman, uncovering her nakedness and laying bare her spring, and she too uncovered the spring of her blood — they shall both be cut off from among their people.

Vayikra 20:19

וְעֶרְוַת אֲחוֹת אִמְּךָ וַאֲחוֹת אָבִיךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה כִּי אֶת-שְׁאֵרוֹ הֶעֱרָה עֲו‍ֹנָם יִשָּׂאוּ

.

The nakedness of your maternal aunt and your paternal aunt you shall not uncover; for whoever bares his kinswoman has thereby borne his guilt.

Vayikra 20:20

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-דֹּדָתוֹ--עֶרְוַת דֹּדוֹ גִּלָּה חֶטְאָם יִשָּׂאוּ עֲרִירִים יָמֻתוּ

. .

And any man who lay with the wife of his paternal uncle has thereby uncovered his uncle's nakedness; and because they bore their guilt, they shall die childless.

Vayikra 20:21

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִקַּח אֶת-אֵשֶׁת אָחִיו--נִדָּה הִוא עֶרְוַת אָחִיו גִּלָּה עֲרִירִים יִהְיוּ

. .

And any man who took the wife of his brother — she who has been separated from him — since he uncovered his brother's nakedness, they shall both be childless.

Vayikra 20:22

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת-כָּל-מִשְׁפָּטַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְלֹא-תָקִיא אֶתְכֶם הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה לָשֶׁבֶת בָּהּ

. . .

And keep all My statutes and My ordinances, and act according to them; and do not let the land scatter you — the land into which I am bringing you there to possess it.

Vayikra 20:23

וְלֹא תֵלְכוּ בְּחֻקֹּת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר-אֲנִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ מִפְּנֵיכֶם כִּי אֶת-כָּל-אֵלֶּה עָשׂוּ וָאָקֻץ בָּם

. .

And do not walk in the statutes of the nations whom I am driving out before you; for since they did all these things, I have come to loathe them.

Vayikra 20:24

וָאֹמַר לָכֶם אַתֶּם תִּירְשׁוּ אֶת-אַדְמָתָם וַאֲנִי אֶתְּנֶנָּה לָכֶם לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר-הִבְדַּלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִן-הָעַמִּים

. . . . .

And I said to you, decreeing: You shall possess their land, and I shall give it to you to possess — a land flowing with milk and honey — for I am God your Lord, who has separated you from all the nations.

Vayikra 20:25

וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּם בֵּין-הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה לַטְּמֵאָה וּבֵין-הָעוֹף הַטָּמֵא לַטָּהֹר וְלֹא-תְשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בַּבְּהֵמָה וּבָעוֹף וּבְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּרְמֹשׂ הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר-הִבְדַּלְתִּי לָכֶם לְטַמֵּא

. . . .

So distinguish between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and do not make yourselves loathsome with beasts and birds, and the rest of what creeps upon the earth — which I have set apart for you as unclean.

Vayikra 20:26

וִהְיִיתֶם לִי קְדֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי יְהוָה וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן-הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי

. .

And be holy unto Me, for I am God the Holy One; I have separated you from the nations that you may be Mine as a special possession.

Vayikra 20:27

וְאִישׁ אוֹ-אִשָּׁה כִּי-יִהְיֶה בָהֶם אוֹב אוֹ יִדְּעֹנִי--מוֹת יוּמָתוּ בָּאֶבֶן יִרְגְּמוּ אֹתָם דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם

. . .

And any man or woman in whom there is a sorcerer or a diviner — let them both be killed outright; they shall be stoned with stones — their blood is thereby made forfeit.