סוּסִ֥ים מְיֻזָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁכִּ֣ים הָי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ אֶל־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ יִצְהָֽלוּ׃
Como caballos bien hartos fueron á la mañana, cada cual relinchaba á la mujer de su prójimo.
Midrash Tanchuma
Our masters have said in the name of R. [Hanina] (Huna) the father of R. Aha, “The adulterer and adulteress transgress the Ten Commandments.”13Numb. R. 9:12. [They] said to [him], “In the case of nine, we concede [his transgressing them].” How is this? In the case of (Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6:) “I [am the Lord your God],” because anyone who commits adultery with the wife of his acquaintance is, as it were, denying the Holy One, blessed be He. It is so stated (in Jer. 5:8, 12), “They have denied the Lord and said, ‘He does not exist.’” (Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:7:) [“You shall have no other Gods”], since it is written of Him (in Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:9), “for [I] the Lord your God am a jealous God.” Also it is stated two times concerning the adulteress (in Numb. 5:14), “If the spirit of jealousy came over him, and he is jealous of his wife.” But why two times? Because it (i.e., the meal offering of the next verse)14So Rashi on Numb. 5:15. excites jealousy for the Holy One, blessed be He, and for her husband, as stated (in Numb. 5:15), “for it is a meal offering of jealousies.” Thus it is a case of two jealousies. (Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11:) “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God [in vain].” [One breaks this commandment] because he commits adultery and swears in vain that he has not done so. (Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16:) “Honor your father.” When one commits adultery with the adulteress, she becomes pregnant from him. Then she says to her husband, “I am pregnant from you.” When the fetus is grown, it honors her husband, [since it] thinks that he is its father. Moreover, [the grown child] passes through the market and hits the adulterer, since he thinks that he is not his father. (Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17:) “You shall not murder.” The adulterer goes in on condition that, if he is caught, he will kill or be killed. (Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not commit adultery.” Obviously [this commandment is broken], because he is committing adultery. (Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not steal.” [This commandment is broken] because he is stealing his neighbor's source (i.e., his wife's womb), and so it says (in Prov. 9:17), “Stolen waters are sweet […].” (Exod. 20:13, cont. // Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not bear [false witness] against your neighbor.” [The commandment is broken] in that [the adulteress] bears false witness [to her husband] and says, “I am pregnant from you.” (Exod. 20:14; cf. Deut. 5:18:) “You shall not covet your neighbor's house, and you shall not covet your neighbor's wife […].” [The commandment is broken] because whoever covets his friend's wife and commits adultery with her, covets everything that belongs to his friend.15Cf. Lev. R. 23:12. How? When the husband comes to depart from the world, he thinks that this son is his and writes him a will16Gk.: diatheke. of all his assets. So he bequeaths to him whatever he has without knowing that he is not his son. It turns out that the adulterer covets whatever belongs to his friend.
They said to R. Hanina, “Here we have told you nine [commandments]. In regard to] (Exod. 20:8; cf. Deut. 5:12:) ‘Remember [the Sabbath (day)],’ how does he transgress against it?” He said to them, “I will tell you: Sometimes when a priest has a priestly wife, and a [lay] Israelite adulterer has sexual intercourse with her, such that she bears [a child] from him, they consider him (i.e., the child) to be the son of a priest. Then when the baby goes on to minister in the Temple, arrange wood, and sacrifice on the Sabbath, he is found to be profaning the Sabbath. Hence the Ten Commandments are violated by the adulteress with the adulterer. Solomon also has said concerning her (in Eccl. 7:26), “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death, [(the woman) who has snares and nets (in her heart)].” What is the meaning of “snares (rt.: tswd)?” She lies in wait (rt.: tswd) in this world and for the world to come.17The inference is from the fact that SNARES is plural and implies a minimum of two. And “nets?” The net catches [prey] in the water but does not catch [any] on dry land. The woman, however, catches [her prey] in the sea and on the dry land.18Eccl. R. 7:26:3. (Eccl. 7:26:) “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death.” Not to be loud, arrogant of gait, or bawdy in laughter: This is the way of the daughters of Israel. But if [a woman] was bawdy in the presence of one of them, one would warn her on the evidence of two [witnesses] and say to her, “Why should you be laughing with so and so? Why should you be speaking with him?” If she has [merely] spoken [with him] up to now, she is allowed into her house and may eat the terumah. [If] she has entered with him in secret and lingered to be defiled, she is forbidden her house and eating the terumah.
They said to R. Hanina, “Here we have told you nine [commandments]. In regard to] (Exod. 20:8; cf. Deut. 5:12:) ‘Remember [the Sabbath (day)],’ how does he transgress against it?” He said to them, “I will tell you: Sometimes when a priest has a priestly wife, and a [lay] Israelite adulterer has sexual intercourse with her, such that she bears [a child] from him, they consider him (i.e., the child) to be the son of a priest. Then when the baby goes on to minister in the Temple, arrange wood, and sacrifice on the Sabbath, he is found to be profaning the Sabbath. Hence the Ten Commandments are violated by the adulteress with the adulterer. Solomon also has said concerning her (in Eccl. 7:26), “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death, [(the woman) who has snares and nets (in her heart)].” What is the meaning of “snares (rt.: tswd)?” She lies in wait (rt.: tswd) in this world and for the world to come.17The inference is from the fact that SNARES is plural and implies a minimum of two. And “nets?” The net catches [prey] in the water but does not catch [any] on dry land. The woman, however, catches [her prey] in the sea and on the dry land.18Eccl. R. 7:26:3. (Eccl. 7:26:) “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death.” Not to be loud, arrogant of gait, or bawdy in laughter: This is the way of the daughters of Israel. But if [a woman] was bawdy in the presence of one of them, one would warn her on the evidence of two [witnesses] and say to her, “Why should you be laughing with so and so? Why should you be speaking with him?” If she has [merely] spoken [with him] up to now, she is allowed into her house and may eat the terumah. [If] she has entered with him in secret and lingered to be defiled, she is forbidden her house and eating the terumah.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
In the case of (Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6:) I <AM THE LORD YOUR GOD>, because anyone who commits adultery with the wife of his acquaintance is, as it were, denying the Holy One. It is so stated (in Jer. 5:8, 12): <THEY WERE WELL-FED, LUSTY STALLIONS, EACH NEIGHING AT HIS NEIGHBOR'S WIFE…. > THEY HAVE DENIED THE LORD AND SAID: HE DOES NOT EXIST.
(Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:7:) <YOU> SHALL HAVE NO <OTHER GODS>, since it is written of him (in Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:9): FOR [I] THE LORD YOUR GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD. Also it is stated two times concerning the adulteress (in Numb. 5:14): IF THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY CAME OVER HIM, AND HE IS JEALOUS OF HIS WIFE. But why two times? Because it (i.e., the meal offering of the next verse)16So Rashi on Numb. 5:15. excites jealousy for the Holy One and for her husband, as stated (in Numb. 5:15): FOR IT IS A MEAL OFFERING OF JEALOUSY. Thus it is a case of two jealousies.
(Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11:) YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD <IN VAIN>. <One breaks this commandment> because he commits adultery and swears in vain that he has not done so.
(On this commandment, see the end of the paragraph.)
(Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16:) HONOR YOUR FATHER. When one commits adultery with the adulteress, she becomes pregnant from him. Then she says to her husband: I am pregnant from you. When the fetus is grown, it honors her husband, <since it> thinks that he is its father. Moreover, <the grown child> passes through the market and scorns the adulterer, since he thinks that he is not his father.
(Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17:) YOU SHALL NOT MURDER. The adulterer goes in on condition that, if he is caught, he will kill or be killed.
(Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. Obviously <this commandment is broken>, because he is committing adultery.
(Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT STEAL. <This commandment is broken> because he is stealing his neighbor's spring (i.e., his wife's womb), and so it says (in Prov. 9:17): STOLEN WATERS ARE SWEET….
(Exod. 20:13, cont. // Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT BEAR <FALSE WITNESS> AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR. <The commandment is broken> in that <the adulteress> bears false witness [to her husband] and says: I am pregnant from you.
(Exod. 20:14; cf. Deut. 5:18:) YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR's HOUSE, AND YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR's WIFE. <The commandment is broken> because whoever covets his friend's wife and commits adultery with her, covets everything that belongs to his friend.17Cf. Lev. R. 23:12; Matthew 5:28. How? When he continues committing adultery with her and she bears <a child> from him, her husband thinks that it came from himself. When he comes to depart from the world, he thinks that this son is his and writes him a will18Gk.: diatheke. of all his assets. So he bequeaths to him whatever he has without knowing that he is not his son. It turns out that the adulterer covets whatever belongs to his friend.
Bamidbar Rabbah
Another matter: “Ish ish” – that is what is written: “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your residence…” (Genesis 17:8).
“I will give to you” (Genesis 17:8) – that is what is written: “As the Lord your God walks [in the midst of your camp]” (Deuteronomy 23:15). That is what is written: “Now, children, listen to me.… Distance your way from her.… lest you give [your glory] to others.… lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:7–10). What is, “Now, children, listen to me”? It is speaking of the ten tribes and the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, as all Israel are called children, as it is stated: “You are children to the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 14:1). “Listen to me” – he cautioned them to fulfill the obligation to heed. “Do not depart from the sayings of my mouth.” (Proverbs 5:7) – he cautioned them to fulfill the performance [of mitzvot] as they accepted upon themselves at Sinai. “Everything the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7) – it was for the transgression of both of them that they were exiled, as it is stated: “The king of Assyria exiled Israel.… because they did not heed the voice of the Lord…and they did not heed and did not perform” (II Kings 18:11–12).
“Distance your way from her” (Proverbs 5:8) – he cautioned them to distance harlotry from them. “And do not approach the entrance of her house” (Proverbs 5:8) – he cautioned them regarding forbidden relations, in whose regard it is stated: “Any man of you shall not approach his kin to uncover nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6). “Lest you give your glory [hodekha] to others” (Proverbs 5:9) – they will lose their kingdom, and it will be exalted for the nations. Hodekha is nothing other than kingdom, just as it says: “Upon whom the glory [hod] of kingdom was not placed” (Daniel 11:21). “And your years to the cruel” (Proverbs 5:9) – they gave their years to a cruel angel, as their days and years drew near to being eliminated, just as it says: “You brought your days near and came to the end of your years…” (Ezekiel 22:4). “Lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:10) – they were exiled from their land, and foreigners settled in their place and consumed their strength and exertion. “Your strength” is nothing other than the strength of their land, as it is stated: “When you work the ground [it will no longer give its strength to you]” (Genesis 4:12). Likewise you find that when the king of Assyria exiled the ten tribes, he settled foreigners in their land, as it is stated: “The king of Assyria brought from Babylon, from Kuta, from Ava, and from Ḥamat, [and Sefarvayim, and he settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the children of Israel” (II Kings 17:24). That is, “lest strangers be sated with your strength.” “And your toils [vaatzavekha] be in the house of a stranger” (Proverbs 5:10) – toils [atziva] are nothing other than children, just as it says: “In pain [be’etzev] you shall bear children” (Genesis 3:16).
Another matter: “Vaatzavekha” (Genesis 3:16) – this is toil of the land, saying that they will eat with toil everything that they eat in the foreign land, just as it says: “With toil [be’itzavon] you shall eat of it…” (Genesis 3:17). And likewise it says: “The king of Assyria exiled Israel to Assyria…” (II Kings 18:11).
All this befell the ten tribes because they were steeped in harlotry with married woman. It was over that that their sentence was sealed, as it is stated in their regard: “Who lie on beds of ivory, and sprawl [usruḥim] on their couches…” (Amos 6:4); they would sully their beds with semen that was not theirs, as they would swap their wives with one another. What is written thereafter? “Therefore, now they will be exiled at the head of the exiles, and the revelry of the sprawled [seruḥim] will be discontinued” (Amos 6:7). At that time the rejoicing of the seruḥim will be removed. Likewise, Micah prophesied in their regard: “The women of My people you banish [tegareshun] from the house of her delight; from their young children, you take My grandeur forever” (Micah 2:9). The verse relates that they would violate men’s wives and render them forbidden to their husbands, and they would divorce [megareshin] them. That is, “the women of My people you banish [tegareshun] from the house of her delight”; this is the house of her husband, in which she would delight. What is, “from their young children, you take My grandeur forever”? The only grandeur I had in this world was from the young children, as it is stated: “From the mouths of young children and suckling babes You founded strength” (Psalms 8:3). And I am glorified through them, just as it says: “In the multitude of people is the glory of a king” (Proverbs 14:28). But you have rendered them mamzerim; you have voided that glory of mine, as I do not want mamzerim, as it is written: “A mamzer11A mamzer is a child born of a forbidden union punishable by karet, e.g., between a married woman and a man other than her husband. shall not enter the congregation of the Lord…” (Deuteronomy 23:3).
What is written thereafter? “Arise and go, as this is not the resting place; because it was defiled it will destroy you, and it will be an intense destruction [veḥevel nimratz]” (Micah 2:10). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: For the rest of the transgressions I would have shown you forbearance. Because you have spread to adultery, “arise and go….” What is “veḥevel nimratz”? I said: “For the portion of the Lord is His people, Jacob the allotment [ḥevel] of His inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). I took Jacob as My inheritance. He was My portion, because his descendants were all similar to a rope [ḥevel], which is intertwined one with another, as the descent of all of them was traceable to their ancestors, There was no offspring that was not theirs that interrupted between them, as they guarded themselves from adultery and there was no mamzerut there. How so? It is written: “Elazar begot Pinḥas, Pinḥas begot Avishua” (I Chronicles 5:30), and the same is true for all of them. The lineage continued in that manner. But you entered with the wife of another and defiled the inheritance. How can he enumerate: So-and-so, my son, and he is not his son, as he is a mamzer; you severed the rope. That is ḥevel nimratz. What is nimratz? Adulterer [noef], mamzer, wicked one [rasha], oppressor [tzorer].12Nimratz is spelled with the first letters of noef, mamzer, rasha, tzorer. You learned that regarding the ten tribes, their sentence was sealed only due to the iniquity of adultery.
From where is it derived that regarding the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, their sentence was sealed only due to the iniquity of adultery? It is as Jeremiah screams before God: ‘During the days of Menashe, Israel performed wickedness greater than them [of my generation], but You did not destroy them, but rather in my days.’ That is what is written: “My innards, my innards, I shudder, the walls of my heart, [my heart sighs to me]” (Jeremiah 4:19). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: During the days of Menashe, even though they angered Me, the children were the children of their fathers. Now they are the children of lewdness. That is what is written: “For My people are foolish…” (Jeremiah 4:22). What is written at the end of the passage? “They were lustful horses rising early; each would neigh to his neighbor’s wife” (Jeremiah 5:8). Even though they transgressed all the mitzvot and denied the Holy One blessed be He, just as it is stated: “They denied the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:12), He displays forbearance. It is only for the adultery that their sentence was sealed, as, indeed, it is written thereafter: “Will I not reckon for these, the utterance of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 5:9). The Holy One blessed be He said: For everything I will restrain myself, but for lewdness I am angry. I will deliver them to the kingdoms. That is what is written thereafter: “Enter within its walls…” (Jeremiah 5:10). “Lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:10).
Likewise Moses said to Israel: When you go out to war, be careful that there will not be among you the iniquity of adultery, as if there is the iniquity of lewdness in your midst, the Holy One blessed be He, who wages war on your behalf, will turn away from you, and you will be delivered into the hand of your enemies. That is what is written: “For the Lord your God walks [in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to deliver your enemies before you and your camp shall be holy], and He shall not see a shameful matter among you and turn away from you” (Deuteronomy 23:15). What is, “for the Lord your God”? Moses said to Israel: Know that the Holy One blessed be He associates His name with Israel, as He is called, “your God,” only when “your camp shall be holy.” At that time, He rests His Divine Presence in your midst, and He rescues you from the hands of your enemies and delivers your enemies to you. That is what is written: “Walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you…”
From where is it derived that Israel is called holy when they protect themselves from adultery and lewdness? It is as it is written: “You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy, as I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7). From here, when they are holy, He is God to them. What is written thereafter? “You shall observe My statutes, and perform them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:8). When does the Holy One blessed be He sanctify Israel? It is when they observe His statutes. What are the statutes? These are the forbidden relations, as adultery with a married woman is written first, as it is stated: “A man who will commit adultery [with a married woman]” (Leviticus 20:10). What did it see that led it to have cursing one’s father or mother interpose between sanctification and adultery? It is because initially it is written: “For each man who shall curse his father” (Leviticus 20:9). What causes the son to curse his father? It is adultery. It is because he believes that his mother’s husband is his father and he honors him, and he believes that the adulterer is not his father and he curses him.
Similarly, you say: “One who strikes his father or his mother.… One who abducts a man and sells him.[… One who curses his father or his mother…]” (Exodus 21:15–17). What did it see that led it to have one who abducts a person interpose between one who strikes and one who curses? Would it not have been appropriate not to interpose between them, as both are stated regarding a punishment generated by his father and his mother? Why did it do so? It is to teach you that it is for this that one who abducts an Israelite person incurs liability, because he [the person abducted] strikes his father and his mother and curses them because he did not grow up with them and does not know them. Here too, this is why cursing one’s father interposes between sanctification and harlotry. It is because anyone who consorts with one of the forbidden relations stated in the Torah, at times he begets a son and causes the mamzer to curse his father.
Why does it mention the cursing of the mother; does he not recognize his mother? When does he recognize his mother? When the mamzer is from adultery with a married woman, as the adulteress attributes him to her husband. However, regarding all other unmarried forbidden relations, they cast their child in the streets due to the shame, and others raise them. Those mamzerim recognize neither their father nor their mother. Even a mamzer from a married woman occasionally recognizes neither his father nor his mother. When? It is when she committed adultery while her husband was in lands overseas and she casts him away. That is why the Torah punishes one who consorts with a married woman or with forbidden relations with court-imposed execution and karet. That is why it is stated: “And your camp shall be holy” (Deuteronomy 23:15).
Another matter: “And your camp shall be holy” (Deuteronomy 23:15) – we learned there: One need not investigate from the altar13Priests and beyond, from the platform14Levites and beyond, nor from the Sanhedrin and beyond. Anyone whose ancestors were public officials or charity collectors may marry into the priesthood, and there is no need to investigate them. Rabbi Yosei says: The same is true of one who had signed as a witness in the old court of Tzippori. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says: The same is true of one who was written in the army roster of a Jewish king.15Kiddushin 76a. The midrash is stating that one can rely on all these individuals’ presumptive status of unflawed lineage.
It is written: “You shall place a king over you…” (Deuteronomy 17:15). I have derived only a king of Israel; from where is it derived to include public officials, charity collectors, judges’ scribes, and floggers with the strap? The verse states: “From among your brethren you shall place a king over you” (Deuteronomy 17:15) – anyone whom you place over you, shall be only from among your brethren, from the select of your brethren. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: From where is it derived that those going out to war need that no mamzerim be in their midst? It is as it is written regarding the descendants of Asher: “Their lineage for military service” (I Chronicles 7:40) – the merit of their lineage stands for them in war.
To this point it is from the texts of tradition;16Prophets and Writings. from the words of the Torah, from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “One with crushed […testicles]…shall not enter [into the assembly of the Lord]. A mamzer shall not enter.… An Amonite shall not enter.… Do not despise an Edomite.… [Sons born to them of the third generation may enter…]” (Deuteronomy 23:2–4, 8–9). What is written thereafter? “When a camp shall go out against your enemy” (Deuteronomy 23:10); that is why it is written: “And your camp shall be holy…” (Deuteronomy 23:15), that there shall not be in their midst mamzerim and not those who are born not in sanctity, because the Holy One blessed be He does not associate His name with them and does not aid them in war. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our patriarch: “I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land of your residence” (Genesis 17:8) – to those descendants whose descent will be traced back to you, I will give them “the land of your residence…as an eternal possession” (Genesis 17:8), and I will be their God. But mamzerim, whose descent is not traced back to you, as their forebears are not distinguishable, I will not be their God, as I do not associate My name with them and I will not give them a portion in the land.
“I will give to you” (Genesis 17:8) – that is what is written: “As the Lord your God walks [in the midst of your camp]” (Deuteronomy 23:15). That is what is written: “Now, children, listen to me.… Distance your way from her.… lest you give [your glory] to others.… lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:7–10). What is, “Now, children, listen to me”? It is speaking of the ten tribes and the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, as all Israel are called children, as it is stated: “You are children to the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 14:1). “Listen to me” – he cautioned them to fulfill the obligation to heed. “Do not depart from the sayings of my mouth.” (Proverbs 5:7) – he cautioned them to fulfill the performance [of mitzvot] as they accepted upon themselves at Sinai. “Everything the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7) – it was for the transgression of both of them that they were exiled, as it is stated: “The king of Assyria exiled Israel.… because they did not heed the voice of the Lord…and they did not heed and did not perform” (II Kings 18:11–12).
“Distance your way from her” (Proverbs 5:8) – he cautioned them to distance harlotry from them. “And do not approach the entrance of her house” (Proverbs 5:8) – he cautioned them regarding forbidden relations, in whose regard it is stated: “Any man of you shall not approach his kin to uncover nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6). “Lest you give your glory [hodekha] to others” (Proverbs 5:9) – they will lose their kingdom, and it will be exalted for the nations. Hodekha is nothing other than kingdom, just as it says: “Upon whom the glory [hod] of kingdom was not placed” (Daniel 11:21). “And your years to the cruel” (Proverbs 5:9) – they gave their years to a cruel angel, as their days and years drew near to being eliminated, just as it says: “You brought your days near and came to the end of your years…” (Ezekiel 22:4). “Lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:10) – they were exiled from their land, and foreigners settled in their place and consumed their strength and exertion. “Your strength” is nothing other than the strength of their land, as it is stated: “When you work the ground [it will no longer give its strength to you]” (Genesis 4:12). Likewise you find that when the king of Assyria exiled the ten tribes, he settled foreigners in their land, as it is stated: “The king of Assyria brought from Babylon, from Kuta, from Ava, and from Ḥamat, [and Sefarvayim, and he settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the children of Israel” (II Kings 17:24). That is, “lest strangers be sated with your strength.” “And your toils [vaatzavekha] be in the house of a stranger” (Proverbs 5:10) – toils [atziva] are nothing other than children, just as it says: “In pain [be’etzev] you shall bear children” (Genesis 3:16).
Another matter: “Vaatzavekha” (Genesis 3:16) – this is toil of the land, saying that they will eat with toil everything that they eat in the foreign land, just as it says: “With toil [be’itzavon] you shall eat of it…” (Genesis 3:17). And likewise it says: “The king of Assyria exiled Israel to Assyria…” (II Kings 18:11).
All this befell the ten tribes because they were steeped in harlotry with married woman. It was over that that their sentence was sealed, as it is stated in their regard: “Who lie on beds of ivory, and sprawl [usruḥim] on their couches…” (Amos 6:4); they would sully their beds with semen that was not theirs, as they would swap their wives with one another. What is written thereafter? “Therefore, now they will be exiled at the head of the exiles, and the revelry of the sprawled [seruḥim] will be discontinued” (Amos 6:7). At that time the rejoicing of the seruḥim will be removed. Likewise, Micah prophesied in their regard: “The women of My people you banish [tegareshun] from the house of her delight; from their young children, you take My grandeur forever” (Micah 2:9). The verse relates that they would violate men’s wives and render them forbidden to their husbands, and they would divorce [megareshin] them. That is, “the women of My people you banish [tegareshun] from the house of her delight”; this is the house of her husband, in which she would delight. What is, “from their young children, you take My grandeur forever”? The only grandeur I had in this world was from the young children, as it is stated: “From the mouths of young children and suckling babes You founded strength” (Psalms 8:3). And I am glorified through them, just as it says: “In the multitude of people is the glory of a king” (Proverbs 14:28). But you have rendered them mamzerim; you have voided that glory of mine, as I do not want mamzerim, as it is written: “A mamzer11A mamzer is a child born of a forbidden union punishable by karet, e.g., between a married woman and a man other than her husband. shall not enter the congregation of the Lord…” (Deuteronomy 23:3).
What is written thereafter? “Arise and go, as this is not the resting place; because it was defiled it will destroy you, and it will be an intense destruction [veḥevel nimratz]” (Micah 2:10). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: For the rest of the transgressions I would have shown you forbearance. Because you have spread to adultery, “arise and go….” What is “veḥevel nimratz”? I said: “For the portion of the Lord is His people, Jacob the allotment [ḥevel] of His inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). I took Jacob as My inheritance. He was My portion, because his descendants were all similar to a rope [ḥevel], which is intertwined one with another, as the descent of all of them was traceable to their ancestors, There was no offspring that was not theirs that interrupted between them, as they guarded themselves from adultery and there was no mamzerut there. How so? It is written: “Elazar begot Pinḥas, Pinḥas begot Avishua” (I Chronicles 5:30), and the same is true for all of them. The lineage continued in that manner. But you entered with the wife of another and defiled the inheritance. How can he enumerate: So-and-so, my son, and he is not his son, as he is a mamzer; you severed the rope. That is ḥevel nimratz. What is nimratz? Adulterer [noef], mamzer, wicked one [rasha], oppressor [tzorer].12Nimratz is spelled with the first letters of noef, mamzer, rasha, tzorer. You learned that regarding the ten tribes, their sentence was sealed only due to the iniquity of adultery.
From where is it derived that regarding the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, their sentence was sealed only due to the iniquity of adultery? It is as Jeremiah screams before God: ‘During the days of Menashe, Israel performed wickedness greater than them [of my generation], but You did not destroy them, but rather in my days.’ That is what is written: “My innards, my innards, I shudder, the walls of my heart, [my heart sighs to me]” (Jeremiah 4:19). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: During the days of Menashe, even though they angered Me, the children were the children of their fathers. Now they are the children of lewdness. That is what is written: “For My people are foolish…” (Jeremiah 4:22). What is written at the end of the passage? “They were lustful horses rising early; each would neigh to his neighbor’s wife” (Jeremiah 5:8). Even though they transgressed all the mitzvot and denied the Holy One blessed be He, just as it is stated: “They denied the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:12), He displays forbearance. It is only for the adultery that their sentence was sealed, as, indeed, it is written thereafter: “Will I not reckon for these, the utterance of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 5:9). The Holy One blessed be He said: For everything I will restrain myself, but for lewdness I am angry. I will deliver them to the kingdoms. That is what is written thereafter: “Enter within its walls…” (Jeremiah 5:10). “Lest strangers be sated with your strength” (Proverbs 5:10).
Likewise Moses said to Israel: When you go out to war, be careful that there will not be among you the iniquity of adultery, as if there is the iniquity of lewdness in your midst, the Holy One blessed be He, who wages war on your behalf, will turn away from you, and you will be delivered into the hand of your enemies. That is what is written: “For the Lord your God walks [in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to deliver your enemies before you and your camp shall be holy], and He shall not see a shameful matter among you and turn away from you” (Deuteronomy 23:15). What is, “for the Lord your God”? Moses said to Israel: Know that the Holy One blessed be He associates His name with Israel, as He is called, “your God,” only when “your camp shall be holy.” At that time, He rests His Divine Presence in your midst, and He rescues you from the hands of your enemies and delivers your enemies to you. That is what is written: “Walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you…”
From where is it derived that Israel is called holy when they protect themselves from adultery and lewdness? It is as it is written: “You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy, as I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7). From here, when they are holy, He is God to them. What is written thereafter? “You shall observe My statutes, and perform them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:8). When does the Holy One blessed be He sanctify Israel? It is when they observe His statutes. What are the statutes? These are the forbidden relations, as adultery with a married woman is written first, as it is stated: “A man who will commit adultery [with a married woman]” (Leviticus 20:10). What did it see that led it to have cursing one’s father or mother interpose between sanctification and adultery? It is because initially it is written: “For each man who shall curse his father” (Leviticus 20:9). What causes the son to curse his father? It is adultery. It is because he believes that his mother’s husband is his father and he honors him, and he believes that the adulterer is not his father and he curses him.
Similarly, you say: “One who strikes his father or his mother.… One who abducts a man and sells him.[… One who curses his father or his mother…]” (Exodus 21:15–17). What did it see that led it to have one who abducts a person interpose between one who strikes and one who curses? Would it not have been appropriate not to interpose between them, as both are stated regarding a punishment generated by his father and his mother? Why did it do so? It is to teach you that it is for this that one who abducts an Israelite person incurs liability, because he [the person abducted] strikes his father and his mother and curses them because he did not grow up with them and does not know them. Here too, this is why cursing one’s father interposes between sanctification and harlotry. It is because anyone who consorts with one of the forbidden relations stated in the Torah, at times he begets a son and causes the mamzer to curse his father.
Why does it mention the cursing of the mother; does he not recognize his mother? When does he recognize his mother? When the mamzer is from adultery with a married woman, as the adulteress attributes him to her husband. However, regarding all other unmarried forbidden relations, they cast their child in the streets due to the shame, and others raise them. Those mamzerim recognize neither their father nor their mother. Even a mamzer from a married woman occasionally recognizes neither his father nor his mother. When? It is when she committed adultery while her husband was in lands overseas and she casts him away. That is why the Torah punishes one who consorts with a married woman or with forbidden relations with court-imposed execution and karet. That is why it is stated: “And your camp shall be holy” (Deuteronomy 23:15).
Another matter: “And your camp shall be holy” (Deuteronomy 23:15) – we learned there: One need not investigate from the altar13Priests and beyond, from the platform14Levites and beyond, nor from the Sanhedrin and beyond. Anyone whose ancestors were public officials or charity collectors may marry into the priesthood, and there is no need to investigate them. Rabbi Yosei says: The same is true of one who had signed as a witness in the old court of Tzippori. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says: The same is true of one who was written in the army roster of a Jewish king.15Kiddushin 76a. The midrash is stating that one can rely on all these individuals’ presumptive status of unflawed lineage.
It is written: “You shall place a king over you…” (Deuteronomy 17:15). I have derived only a king of Israel; from where is it derived to include public officials, charity collectors, judges’ scribes, and floggers with the strap? The verse states: “From among your brethren you shall place a king over you” (Deuteronomy 17:15) – anyone whom you place over you, shall be only from among your brethren, from the select of your brethren. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: From where is it derived that those going out to war need that no mamzerim be in their midst? It is as it is written regarding the descendants of Asher: “Their lineage for military service” (I Chronicles 7:40) – the merit of their lineage stands for them in war.
To this point it is from the texts of tradition;16Prophets and Writings. from the words of the Torah, from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “One with crushed […testicles]…shall not enter [into the assembly of the Lord]. A mamzer shall not enter.… An Amonite shall not enter.… Do not despise an Edomite.… [Sons born to them of the third generation may enter…]” (Deuteronomy 23:2–4, 8–9). What is written thereafter? “When a camp shall go out against your enemy” (Deuteronomy 23:10); that is why it is written: “And your camp shall be holy…” (Deuteronomy 23:15), that there shall not be in their midst mamzerim and not those who are born not in sanctity, because the Holy One blessed be He does not associate His name with them and does not aid them in war. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our patriarch: “I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land of your residence” (Genesis 17:8) – to those descendants whose descent will be traced back to you, I will give them “the land of your residence…as an eternal possession” (Genesis 17:8), and I will be their God. But mamzerim, whose descent is not traced back to you, as their forebears are not distinguishable, I will not be their God, as I do not associate My name with them and I will not give them a portion in the land.