וְרָחֲצ֛וּ יְדֵיהֶ֥ם וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ וְהָיְתָ֨ה לָהֶ֧ם חָק־עוֹלָ֛ם ל֥וֹ וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃ (פ)
Mereka harus membasuh tangan dan kaki mereka supaya mereka tidak mati. Itulah ketetapan untuk selama-lamanya bagi mereka, baginya dan bagi keturunannya, turun-temurun.
Rabbeinu Bahya
If the Torah had remained true to the sequence followed earlier, the words ולאיש אשר ישכב עם טמאה, “and concerning the man who cohabits with a woman who is in a state of contamination,” should have been written before the words לזכר ולנקבה which would have made a more appropriate ending for this portion.
I believe the reason that the Torah changed the sequence of the words here was in order to conclude with the words עם טמאה, “with a contaminated woman,” in order to establish the conceptual linkage with the death of the sons of Aaron at the beginning of the next portion. The message is that the Israelites must be warned that unless they observe the laws legislated in our portion including separating themselves from their wives in anticipation of the menstrual cycle setting in, their children would be at risk. Tanchuma Acharey 6 quotes an opinion that the sons of Aaron died as they entered the Sanctuary in a state of ritual impurity not having purified themselves first. If that opinion is correct, the fact that our portion concludes with the words טמאה provides a conceptual link to the recapping of the death of the sons of Aaron in the following verse, the first in Parshat Acharey Mot. [Our author uses this verse to list all the various deficiencies the sons of Aaron have been accused of by the sages of the Midrash. Seeing this has been discussed at length in Leviticus 10,1, I have not repeated this here. Ed.]
I believe the reason that the Torah changed the sequence of the words here was in order to conclude with the words עם טמאה, “with a contaminated woman,” in order to establish the conceptual linkage with the death of the sons of Aaron at the beginning of the next portion. The message is that the Israelites must be warned that unless they observe the laws legislated in our portion including separating themselves from their wives in anticipation of the menstrual cycle setting in, their children would be at risk. Tanchuma Acharey 6 quotes an opinion that the sons of Aaron died as they entered the Sanctuary in a state of ritual impurity not having purified themselves first. If that opinion is correct, the fact that our portion concludes with the words טמאה provides a conceptual link to the recapping of the death of the sons of Aaron in the following verse, the first in Parshat Acharey Mot. [Our author uses this verse to list all the various deficiencies the sons of Aaron have been accused of by the sages of the Midrash. Seeing this has been discussed at length in Leviticus 10,1, I have not repeated this here. Ed.]