The Pursuit of Happiness

And the L-rd spoke to Moshe, saying:  Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: I am Hashem your Lord. 

Like the practice of the Land of Egypt, in which you dwelled, you shall not do, and like the practice of the

Land of Cana’an, to which I am bringing you, you shall not do, and you shall not follow their statutes. 

(Sefer VaYikra 18:1-3

We may not adopt the practices of the Egyptians and the nations of Cana’an

In the above passages Hashem admonishes Bnai Yisrael to not cling to the practices of the Egyptians or adopt those of the nations of Cana’an.  What are the specific practices to which Hashem refers? 

Nachmanides suggests that these passages are the introduction to the material that follows.  In the passages that follow, the Torah presents its system of sexual ethics.  It delineates the relationships that are identified as incest as well as other sexual prohibitions. He explains that the Egyptians and the nations who occupied the Land of Cana’an engaged in every form of debauchery, including incest and other forms of sexual perversion.  The above passages introduce the Torah’s discussion.  In this introduction Hashem admonishes Bnai Yisrael to not imitate the Egyptians and people of Cana’an.  After this introduction, the Torah enumerates the specific behaviors that are forbidden.

And you shall not give any of your offspring to pass through for Molech. And you shall not profane the

Name of your L-rd. I am Hashem. (Sefer VaYikra 18:21)

The practices of the worshipers of Molech

In the midst of its discussion of sexual ethics the Torah inserts an apparently unrelated prohibition. We are admonished against adopting the practices of the worshipers of Molech. The Torah does not describe the specific form of worship practiced by those serving Molech.  Rabbaynu Ovadia Sforno and others explain that Molech’s devotees sacrificed their own children to their idol.  It is strange that this prohibition is inserted into the Torah’s discussion of sexual ethics.  The practice of the worshipers of Molech was depraved, but it seems unrelated to the sexual perversions among which the practice is included.  The Torah’s reason for inserting its condemnation of the worship of Molech within its presentation of sexual ethics will become clearer after we consider another passage from our parasha.

You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live by them. I am Hashem.

(Sefer VaYikra 18:5)

Sanctifying the name of Hashem

As noted above, the Torah’s presentation of sexual ethics is preceded by an introduction.  In this introduction, we are admonished against adopting the practices of the people of Egypt and Cana’an.  The above passage concludes the introduction and is immediately followed an enumeration of the various relationships that the Torah identifies as incest.  We are told to adopt the laws of the Torah and that we shall live by them.  Unkelus understands this to mean that through our observance of the Torah’s mitzvot we will merit the afterlife. However, our Sages suggest that the passage has an additional interpretation.  Maimonides presents this interpretation in his Mishne Torah in discussing the obligation to sanctify the name of Hashem. 

An overview of this mitzvah is provided by Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot.  He explains that we are commanded to demonstrate our commitment to the truth of the Torah to the entire world.  This commandment requires that under certain circumstances we even sacrifice our lives.

In his Mishne Torah Maimonides deals with this mitzvah in more detail.  He describes the specific circumstances in which one is required to sacrifice one’s life.  He presents the Sages’ interpretation of our passage in his opening comments.  He explains that we are commanded to sanctify Hashem’s name.  Then, he describes how one fulfills this obligation.  One who is threatened with harm or even death if he or she does not violate one of the Torah’s commandments, should violate the commandment, rather than sacrifice one’s life.  Our Sages understood this message to be communicated by our passage.  The passage is telling us to live by the laws of the Torah and not to die for them.  Maimonides then continues to explain that there are exceptions to this principle.  Indeed, there are circumstances in which one is required to sanctify the name of Hashem by sacrificing one’s life.