Sifra 10.0.12

Kedoshim, Section 4

1) (Vayikra 20:2) ("And to the children of Israel you shall say: A man, a man, of the children of Israel, and of the stranger who sojourns in Israel, who gives of his seed to the Molech, he shall die; the people of the land shall stone him with a stone.") "And to the children of Israel you shall say": "And to the children of Israel you shall speak," "Say to the children of Israel," "Speak to the children of Israel," "Command the children of Israel," "And you command the children of Israel": R. Yossi says: The Torah spoke in the language of man, in many forms, and all require expounding: "Israel" — as stated; "stranger" — these are the proselytes; "who sojourns" — to include the wives of the proselytes. "in Israel" — to include women and servants.

2) If so, why is it written "a man, a man"? To include gentiles who cohabit with the arayoth of the nations (i.e., with those whom they consider arayoth), that they are to be punished according to the laws of the nations (i.e., by the sword); and who cohabited with the arayoth of Israel, that they are to be punished according to the laws of Israel.

3) who gives of his seed to the Molech": and not to other varieties (of idolatry). "who gives of his seed to the Molech": What is the intent of this? (i.e., Is it not already written (Vayikra 18:21) "And from your seed you shall not give, etc."?) (For) if from there, I might think that even if he (himself) passed (him through fire) and did not give him (to the priest of Molech to do so), he would be liable; it is, therefore, written (for emphasis) "who gives of his seed." I might think that even if he gave, but did not pass, he is still liable; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 18:21) "And from your seed you shall not give to pass to the Molech." I might think he would be liable even if he did not pass him through fire; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 18:10) "There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through fire" "passing"-"passing" for an identity (gezeirah shavah) — Just as "passing" here is for the Molech, so "passing" there; and just as "passing" there is through fire, so, "passing" here. In sum: There must be giving, and passing, through fire, to the Molech.

4) "he shall die": at the hands of beth-din. Whence is it derived that if beth-din lack the power to do so, the people of the land may assist them"? From "the people of the land shall stone him." Variantly: "the people of the land" — the people for whose sake the land was created. R. Gamliel says: the people who are destined to inherit the land by carrying out those things. "shall stone him" — unclad. "with a stone": If he dies through one stone, it sufficed.

5) (Vayikra 20:3) ("And I will set My face against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people; for of his seed he has given to the Molech, to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.") "And I will set My face (panai)": I will "free myself (poneh ani [similar to panai]) from all of My "affairs," and occupy Myself entirely with him. "against that man": and not against the congregation. "that man": and not one who is constrained, or unwitting, or mistaken. "and I will cut him off from the midst of his people": But his people will remain at peace.

6) "for of his seed he has given to the Molech": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Devarim 18:10) "There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through fire," I might think only his son or daughter. Whence do I derive (for inclusion) the daughter of his son and the son of his daughter? From "for of his seed he has given to the Molech."

7) This tells me only of kosher seed. Whence do I derive (the same) for seed that is pasul (such as a mamzer)? From (Vayikra 20:4) "when he gives of his seed to the Molech" — all seed.

8) (Vayikra 20:3): "to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name": We are hereby taught that he defiles the sanctuary, and desecrates the Name, and drives out the Shechinah, and causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land.

9) (Vayikra 20:4) ("And if the people of the land avert, they shall avert their eyes from that man when he gives of his seed to the Molech, not to kill him.") Whence is it derived that if they "avert" in one thing, they shall "avert" in many things? From "And if avert, they shall avert."

10) And whence is it derived that if one beth-din averts (its eyes), many batei-din are destined to do so? From "And if avert, they shall avert."

11) Whence is it derived that if the sanhedriyoth of Israel "avert," the Great Sanhedrin is destined to do so and they will forfeit the adjudication of capital offenses?

12) From "And if the people of the land avert, they shall avert." "not to kill him": in any manner that they choose (if they cannot do it as indicated here).

13) See 5) above. "and against his family": R. Shimon asked: How did his family sin? We are hereby taught that there is no family with a tax-gouger where all are not tax-gougers; where there is a thief, where all are not thieves — for they (support and) cover up for him.

14) (Vayikra 20:5) "And I shall cut off him": What is the intent of this (emphasis upon "him")? "He is to be cut off (kareth), and not his family, but they are to suffer afflictions.

15) "And I shall cut off him and all who stray after him to stray after the Molech": to include (as subject to kareth their serving) other idolatries (in one manner of the Molech service). "from the midst of their people": but their people remain at peace.