Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 21:15/רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״א:ט״ו
אוְלֹא יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ בְּעַמָּיו הָא אִם נָשָׂא אַחַת מִן הַפְּסוּלוֹת - זַרְעוֹ מִמֶּנָּה חָלָל מִדִּין קְדֻשַּׁת כְּהֻנָּה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא כ"א:ט"ו). פֵּרְשׁוֹ הָרַב לִשְׁלִילוּת בִּלְבַד, אֶת אֵלֶּה לֹא יִקָּח שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ. וְעַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (קידושין עח) הוּא לָאו שֵׁנִי, וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ, קִדֵּשׁ וּבָעַל - לוֹקֶה שְׁתַּיִם, אַחַת מִשּׁוּם "לֹא יִקָּח" וְאַחַת מִשּׁוּם "לֹא יְחַלֵּל". וְאָמְרוּ, בָּעַל וְלֹא קִדֵּשׁ - לוֹקֶה מִשּׁוּם "לֹא יְחַלֵּל". וְהִנֵּה הֵם שְׁנֵי לָאוִין, וְנִדְרָשׁ לָהֶם גַּם כֵּן כְּטַעַם קִדֵּשׁ וְלֹא בָּעַל אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, מָה טַעַם לֹא יִקַּח, מִשּׁוּם לֹא יְחַלֵּל. אִם כֵּן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ - אֶת אֵלֶּה לֹא יִקָּח כִּי אֲנִי מַזְהִירוֹ בְּלֹא יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ. וּמֵאֵלֵינוּ נִלְמֹד שֶׁהַזֶּרַע מִן הַפְּסוּלוֹת הוּא מְחֻלָּל:
1AND HE SHALL NOT PROFANE HIS SEED AMONG HIS PEOPLE. “Thus if he married one of these women who are disqualified for him, his offspring from her becomes profaned [i.e., disqualified] from the law of the sanctity of the priesthood.” This is Rashi’s language.The Rabbi [Rashi] thus explained the verse [before us] as a mere negation, meaning: “these shall he not take in order that he profane not his offspring.” But in the opinion of our Rabbis, this constitutes a second negative commandment. Thus they have said:54 “If [a High Priest or a common priest] betrothed and had intercourse with one of the women disqualified to him, he is subject to two penalties of whipping, once on account of he shall not take, and again on account of he shall not profane.” And the Rabbis have also said there: “If he has intercourse without betrothal, he is liable to whipping on account of he shall not profane.” Thus it is clear that these are two negative commandments. They have also explained there the reason why, for [mere] betrothal without [subsequent] intercourse, he is not liable to whipping, because [Scripture says: he shall not take … he shall not profane, meaning:] Why must he not take [her as his wife]? “In order that he may not profane” [his offspring, and therefore if the marriage was not consummated, and he can have no offspring from her, he is not liable merely for the betrothal]. If so, the meaning of the expression, these shall he not take, is “because I [the Eternal] admonish him against profaning his seed,” and from this statement we ourselves deduce that his offspring from one of the disqualified women is profaned, [rendered unfit for the priesthood].