Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Leviticus 18:30/ספורנו על ויקרא י״ח:ל׳

אוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת מִשְׁמַרְתִּי, לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת מֵחֻקּוֹת הַתּוֹעֵבֹת. שִׁמְרוּ גַּם אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁצִּוֵּיתִי לִשְׁמִירָה וְגָדֵר, שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּשְׁלוּ בְּכָל אֵלֶּה, כְּמוֹ אִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָלוֹת וְטֻמְאַת נִדָּה וְזָבָה וְיוֹלֶדֶת וְזוּלָתָם, וּבָזֶה הָאֹפֶן לֹא תִטַּמְּאוּ בָהֶם.
1ושמרתם את משמרתי לבלתי עשות מחקות התועבות, observe also the legislation which is in the nature of a protective fence against the major sin of indulging in actual sexual relations with the forbidden partners. Just as the legislation governing menstrual laws, eating of forbidden foods, sleeping with a woman ritually impure after giving birth, etc., have all been surrounded with what our sages call a סיג, “protective fence,” this legislation too has such a protective fence which must not be ignored except at your peril. The overriding consideration is לא תטמאו בהם, “do not become spiritually contaminated by ignoring these laws.”