Sunday, November 16, 2025

Seder 92: Understanding the Case in Leviticus 19:20-22

 A number of the legal cases presented in the Torah are challenging for today's readers, since they were presented to a culture much different from ours.  

One example is the case given in Leviticus 19:20-22.  Commentator Jay Sklar gives a possible explanation for the scenario under discussion.  

Sklar proposes that the master in this case has promised a slave woman to another man in marriage.  But before the betrothal is finalized, the man has sexual relations with the slave woman.  This scenario would be rather similar to the one in Deuteronomy 22:28-29, since the woman is not yet betrothed at this point.  The Deuteronomy passage suggests that the master should marry the slave woman if she consents to the marriage.  

The master has also broken his promise to the other man, a promise that may have been made with an oath.  So the master brings a guilt/reparation offering because of the broken promise.

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Seder 92: Understanding the Case in Leviticus 19:20-22

 A number of the legal cases presented in the Torah are challenging for today's readers, since they were presented to a culture much dif...