[ר' יהושע דסכנין בשם ר' לוי אמר, ד' דברים יצר הרע משיב עליהן, ובכולם כתיב בה חוקה, ואלו הן, ערות אשת אח, וכלאים, ושעיר המשתלח, ופרה.
[R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: There are four precepts that the evil drive would refute <as irrational>, and for each of them is written <the word,> huqqah (i.e., an unquestioned statute).116Although Huqqah is normally translated simply as “statute,” the word more fully denotes the a command that demands implicit and unquestioned obedience. Huqqah is therefore translated “unquestioned statute” throughout this section. Now these concern the following: (1) The nakedness of a brother's wife, (2) diverse kinds, (3) the scapegoat, and (4) the <red> heifer>.117Tanh., Numb. 6:7; PRK 4:6; PR 14:12; Numb. R. 19:5; see Yoma 67b.
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ערות אשת אח מנין, דכתיב ערות אשת אחיך לא תגלה (ויקרא יח טז), וכתיב יבמה יבא עליה (דברים כה ה), בחיים אסורה, מת בלא בנים מותרת לו, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב ושמרתם את [כל] חקותי (ויקרא כ כב), כלאים מנין, דכתיב לא תלבש שעטנז (דברים כב יא), וסדין בציצית מותר, וכתוב בה חוקה, דכתיב את חקותי תשמרו בהמתך לא תרביע כלאים וגו' [ובגד כלאים שעטנז לא יעלה עליך] (ויקרא י טיט), שעיר המשתלח מנין, דכתיב והמשלח את השעיר לעזאזל וגו' (שם טז כו). והוא עצמו מכפר על אחרים, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב בה, והיתה זאת לכם לחוקת עולם (שם יט לד), פרה מנין, דתנינן תמן כל העוסקים בפרה מתחלה ועד סוף מטמאים בגדים, והיא עצמה מטהרת טמאין, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב זאת חקת התורה].
In regard to the nakedness of a brother's wife, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Lev. 18:16): YOU SHALL NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR BROTHER's WIFE; yet it is written (in Deut. 25:5): HER BROTHER-IN-LAW SHALL HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HER <AND TAKE HER FOR A WIFE>. During <her husband's> lifetime, she is forbidden; <but> upon <his> death with no children, she is permitted to <a brother-in-law>. Moreover, for <this commandment> it is written <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 20:22): AND YOU SHALL KEEP [ALL] MY UNQUESTIONED STATUTES.
In regard to diverse kinds, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Deut. 22:11): AND YOU SHALL NOT WEAR INTERWOVEN STUFF, <WOOL AND FLAX TOGETHER>; yet a linen cloak118Gk.: sindon. with <wool> tassels is permitted.119See Numb. 15:37-38. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 19:19): YOU SHALL KEEP MY UNQUESTIONED STATUTE. YOU SHALL NOT MATE YOUR CATTLE WITH A DIFFERENT KIND…, [NOR SHALL YOU WEAR A GARMENT WITH DIVERSE KINDS OF INTERWOVEN STUFF].
In regard to the scapegoat, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Lev. 16:26): AND THE ONE WHO SETS THE AZAZEL-GOAT FREE <SHALL WASH HIS CLOTHES, BATHE HIS FLESH IN WATER, AND AFTER THAT MAY COME INTO THE CAMP>; yet it is <the goat> itself that atones for others. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 16:34): AND THIS SHALL BE TO YOU AN UNQUESTIONED STATUTE FOREVER.
In regard to the <red> heifer, where is it shown? There where we are taught (in Parah 4:4): ALL ENGAGED WITH THE <RITE OF THE RED> HEIFER FROM BEGINNING TO END RENDER <THEIR> GARMENTS UNCLEAN; yet it is <the heifer> itself that purifies <what is> unclean. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2): THIS IS AN UNQUESTIONED STATUTE OF THE TORAH.
[ר' יהושע דסכנין בשם ר' לוי אמר, ד' דברים יצר הרע משיב עליהן, ובכולם כתיב בה חוקה, ואלו הן, ערות אשת אח, וכלאים, ושעיר המשתלח, ופרה.
[R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: There are four precepts that the evil drive would refute <as irrational>, and for each of them is written <the word,> huqqah (i.e., an unquestioned statute).116Although Huqqah is normally translated simply as “statute,” the word more fully denotes the a command that demands implicit and unquestioned obedience. Huqqah is therefore translated “unquestioned statute” throughout this section. Now these concern the following: (1) The nakedness of a brother's wife, (2) diverse kinds, (3) the scapegoat, and (4) the <red> heifer>.117Tanh., Numb. 6:7; PRK 4:6; PR 14:12; Numb. R. 19:5; see Yoma 67b.
ערות אשת אח מנין, דכתיב ערות אשת אחיך לא תגלה (ויקרא יח טז), וכתיב יבמה יבא עליה (דברים כה ה), בחיים אסורה, מת בלא בנים מותרת לו, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב ושמרתם את [כל] חקותי (ויקרא כ כב),
כלאים מנין, דכתיב לא תלבש שעטנז (דברים כב יא), וסדין בציצית מותר, וכתוב בה חוקה, דכתיב את חקותי תשמרו בהמתך לא תרביע כלאים וגו' [ובגד כלאים שעטנז לא יעלה עליך] (ויקרא י טיט),
שעיר המשתלח מנין, דכתיב והמשלח את השעיר לעזאזל וגו' (שם טז כו). והוא עצמו מכפר על אחרים, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב בה, והיתה זאת לכם לחוקת עולם (שם יט לד),
פרה מנין, דתנינן תמן כל העוסקים בפרה מתחלה ועד סוף מטמאים בגדים, והיא עצמה מטהרת טמאין, וכתיב בה חוקה, דכתיב זאת חקת התורה].
In regard to the nakedness of a brother's wife, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Lev. 18:16): YOU SHALL NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR BROTHER's WIFE; yet it is written (in Deut. 25:5): HER BROTHER-IN-LAW SHALL HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HER <AND TAKE HER FOR A WIFE>. During <her husband's> lifetime, she is forbidden; <but> upon <his> death with no children, she is permitted to <a brother-in-law>. Moreover, for <this commandment> it is written <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 20:22): AND YOU SHALL KEEP [ALL] MY UNQUESTIONED STATUTES.
In regard to diverse kinds, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Deut. 22:11): AND YOU SHALL NOT WEAR INTERWOVEN STUFF, <WOOL AND FLAX TOGETHER>; yet a linen cloak118Gk.: sindon. with <wool> tassels is permitted.119See Numb. 15:37-38. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 19:19): YOU SHALL KEEP MY UNQUESTIONED STATUTE. YOU SHALL NOT MATE YOUR CATTLE WITH A DIFFERENT KIND…, [NOR SHALL YOU WEAR A GARMENT WITH DIVERSE KINDS OF INTERWOVEN STUFF].
In regard to the scapegoat, where is it shown? Where it is written (in Lev. 16:26): AND THE ONE WHO SETS THE AZAZEL-GOAT FREE <SHALL WASH HIS CLOTHES, BATHE HIS FLESH IN WATER, AND AFTER THAT MAY COME INTO THE CAMP>; yet it is <the goat> itself that atones for others. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Lev. 16:34): AND THIS SHALL BE TO YOU AN UNQUESTIONED STATUTE FOREVER.
In regard to the <red> heifer, where is it shown? There where we are taught (in Parah 4:4): ALL ENGAGED WITH THE <RITE OF THE RED> HEIFER FROM BEGINNING TO END RENDER <THEIR> GARMENTS UNCLEAN; yet it is <the heifer> itself that purifies <what is> unclean. Moreover, for <this commandment also> it is written, <that it is> an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2): THIS IS AN UNQUESTIONED STATUTE OF THE TORAH.