Pisqa’ 260290H:258;JN2:189-190. 1. “No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute”291Heb: qedeishah; literally, “one set apart: root, q-d-sh.” Usually used in relation to cultic prostitution. The male form is qadeish. (Dt.23:18)— but, you are not cautioned about them among the gentile nations. “Neither shall a son of Israel become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)— but, you are not cautioned about them among the gentile nations.2. Now, it might have been reasonable to argue: Just as in the lesser sin of the female prostitute, you are cautioned to avoid them among Israel, so, too, in the more severe sin of the male prostitute, isn’t it only logical that you be cautioned to keep away from them among Israel? Perhaps we can reverse the reasoning? If, in a case of the severe sin of the male prostitute, you are not warned to avoid them among the gentile nations, so, too, in the lesser sin of the female prostitution, isn’t it only logical that you should not be warned to avoid them among the gentile nations?3. What does the Teaching say about this? “A male prostitute” (Dt.23:18)— [since female prostitution is common, while male prostitution is rare,] this distinction is necessary. For had it only stated: “A female prostitute” (Dt.23:18), but not “a male prostitute,” I might have thought: If, in the case of the lesser sin of the female prostitute, you are cautioned to avoid them among Israel, so, too, in the severe sin of the male prostitute, isn’t it only logical that you should be cautioned to avoid them among the gentile nations? The Teaching states: “No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)— thus you are not cautioned regarding the gentile nations! “Neither shall a son of Israel make prostitution his calling” (Dt.23:18)— thus you are not cautioned about the gentile nations!
Another word: “No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)— the referent of this warning is open-ended, as it is said: “There was no female prostitute here” (Gn.38:21).292This brief unit appears in only a few textual witnesses. See F:283, n.8.
(דברים כג יח) לֹא תִהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה מִבְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִי אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלֶיהָ בָּאֻמּוֹת. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ אִי אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלָיו בָּאֻמּוֹת. שֶׁהָיָה בַדִּין: וּמָה אִם קְדֵשָׁה קַלָּה אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלֶיהָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, קָדֵשׁ חָמוּר אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁתְּהֵא מֻזְהָר עָלָיו בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל? אוֹ חִלּוּף: אִם קָדֵשׁ חָמוּר אִי אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלָיו בָּאֻמּוֹת, קְדֵשָׁה קַלָּה אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא מֻזְהָר עָלֶיהָ בָּאֻמּוֹת? מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר קָדֵשׁ? צָרִיךְ לְאָמְרוֹ, שֶׁאִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר קְדֵשָׁה וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר קָדֵשׁ, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר: אִם קְדֵשָׁה קַלָּה אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלֶיהָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, קָדֵשׁ חָמוּר אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁתְּהֵא מֻזְהָר עָלָיו בָּאֻמּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תִהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה מִבְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִי אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלֶיהָ בָּאֻמּוֹת, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ, אִי אַתָּה מֻזְהָר עָלָיו בָּאֻמּוֹת.
Pisqa’ 260290H:258;JN2:189-190.
1. “No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute”291Heb: qedeishah; literally, “one set apart: root, q-d-sh.” Usually used in relation to cultic prostitution. The male form is qadeish. (Dt.23:18)—
but, you are not cautioned about
them among the gentile nations.
“Neither shall a son of Israel become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)—
but, you are not cautioned about
them among the gentile nations.2. Now, it might have been reasonable to argue:
Just as in the lesser sin of the female prostitute,
you are cautioned to avoid them among Israel,
so, too, in the more severe sin of the male prostitute,
isn’t it only logical that you be cautioned to keep away
from them among Israel?
Perhaps we can reverse the reasoning?
If, in a case of the severe sin of the male prostitute,
you are not warned to avoid them among the gentile nations,
so, too, in the lesser sin of the female prostitution,
isn’t it only logical that
you should not be warned to avoid them among the gentile nations?3. What does the Teaching say about this?
“A male prostitute” (Dt.23:18)—
[since female prostitution is common,
while male prostitution is rare,]
this distinction is necessary.
For had it only stated:
“A female prostitute” (Dt.23:18),
but not “a male prostitute,”
I might have thought:
If, in the case of the lesser sin of the female prostitute,
you are cautioned to avoid them among Israel,
so, too, in the severe sin of the male prostitute,
isn’t it only logical that
you should be cautioned to avoid
them among the gentile nations?
The Teaching states:
“No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)—
thus you are not cautioned regarding the gentile nations!
“Neither shall a son of Israel make prostitution his calling” (Dt.23:18)—
thus you are not cautioned about the gentile nations!
[דָּבָר אַחֵר לֹא תִהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה] זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לַמֻּפְנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לח כא): ״לֹא הָיְתָה בָזֶה קְדֵשָׁה״.
Another word:
“No daughter of Israel shall become a prostitute” (Dt.23:18)—
the referent of this warning is open-ended,
as it is said:
“There was no female prostitute here” (Gn.38:21).292This brief unit appears in only a few textual witnesses. See F:283, n.8.