1A man with maimed testicles or a severed member who married a native-born Jewess and engaged in marital relations is punished by lashes, as Deuteronomy 23:2 states: “A person with maimed testicles or a severed member may not enter the congregation of God.”אפְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה שֶׁנָּשְׂאוּ בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבָעֲלוּ - לוֹקִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא יָבֹא פְצוּעַ דַּכָּא וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה בִּקְהַל ה'" (דברים כג, ב).
Such a man may marry a female convert or a freed maid-servant. Even a priest with maimed testicles may marry a female convert or a freed maid-servant, because the holiness of the priesthood does not rest upon him. He is permitted to marry even a female netin or a woman whose status is in doubt.וּמֻתָּרִין לִשָּׂא גִּיּוֹרֶת וּמְשֻׁחְרֶרֶת. וְאַפִלּוּ כּוֹהֵן שֶׁהוּא פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא - מֻתָּר לִשָּׂא גִּיּוֹרֶת וּמְשֻׁחְרֶרֶת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ. וְאַפִלּוּ נְתִינָה אוֹ אַחַת מִן הַסְּפֵקוֹת מֻתֶּרֶת לוֹ.
2Since a man with a maimed organ is forbidden to marry among the Jewish people, our Sages did not decree against his marrying a female netin or a woman whose status is in doubt. A man with maimed testicles or a severed member is, however, forbidden to marry a female mamzer whose status is definite, because this prohibition is of Scriptural origin.בהוֹאִיל וּפְצוּעַ דַּכָּא אָסוּר לָבוֹא בַּקָּהָל, לֹא גָזְרוּ בּוֹ עַל הַנְּתִינִים וְלֹא עַל הַסְּפֵקוֹת. אֲבָל פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה אָסוּר בְּמַמְזֶרֶת וַדָּאִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי אִסּוּרָהּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
3What is meant by maimed testicles? Anyone whose testicles have been wounded. What is meant by a severed member? Anyone whose shaft has been cut off. There are three organs that allow for a male to procreate: the shaft, the testicles, and the tract in which the seed develops. If one of these three was wounded, severed or crushed, the man is disqualified. גוְאֵיזֶה הוּא פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא? כָּל שֶׁנִּפְצְעוּ הַבֵּיצִים שֶׁלּוֹ. וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה? כָּל שֶׁנִּכְרַת הַגִּיד שֶׁלּוֹ. וּבִשְׁלוֹשָׁה אֵבָרִין אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיּוֹלִיד הַזָּכָר - בַּגִּיד, וּבַבֵּיצִים, וּבַשָּׁבִילִין שֶׁבָּהֶן תִּתְבַּשֵׁל שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, וְהֵן הַנִּקְרָאִין 'חוּטֵי בֵּיצִים'. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּפְצַע אֶחָד מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה אֵבָרִין אֵלּוּ, אוֹ נִכְרַת, אוֹ נִדּוֹךְ - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּסוּל.
4What is implied? If the shaft is wounded, crushed, or cut off from the corona or above the corona, he is disqualified.דכֵּיצַד? נִפְצַע הַגִּיד אוֹ נִדּוֹךְ, אוֹ שֶׁנִּכְרְתָה הָעֲטָרָה אוֹ לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲטָרָה - פָּסוּל.
If a portion at the top of the corona is cut off, but even a hairsbreadth of the corona remains which surrounds the entire shaft, he is acceptable.וְאִם נִכְרַת מֵרֹאשׁ הָעֲטָרָה, וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּר מִמֶּנָּה אַפִלּוּ כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה מֻקָּף לְכָל הַגִּיד - הֲרֵי זֶה כָּשֵׁר.
If the shaft was cut like a pen is sharpened or like a funnel above the corona, he is acceptable. נִכְרַת הַגִּיד לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲטָרָה כְּקֻלְמוֹס אוֹ כְּמַרְזֵב - כָּשֵׁר.
5If the shaft is perforated below the corona, he is acceptable.הנִקַּב לְמַטָּה מֵעֲטָרָה, כָּשֵׁר.
The following rules apply if the corona itself is perforated. If when the person has a seminal emmission, seed emerges from the hole, he is unacceptable. If the hole becomes closed, he returns to acceptable status.נִקְּבָה הָעֲטָרָה עַצְמָהּ - אִם כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה קֶרִי תֵּצֵא שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע מִן הַנֶּקֶב, פָּסוּל. נִסְתַּם הַנֶּקֶב, חָזַר לְהֶכְשֵׁרוֹ.
If the shaft is perforated below the corona when the portion above is in the midst of corona, he is disqualified. For the entire corona must be intact for the person to be acceptable.נִקַּב לְמַטָּה מֵעֲטָרָה שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְמַעְלָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֲטָרָה, פָּסוּל; שֶׁהָעֲטָרָה כֻּלָּהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת.
6If the seminal tract becomes obstructed and the seed emerges from the urinary tract, he is unacceptable.ונִסְתַּם שְׁבִיל שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, וְחָזַר לִרְאוֹת שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע מִשְּׁבִיל שֶׁמַּשְׁתִּין בּוֹ - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּסוּל.
7If both or one of the testicles were severed, wounded, or crushed or one was lacking or pierced by a hole, he is unacceptable.זנִכְרְתוּ הַבֵּיצִים, אוֹ אֶחָד מֵהֶן, אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְצְעָה אַחַת מֵהֶן, אוֹ שֶׁנִּדּוֹכָה, אוֹ שֶׁחָסְרָה, אוֹ שֶׁנִּקְּבָה - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּסוּל.
If both or one of the seminal tracts are severed, crushed, or wounded, he is unacceptable.נִכְרְתוּ חוּטֵי הַבֵּיצִים, אוֹ אֶחָד מֵהֶן, אוֹ שֶׁנִּדּוֹךְ, אוֹ נִפְצַע - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּסוּל.
8If one of the seminal tracts was perforated into the urinary tract and the person urinates from two sources - the seminal tract and the urinary tract - he is acceptable. חנִקַּב חוּט מִחוּטֵי הַבֵּיצִים לְשְׁבִיל מֵי רַגְלַיִם, וַהֲרֵי הוּא מַטִּיל מַיִם מִשְּׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת, מִשְּׁבִיל הַמַּיִם וּמִשְּׁבִיל שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע - הֲרֵי זֶה כָּשֵׁר.
9Whenever we have used the term “unacceptable” in this context, the implication is that the malady was not caused by the hand of heaven, e.g., his testicles were severed by a man or a dog, he was struck by a sharp end, or the like.טכָּל פְּסוּל שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, בְּשֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם - כְּגוֹן שֶׁכְּרָתוֹ אָדָם אוֹ כֶּלֶב, אוֹ הִכָּהוּ קוֹץ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ.
If, however, he was born with maimed testicles or a severed member, or without testicles, he became ill because of a bodily ailment and these organs ceased to function, or an ulcer arose in them that caused them to waste away or be severed, he is permitted to marry among the Jewish people. For all of these blemishes are caused by the hand of heaven.אֲבָל אִם נֹלַּד כְּרוּת שָׁפְכָה, אוֹ פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא, אוֹ שֶׁנֹּלַּד בְּלֹא בֵּיצִים, אוֹ שֶׁחָלָה מֵחֲמַת גּוּפוֹ וּבָטְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אֵבָרִים אֵלּוּ, אוֹ שֶׁנֹּלַּד בָּהֶם שְׁחִין וְהִמְסָה אוֹתָן אוֹ כְּרָתָן - הֲרֵי זֶה כָּשֵׁר לָבוֹא בַּקָּהָל, שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם.
10It is forbidden to destroy a male’s reproductive organs. This applies to humans and also to animals, beasts, and fowl, both from a kosher species and from a non-kosher species, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Diaspora.יאָסוּר לְהַפְסִיד אֵבָרֵי הַזֶּרַע - בֵּין בָּאָדָם בֵּין בִּבְהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף, אֶחָד טְמֵאִים וְאֶחָד טְהוֹרִים, בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.
Although Leviticus 22:24 states: “And you shall not do this in your land,” According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this prohibition is applicable in every place. The verse teaches that one should not act in this manner among the Jewish people, not with their own bodies, nor with the bodies of others.אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְאַרְצְכֶם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ" (ויקרא כב, כד), מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁדָּבָר זֶה נוֹהֵג בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְעִנְיַן הַכָּתוּב, לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה זֹאת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין בְּגוּפָן בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹת אֲחֵרִים.
Whoever castrates a person or an animal should be lashed according to Scriptural Law everywhere. Even a person who castrates a person who has been castrated should be lashed.וְכָל הַמְּסָרֵס - לוֹקֶה מִן הַתּוֹרָה, בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְאַפִלּוּ מְסָרֵס אַחַר הַמְּסָרֵס, לוֹקֶה.
11What is implied? One came and severed a person’s member, another cut off or pulled away his testicles and a third cut his seminal tract; all receive lashes. Similarly, if one crushed a person’s member, another pulled it away, and a third cut it off, all receive lashes. This applies although the last person castrated a person - or an animal, beast, or fowl - who had already been castrated. יאכֵּיצַד? הֲרֵי שֶׁבָּא וְכָרַת אֶת הַגִּיד, וּבָא אַחֵר וְכָרַת אֶת הַבֵּיצִים אוֹ נִתְּקָן, וּבָא אַחֵר וְכָרַת אֶת חוּטֵי הַבֵּיצִים, אוֹ שֶׁבָּא אַחֵר וּמִעַךְ אֶת הַגִּיד, וּבָא אַחֵר וְנִתְּקוֹ, וּבָא אַחֵר וּכְרָתוֹ - כֻּלָּן לוֹקִין, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא סֵרַס הָאַחֲרוֹן אֶלָא מְסֹרָס. בֵּין בָּאָדָם, בֵּין בִּבְהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף.
A person who castrates a female - whether a human or other species - is not liable. וְהַמְּסָרֵס אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה, בֵּין בָּאָדָם בֵּין בִּשְׁאָר מִינִים - פָּטוּר.
12It is forbidden to have a man or a male of another species drink a potion that causes him to lose his potency. Lashes are not given, however.יבהַמַּשְׁקֶה עִיקָרִין לָאָדָם אוֹ לִשְׁאָר מִינִים, כְּדֵי לְסָרְסוֹ - הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו.
A woman is permitted to drink a potion to cause her to lose her potency so that she will not conceive.וְאִשָּׁה מֻתֶּרֶת לִשְׁתּוֹת עִיקָרִין שֶׁמְּסָרְסִין אוֹתָהּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא תֵלֵד.
If a person bound a man and set a dog or other animal upon him until his sexual organs were maimed or he made him sit in water or snow until his sexual organs lost their potency, he is not given lashes unless he castrates him by hand. It is, however, fitting to subject him to stripes for rebellious conduct. הֲרֵי שֶׁכָּפָה אֶת הָאָדָם וְשִׁסָּה בּוֹ כֶּלֶב אוֹ שְׁאָר חַיּוֹת עַד שֶׁעָשָׂהוּ כְּרוּת שָׁפְכָה, אוֹ שֶׁהוֹשִׁיבוֹ בַּמַּיִם אוֹ בַּשֶּׁלֶג עַד שֶׁבִּטֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ אֵבָרֵי תַּשְׁמִישׁ - אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, עַד שֶׁיְּסָרֵס בְּיָדוֹ. וְרָאוּי לְהַכּוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת.
13It is forbidden to tell a gentile to castrate one of our animals. If the gentile took the animal and castrated it on his own initiative, it is permitted. יגאָסוּר לוֹמַר לַגּוֹי לְסָרֵס בְּהֵמָה שֶׁלָּנּוּ. וְאִם לְקָחָהּ הַגּוֹי מֵעַצְמוֹ לְסָרֵס אוֹתָהּ, מֻתָּר.
If a Jew acts deceitfully in this context, he should be punished and required to sell the animal to another Jew. He may sell it to his son who is past majority, but not to his son who is below majority, nor may he give it to him. וְאִם הֶעְרִים יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּדָבָר זֶה, קוֹנְסִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹכְרָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֵר. וְאַפִלּוּ לִבְנוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, מֻתָּר לְמָכְרָהּ. אֲבָל לִבְנוֹ הַקָּטָן, אֵינוֹ מוֹכְרָהּ וְלֹא נוֹתְנָהּ לוֹ.