ויקרא, פרק י״ח, פסוק כ״ט

After warning that widespread moral corruption will cause the land to expel the entire nation, the focus shifts to individual accountability. Even if society remains righteous and avoids exile, a private individual who commits sexual immorality faces severe consequences [ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר, רד״צ הופמן]. This applies particularly when human courts are powerless to intervene, such as when sins are committed in secret or without witnesses, leaving the judgment entirely in the hands of Heaven [אבן עזרא, רד״צ הופמן]. Furthermore, if the Canaanite nations faced divine retribution for these acts, the Israelites must certainly be vigilant in avoiding them [בכור שור].

The ultimate penalty for these transgressions is a specific form of spiritual excision. While some divine punishments result in a shortened physical life for a generally righteous person who retains their portion in the afterlife, and others involve the complete destruction of both body and soul for severe sins like idolatry, sexual immorality carries a uniquely profound spiritual consequence. A person who commits these acts, and whose sins outweigh their merits, might live a long, peaceful life in this world. However, after death, their soul is severed, losing its portion in the world of souls and the future resurrection [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק, צאינה וראינה, פרדס יוסף].

This spiritual excision does not mean absolute annihilation. Because the soul is an eternal divine spark, it cannot be completely erased. Instead, it is severed from its spiritual root and source, much like a branch cut from the tree that gives it life. It is condemned to distance and suffering rather than returning to its natural resting place beneath the Throne of Glory [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן]. Embedded within this severe warning is a profound assurance regarding the immortality of the soul. By stating that the sinful soul will be cut off from its people, it implicitly teaches that the innocent souls continue to exist peacefully in the afterlife. The Torah does not need to explicitly promise eternal life, as the eternal existence of the soul is its natural state; it merely warns the sinner of the danger of losing this rightful and natural existence [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי].

This severe consequence applies whether an individual violates every sexual prohibition or just a single one [אדרת אליהו, שפתי כהן]. The nature of these transgressions implies a person straying from the proper path, abandoning a permitted spouse in favor of forbidden relations [הדר זקנים]. Furthermore, grouping all sexual prohibitions together establishes a unified legal framework. For instance, just as a marriage cannot be legally contracted with a wife's sister, it is equally invalid with any forbidden relative. Similarly, just as the prohibition regarding a menstruating woman is violated from the very beginning of sexual contact, the same standard applies to all sexual prohibitions [תורה תמימה, רש״ר הירש].

Accountability for these transgressions falls equally on men and women. Although women might sometimes take a physically passive role in the act, they bear the exact same responsibility and face the identical punishment [רש״י, מזרחי, חזקוני, גור אריה, ועוד]. However, the ultimate penalty of spiritual excision is reserved exclusively for the completed act of forbidden intercourse. While physical intimacy such as hugging and kissing is strictly prohibited, it does not incur this specific heavenly punishment [תורה תמימה, אדרת אליהו]. Because this judgment is administered directly by Heaven, the consequence takes effect even if the sinner received no prior warning before committing the act [קיצור בעל הטורים].