LEV188 Offerings shall not be slaughtered outside of the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash. Hashem fixed one place where His nation would bring offerings and have their hearts particularly stirred to serve Him with devotion. Once designated, this place’s holiness and importance would inspire great fear of Heaven, so that more than anywhere else, people who would enter there would be influenced to the good. When bringing offerings there, people’s hard hearts would be softened and humbled to the Divine Will. There would be readiness to fully accept the Kingdom of Heaven, and for these reasons those who sinned would be able to gain complete atonement there. If someone brings an offering elsewhere, “it is considered as if he shed blood.” Hashem does not allow mankind to slaughter animals except for the sake of atonement for sin, or for the sake of food, medicinal purposes or other essential needs. On the other hand, to kill an animal for no reason is sinful destruction. Someone who does so is guilty of “shedding blood.” The same applies to someone who slaughters an offering outside of the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash. His act serves no constructive purpose and his punishment is kares, “cutting off” of the soul.

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LEV192 Cover the blood of ritually slaughtered fowl and wild beasts. A live being’s soul resides in its blood, as noted above (See [[LEV80]] Leviticus 7:26 blood CHINUCH 101-2). Accordingly, before a creature's meat, which is its body, is eaten, it is fitting to cover and conceal its soul--its blood. If we were to eat the flesh while the soul is strewn before us, it might incline us towards the negative treat of cruelty. One wonders why we are not commanded to cover the blood of domesticated animals after we slaughter them. The reason is that blood of these species is brought upon the Altar to achieve atonement for ourselves. For this reason, this blood cannot be covered. [Although the blood of some types of birds, too, serves for atonement on the Altar, these types represent a small minority of birds so the Torah, which rules according to the majority, requires that this blood, too, be covered after ritual slaughter].

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LEV233 One shall not uncover the nakedness of one's mother. The Rambam explained that the Torah prohibits murder relations with relatives because the male regularly finds himself in close proximity to these women so the danger that he will stumble is increased. Another reason why the Torah forbids a man his female relatives is in order that he will not have the audacity to even think of having relations with a woman that he is expected to respect. At the basis of these prohibitions, adds the Ramban, are the deep secrets of Creation.

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LEV234 One shall not uncover the nakedness of one's father's wife, despite that she is not one's mother. As explained in [See [[LEV233]] Leviticus 18:7 nakedness CHINUCH 131], regarding forbidden relations with close relatives. In addition, in this instance, the son shames and disgraces his father, whom the son is obligated to honor. Benefits of honoring one's father have already been noted (See [[EXOD421]] Exodus 20:12 honor CHINUCH 26-7).

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LEV237 One shall not have had two sisters as his wife if both are living. Key concept: [See [[LEV233]] Leviticus 18:7 nakedness CHINUCH 131]. In addition, the Torah prohibits a man to marry two sisters because Hashem, the Master of Peace, wants His creations to live in peace, especially those who logically should enjoy a peaceful relationship with one another. Nothing should be done to cause sisters to always be competing and quarreling with one another.

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LEV239 One shall not have relations with a woman in niddah. (See [[LEV129]] Leviticus 12:2 unclean CHINUCH 113-4). The basic idea is that Hashem wants his holy nation to distance itself from all impurity, unpleasantness and damage.

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LEV246 Do not commit sodomy. Hashem wants the world to be populated. For a man to lie carnally with another man runs counter to this goal, for such results in the destruction of the male seed and serves no positive purpose whatsoever. Hashem forbids this act also because it is perverted, vile and disgusting in His eyes, as it is in the eyes of anyone who has any sense. Each of us is created to serve Him and a person should not degrade himself with such a vile and ugly deed.

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LEV258 No man shall engage in bestiality. Hashem wants all of his creatures to reproduce only with their own kind. Since such is His will, there can be no blessing in anything that runs counter to this idea. Accordingly, offspring that result from crossbreeding are never able to reproduce. All the more mankind, the most superior species, cannot mix with the low world of beasts and animals.

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LEV292 A man shall fear his mother and father. (See [[EXOD421]] Exodus 20:12 honor CHINUCH 26-7)

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LEV323 Leave pe’ah (an unharvested corner of the field for the sake of the poor). Hashem wants His Chosen People to be crowned with every admirable trait and quality. He wants them to be generous and giving so that their souls are blessed. There is no doubt that when a man does not harvest a corner of his field and allows the poor to take freely of what grows there, the act positively influences his soul and helps to make him kind hearted. As a result, the blessings of Hashem will abide in him. He will be satisfied with Hashem's goodness and his soul will be glad. On the other hand, when a man harvests his entire crop and brings it all into his house--when the poor saw it when it was ripe and desired it to quell their hunger but he left none of it for them--he shows a selfish spirit and unfeeling heart. He surely invites evil upon himself.

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