DEUT1205 A mamzer shall not marry a Jewish woman. Any child born of an impure, sinful union will be evil and wayward, for a father's nature is passed down to his children. Owing to our nation's holiness, our Father in Heaven, Who seeks our good, keeps such people at a distance from us, just as He distances us from all other negative and harmful elements.

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DEUT1211 No man of the nations of Amon or Moav may enter Hashem's congregation. Jewish women are not allowed to marry men of the nations of Amon or Moav, even if the men are converts to Judaism. On the other hand, Jewish men are allowed to marry women of these nations, provided that the women have converted. The reason for the distinction is that when our forefathers approached the Holy Land after the forty-year sojourn in the desert, no one from the nations of Amon or Moav came out to offer them bread or water. Guilt for this offense rests only with the men, for it is the way of women to remain at home. Key concept: The Torah explains, “Because they did not come forward to offer you bread or water.” Here, the Holy Torah informs us of the great value of the trait of kindness, and the great shamefulness of the trait of stinginess. By shunning the men of Amon and Moav, we stir ourselves to despise stinginess and heartlessness. We publicize to the world the great sin that was committed when the men of these nations ignored millions of weary travelers and failed to offer them either bread or water. What is more, the men of these nations hired Bilaam to curse our nation. As to why Hashem did not command as similarly regarding Egyptians, even though Egypt tortuously enslaved us for hundreds of years, the reason is that one ugly, unabashed sin against millions of people is much more telling than continuous wrongs spanning hundreds of years. The one cold, cruel act disclosed that the nature of these people is incurably evil. This sort of human being cannot be allowed to mix with the Jewish nation, for ours is a holy nation.

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DEUT1221 In a war against a Amon and Moav, do not make overtures of peace. As explained [Deuteronomy 23:4 congregation CHINUCH 359-60], since the men of Amon and Moav are incurably cruel and inhumane, they do not deserve goodness and peace. To behave with cruelty towards them is praiseworthy, for such is measure for measure.

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DEUT1230 Do not refrain from marrying the third generation of an Edomite convert. Do not shun the descendants of Esav, for their subjugation of us, as the Egyptian enslavement, is a decree from Heaven. Therefore, we are forbidden to hate them for what they do to us. If they convert to our faith, we regard them as our brothers and eventually their descendants can marry as any other Jew. By contrast, the men of Amon and Moav are forever forbidden to marry Jewish women, for although they caused us suffering only once, their deed revealed the repulsive degree of inhumanity, as explained earlier [Deuteronomy 23:4 congregation CHINUCH 359-60].

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DEUT1248 No one spiritually impure may enter the Temple Mount. Key concept: See [[NUM10]] Numbers 5:2 impure CHINUCH 227-8

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DEUT1249 Establish latrine facilities for soldiers in wartime. Key concept: The verse explains (Devarim 23:15), “For Hashem, your God, goes in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and place your enemies before you (at your feet).” Jewish souls are always attached to the Shechinah, all the more so souls of Jewish soldiers on the battlefield. All of them are pure of sin, for any soldier with sin on his hands must leave the scene before the battle starts. Only the pure ones remain-- those in whom the spirit of God is dwelling--so it is known that they maintain physical cleanliness as well. As is known, care regarding physical cleanliness is one of the traits that helps a person to attain prophecy. In addition, the mitzvah shows the praiseworthiness of the Jewish nation. The world sees that the Jewish camp is holy. Despite the horrors of war time, the Jewish camp is totally free of any trace of filth.

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DEUT1253 Each Jewish fighter must carry a small shovel. Key concept: See [[DEUT1249]] Deuteronomy 23:13 latrine CHINUCH 362-3

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DEUT1261 Do not extradite slaves who flee to the Holy Land. Hashem desires to stress the unique nature of the Holy Land. Therefore, a slave who flees there from outside of the Holy Land earns his freedom and cannot be returned to his master against his will. By highlighting the dearness of the Holy Land, the mitzvah inspires Jews who are there to serve Hashem with added devotion.

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DEUT1268 Do not mistreat slaves who flee to the Holy Land. Key concept: See [[EXOD638]] Exodus 22:20 abuse CHINUCH 41-2, the prohibition on wronging a convert. We are forbidden to wrong any Jew, but because converts feel alone, having no family to turn to for help, the Torah adds an additional prohibition to make us particularly careful to not offend them or harm them. For this reason, the Torah adds yet a further prohibition on mistreating their slave who has fled his master and seeks refuge in the Land of Israel. His position is more disadvantageous than other converts. Cold, unscrupulous people are even more likely to scorn and deride him. [These additional provisions apply only when the convert is a ger tzedek, and when the slave underwent circumcision and ritual immersion in the name of the halachic standing of a slave.]

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DEUT1275 Do not have extra-marital relations. The abhorrence of promiscuity has been discussed previously. See [[EXOD442]] Exodus 20:13 adultery CHINUCH 28

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