LEV760 From Jeremiah's message of encouragement to the exiles in Babylonia (Jeremiah 29:6), the Talmud derives the ruling that it is the duty of a father to facilitate the marriage of his daughter by providing her trousseau. This duty is considered Biblically binding (See Ketubbot 52b. See, however, Ritva, quoted in Shittah Mekubezet). An early rabbinic work, She'eltot, cites this passage as one of the proof-texts making marriage and procreation a religious obligation (Section 21; see Kiddushin 30b). Maimonides, however, in line with his view that there is no commitment of procreation for a woman, regards Jeremiah's injunction – – that the father makes provisions for his daughter to enable her to marry--not as Biblical law but as a rabbinic enactment (Ishut, XX, 1, cf. Ketubbot 68a). It is possible that Maimonides also related the injunction of Jeremiah, in addition to the above considerations, to another rule expounded in the Talmud (Yevamot 62b), which reads thus in Maimonides' paraphrase: "The Sages have instructed a person to marry off his sons and daughters as soon as they mature, for, if allowed to remain unmarried, they will fall into a life of sinfulness or preoccupation with sinful fancies." (Issurei Bi'ah, XXI, 25). The duty of the father to marry off his daughters would not necessarily, on this basis, be included in the category of the laws of procreation, but would rather be regarded as a derivative of the Biblical law: [this verse]. ... The opinion that a woman is not commanded, yet, for her, participation in the fulfillment of procreation constitutes a religious duty is expressed in the Midrash Tanhuma (Noah, 12; however, in the Buber edition (Noah, 18) it appears that this is the view of Rabbi Yohanan ben Beroka) and the medieval Lekah Tov (Gen. 9:1). In these texts it is stated that man is more obligated than woman. Possibly what is implied is that in the case of woman the fulfillment of the religious obligation is altogether voluntary and cannot be enforced by religious courts.

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LEV761 See [[EXOD973]] Exodus 31:14 keep AMEMEI 281

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LEV762 It is a positive commandment to have a reverent fear of the Sanctuary as Scripture says, and reverence My sanctuary [this verse]. Now, our synagogues and houses of Torah study are called "a little sanctuaries", as Scripture states, yet have I been to them as a little sanctuary (Yehezkel 11:16). We have to beware in them from any frivolous laughter or levity, or any idle talk. No calculations are to be reckoned there, nor are they to be slept in. Their holiness is very severe.

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LEV763 See [[LEV694]] Leviticus 19:18 love OXFORD 37

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LEV764 "You shall fear my sacred place". We are obligated to act with reference when we enter a shul or Bais Medrash since they are considered a mikdosh m'at -- a minor scale Bais Hamikdosh (Yeraim 344; Mishnah Brurah 151:1). Anyone who speaks loshon hora in a shul or Bais Medrash violates this commandment.

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LEV765 "You shall fear my sacred place". We are obligated to act with reference when we enter a shul or Bais Medrash since they are considered a mikdosh m'at -- a minor scale Bais Hamikdosh (Yeraim 344; Mishnah Brurah 151:1). Anyone who speaks loshon hora in a shul or Bais Medrash violates this commandment.

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LEV766 See [[GEN721]] Genesis 9:6 shed OXFORD 475-6

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LEV767 Do not do as the soothsayers of Ob. “Oboth” burn a certain incense and perform certain acts that make one imagine that one hears a voice emitting from one's armpit, and it seems that the voice answers questions that are posed to it. The Torah forbids to do such acts or consult these “Oboth.” As explained earlier [See [[LEV751]] Leviticus 19:26 superstition CHINUCH 158-9] practices such as these can undermine a person's belief in Hashem and make him forget basic principles of the true faith. One can come to believe that the things that happened to him are all just by chance, and one can profit and be saved from harm by means of these questions and divination. Really, practices of the sort are of no use at all, for everything that happens to us is from the Holy One, according to our deeds. Such is the Jewish way of thinking. It guides us at all times, and all believing Jews think this way. In addition, “Oboth” and “Yidoni” are very reminiscent of idol-worship.

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LEV768 This teaches us that they do not come upon one unless he turns his mind to them and defiles himself through them (Torath Cohanim).

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LEV769 The fulfillment of a positive commandment is referred to as fear of Heaven, in the same way as is vigilance over a negative commandment, as the pasuk says [this verse], "You shall stand up before the venerable and give respect to a sage, and you shall be afraid of your God (I.e., fear of Hashem leads to the fulfillment of the positive commandment); I am Hashem." The pasuk also says (Tehillim 34:12), "Fear of Hashem I will teach you," after which it says (ibid.; 15), "Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it." We derive from here that anyone who is not engaged in doing good and pursuing peace has contravened the fear of Heaven, He is considered to be among the wicked, for he is not a God-fearing individual, as the pasuk says (Koheles 8:13), "But for the wicked it will not be well, and he will not live long – – like a [fleeting] shadow – – since he is not afraid God."

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