לא יבא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ידוד גם דור עשירי לא יבא להם בקהל ידוד עד עולם: על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים בדרך בצאתכם ממצרים ואשר שכר עליך את בלעם בן בעור מפתור ארם נהרים לקללך:

(דברים כג:ד-ה)

“No Ammoni or Moavi shall be admitted into the congregation of Hashem (meaning, even after they convert, they are prohibited to marry someone who is Jewish); none of their descendants—even the 10th generation—can be admitted into the congregation of Hashem. Because of the fact that they did not meet you with bread and water on your journey after you left Mitzrayim, and because they hired Bilaam—the son of Beor, from Pettor Aram-Naharaim—to curse you.” (Devarim 23:4-5)

The Torah writes two reasons why men from Ammon or Moav are prohibited from marrying a Jewish woman: their refusal to aid Bnei Yisroel with food and water, and their hiring of Bilaam to curse them. Rashi, explaining the words, “Because of the fact—al devar,” in the phrase: “Because of the fact that they did not meet you with bread and water”—which seems to be superfluous—writes a third reason, that the women enticed Bnei Yisroel to sin.

The Zera Shimshon asks: Rashi comments on pasuk 9 that the reason all future generations from a Moavi convert are prohibited from marrying a Jewish woman—whereas only the first three generations of a Mitzri convert face this restriction—is because there is a different in the severity of their respective misdoings. The Moavim’s act of enticing Bnei Yisroel into sin is considered graver than the Egyptians’ act of killing Bnei Yisroel and their offspring. Consequently, the punishment for Moavim is correspondingly harsher.

Zera Shimshon further asks: From the fact that Rashi only mentions this reason as the reason behind prohibiting Moavim from marrying into Bnei Yisroel—and not the other two reasons—it would seem that this is the main reason. If so, why is there only an allusion to this reason, the phrase, “because of the fact,” but it is not written explicitly in the Chumash?

Zera Shimshon gives an answer based on a Gemara in Yevamos 77a: It is written there that at the time of Dovid Hamelech, there was a machlokes between talmidei chachamim in his time if he was suitable to be a king or not. One side disqualified him due to his lineage from Rus HaMoaviah. The others clarified that this only applied to male Moavim, however a female Moaviah who converts is permitted to marry a Jewish man. Their rationale is that the prohibition is rooted in their nation’s failure to provide aid to Bnei Yisroel when they left Mitzrayim. This criticism is not applicable to women, like it is written in Tehillim 45:14, “Kol kevoda bas melech penima—The glory of a princess is within,” which implies that it is not appropriate for women to go out. Since the Moavi women didn’t do anything wrong by not attending to the needs of Bnei Yisroel, they are not included in the prohibition.

Considering the above, Zera Shimshon explains the reason the Torah does not explicitly state that Moavim are prohibited from marrying Jews due to the principle that causing sin is worse than physical killing in the following way. He argues that an explicit declaration might lead to a big mistake. One might mistakenly conclude that Moavi women—who were instrumental in leading Jewish soldiers into sin—are surely forbidden from marrying Jewish men. In order to prevent this mistake, even though this is the primary reason for the prohibition, the Torah only alludes to this reason but doesn’t write it overtly.

However, this explanation leaves a big question unanswered. Even though it is not explicitly written, the fact of the matter is that Moavi women did cause Jewish men to sin. Why then are only Moavi men prohibited from marrying Jewish women, while Moavi women are not?

Zera Shimshon answers that the Torah’s mention of the Moavim’s failure to offer food to Bnei Yisroel provides the answer. Moavi women were exempt from this expectation due to their natural modesty. Consequently, their actions towards the Jewish men were not self-motivated but forced upon them by their fathers. Therefore, they are not accountable for their actions, and the prohibition targets only male Moavim.

There still remains another question, though: Why does the Torah only mention that the reason the men cannot marry is because they didn’t bring bread and water to Bnei Yisroel and not the main reason—because, as we just said, they were the ones who caused Bnei Yisroel to sin by sending their daughters?

The answer is that if the men would have brought Bnei Yisroel bread and water, the merit of doing that chesed would have eased the punishment, like it is written in Gemara Sanhedrin (103b), “Rabbi Yochanan himself said: ‘Giving others to eat… draws near the distant and averts eyes (of Hashem) from the wicked.’” Because the decision against the Moavim was not finalized when they sent their daughters to lure the Jewish men, and it only became sealed due to their failure to perform acts of kindness towards Bnei Yisroel—only this latter reason is openly mentioned in the Torah.

In summary, the Chumash writes two reasons for the prohibition against marrying individuals from Amon and Moav: their failure to assist Bnei Yisroel with sustenance when they left Mitzrayim and their attempt to curse them through Bilaam. Rashi writes an additional reason, alluded to in the words, “Because of the fact that they did not meet you with bread and water,” that Moavi women enticed Jewish men to sin. From Rashi later on, it seems that this is the primary basis for the prohibition.

The Zera Shimshon questions why the main reason is merely hinted at, while the secondary reasons are explicitly stated. He resolves that the allusion is intentional, as the halacha is that Moavite women who convert are allowed to marry Jewish men. If their enticement of Jewish men were stated openly, one might mistakenly conclude they are forbidden, hence the reason is only subtly suggested.

Further, the Zera Shimshon inquires why Moavite women—despite their immoral conduct—are not included in the prohibition. He explains that they are not accountable for their actions—just like their natural modesty absolves them from blame for not providing food—so they did not entice the men on their own initiative, but it was their fathers who forced their immoral behavior.

Lastly, the Zera Shimshon then asks why the men’s responsibility for the immoral behavior is not openly stated in the Torah. He answers that had they provided food to Bnei Yisroel, their act of kindness would have mitigated the punishment—allowing them to marry into the Jewish nation. Hashem’s severe punishment—barring them from joining the Jewish people—was finalized only because of their failure to provide food and drink to Bnei Yisroel and, therefore, this reason is stated openly.

One last thing, I would like to take a moment to thank all of those who showed their support by sending in a contribution. It was greatly appreciated. In the merit of the Zera Shimshon and your generosity, Hashem should bless you with all good things, answer all of your prayers and grant you and your family a K’tiva V’chatima Tova.

HaRav Shimshon Nachmani—author of Zera Shimshon lived in Italy—about 300 years ago, in the time of the Or HaChaim HaKodesh. The Chida writes that he was a great mekubal and wrote many sefarim—including sefarim about “practical Kabbalah”—and asked that all of his sefarim be buried after he passes away, except for Zera Shimshon and Niflaos Shimshon on Avos. HaRav Shimshon Nachmani had one child who died in his lifetime (hence the name “Zera Shimshon”) and in the preface, he promises for people who learn his sefarim after he dies, “ … And your eyes will see children and grandchildren like the offshoots of an olive tree around your tables, wise and understanding with houses filled with all manner of good things … and wealth and honor …