The Torah in Parashat Ahareh-Mot (Vayikra 18:21) commands, “U’mi’zar’acha Lo Titen Le’ha’abir La’molech” – that one may not hand over his offspring for the worship of the pagan god called Molech. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that the followers of this pagan cult would bring their child and hand him to the priests, who would then wave the child up and down, and bring him to the statue. The priests would then hand the child back to the parent and light a fire, whereupon the parent would bring the child through the fire. Some Rishonim, including Rashi and the Rambam, maintained that the child was not burned, but rather passed harmlessly through this fire as a ritual. According to Rashi, two fires were lit, and the child was brought in between them; according to the Rambam, the child was quickly passed through the fire, without suffering any harm. By contrast, the Ramban understood that the child was actually burned to death, as a sacrifice to Molech. The question arises as to why the Torah issued a separate command prohibiting the worship of Molech. The Torah already forbade worshipping foreign deities; why, then, did it specify a prohibition forbidding the worship of Molech? The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains, based on the Rambam, that at the time the Torah was given, the pagans were especially devoted to this evil idolatrous rite, and so the Torah found it necessary to single it out in particular. The Ramban offers a different approach, explaining that the prohibition against Molech is unique in that one violates this command even if one worships Molech differently from its normal manner of worship. When it comes to other pagan gods, one is in violation of idol worship only if he worships the idol in the manner accepted by followers of that deity. The prohibition of Molech, however, is transgressed even if one deviates from the usual manner of worship. A unique – and surprising – aspect of the Molech prohibition is that one transgresses this command only if he gives one or several of his children over to Molech, but not if he gives all his children. The verse forbids giving “Mi’zar’acha” – “from among your offspring” – for the worship of Molech, implying that it is forbidden only to give some of one’s offspring; giving all of one’s children does not violate this command. Of course, this requires explanation. How could giving all of one’s children for the worship of Molech possibly be less severe than giving only one child? The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that the priests of Molech would fiendishly lure the masses to give over their children for this rite by assuring them that they would be rewarded with success and blessing for their other children. The only way the priests would convince parents to surrender their children for this rite would be by making promises that their other children would be healthy and successful. Therefore, Molech could only be worshipped through the passing of one or several children, but not by passing all of one’s children, because parents only agreed to participate in this worship for the benefit of their other children. One violates this command by handing over any child to Molech, even a child who is a Mamzer (the product of an incestuous or adulterous relationship). This prohibition is transgressed regardless of whether one handed over a son or a daughter, and even if he handed over a grandson, great-grandson, or any descendant. If one hands over a sibling, however, he is not liable for violating this command. For that matter, one does not violate this prohibition if he offers himself for the worship of Molech. (Incidentally, this Halacha has been cited as proof that the Molech worship does not entail burning to death; the fact that it needs to be said that one is not liable to punishment for handing himself over to Molech worship proves that one who is given over to Molech is not killed in the process.) This prohibition applies in all times and in all places, and to both men and women. One who intentio