Kareth

In Judaism, Kareth, Karet or Kares (Hebrew: כרת‎) is a supernatural punishment for transgressing Jewish law.

It is the punishment one gets for doing capital crimes that were not brought to justice by a human court. Its nature is unclear but is commonly understood to mean dying young (before the age of 60), dying without children, or being spiritually "cut off."^[1]

Kareth is only warranted when the transgression was done on purpose, and proper repentance is not forthcoming. When done unintentionally, such a transgression generally requires that a sin-offering be brought.

[edit] Offences punishable by Kareth

There are a total of 36 offences punishable by kareth.^[2] These include:

1. Failing to be circumcised (Genesis 17:14)
2. Eating leavened food during Passover (Exodus 12:19)
3. Incest (Leviticus 20:17)
4. Having intercourse during niddah (Leviticus 18:29, 20:18)^[3]
5. Sexual abomination (Leviticus 18:29)^[4]
6. Eating non-kosher fat (Leviticus 7:25)^[5]
7. Eating sacrificial meat on the third day after the sacrifice (Leviticus 19:8)^[6]
8. Eating blood (Leviticus 17:10-12)^[7]
9. Eating blood from an animal killed in hunting (Leviticus 17:14)^[8]
10. Passing a child through the fire MLK (Leviticus 20:2-5)^[9]
11. Consulting with ghosts or spirits (Leviticus 20:6)^[10]
12. A kohein coming near holy objects in a state of tumah (Leviticus 22:3)^[11]
13. Failing to bring animals slaughtered for sacrifice to the tabernacle (Leviticus 17:1-9)^[12]
14. Eating sacrificial meat while in a state of ritual impurity (Leviticus 7:20-21)^[13]

[edit] References

• Karet and Modern Theories of Punishment
• Answers
• Karet

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