That a eunuch not marry a daughter of Israel: That one whose sexual organs were damaged by the blow of a person or an animal or a tree — meaning to say, not at the hands of the Heavens — to the point that he cannot reproduce is prevented from marrying a daughter of Israel. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 23:1), “No one whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off shall come into the congregation of the Lord.”
About the roots of this commandment are that [one] distance himself [from this] so that he will not damage [his] reproductive organs in any way. (See Guide for the Perplexed 3:49.) As is known, there are kings that castrate males to appoint them as keepers of women and there are lowly males who want this thing in order to earn the king’s table and to benefit monetarily. And we, the holy people — in our knowledge that any eunuch caused by human means will be disqualified from joining any more with a daughter of Israel or to establish a home or the way of marriage — will distance this matter and it will repulse us. And with this argument, we find an explanation for the distinction in the prohibition between that which is damaged by human means and that which is damaged by the hand of the Heavens.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Yevamot 70a, and see Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Intercourse 16:3), “Who is [considered] ‘one whose testes are crushed?’ Anyone whose testicles were wounded [...]. And [who is considered] ‘one whose member is cut off?’ One whose penis was cut off.” And there are three organs that the male reproduces with: with the penis, and with the testicles and with the paths in which the seed matures — and they are called the testicular ducts. And therefore from when one of these three organs is wounded or cut or crushed, behold, he is disqualified. And the rest of its details are elucidated in the eighth chapter of Yevamot.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times, by males. And one who transgresses it — and he is one whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off — and marries a daughter of Israel and has sexual relations with her, is liable for lashes. But he is permitted to marry a convert or a freed slave. And there are some commentators that have said that he transgresses with sexual relations alone, [even] without marriage, and so is it in the Talmud Yerushalmi.
שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׂא סָרִיס בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁנִּמְנַע מִי שֶׁנִּפְסְדוּ לוֹ כְּלֵי הַמִּשְׁגָּל עַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהוֹלִיד, עַל יְדֵי מַכַּת אָדָם אוֹ בְּהֵמָה אוֹ עֵץ, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, מִלִּשָּׂא בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כג ב) לֹא יָבֹא פְצוּעַ דַּכָּה וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה בִּקְהַל יְיָ.
That a eunuch not marry a daughter of Israel: That one whose sexual organs were damaged by the blow of a person or an animal or a tree — meaning to say, not at the hands of the Heavens — to the point that he cannot reproduce is prevented from marrying a daughter of Israel. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 23:1), “No one whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off shall come into the congregation of the Lord.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְהַרְחִיק מִמֶּנּוּ לְבִלְתִּי הַפְסִיד כְּלֵי הַזֶּרַע בְּשׁוּם צַד (עי' מורה נבוכים ח"ג פמ"ט), כַּיָּדוּעַ בַּמְּלָכִים שֶׁמְּסָרְסִים הַזְּכָרִים לְמַנּוֹתָם שׁוֹמְרִים לַנָּשִׁים, וְיֵשׁ מִן הַזְּכָרִים הַפְּחוּתִים שֶׁרוֹצִים בַּדָּבָר כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת בְּשֻׁלְחַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְהַרְוִיחַ מָמוֹן, וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַם הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּדַעְתֵּנוּ שֶׁכֹּל הַסָּרִיס בִּידֵי אָדָם, יִפָּסֵל מֵהִתְחַבֵּר עוֹד עִם בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִלָּשֶׁבֶת בַּיִת אוֹ דֶּרֶךְ אִישׁוּת, נַרְחִיק הָעִנְיָן וְנִמְאַס אוֹתוֹ. וְעִם טַעֲנָה זוֹ נִמְצָא טַעַם בְּחִלּוּק הֶאָסוֹר בֵּין הַנִּפְסָד בִּידֵי אָדָם לְנִפְסָד בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם.
About the roots of this commandment are that [one] distance himself [from this] so that he will not damage [his] reproductive organs in any way. (See Guide for the Perplexed 3:49.) As is known, there are kings that castrate males to appoint them as keepers of women and there are lowly males who want this thing in order to earn the king’s table and to benefit monetarily. And we, the holy people — in our knowledge that any eunuch caused by human means will be disqualified from joining any more with a daughter of Israel or to establish a home or the way of marriage — will distance this matter and it will repulse us. And with this argument, we find an explanation for the distinction in the prohibition between that which is damaged by human means and that which is damaged by the hand of the Heavens.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יבמות ע, א רמב"ם איסורי ביאה פט"ז ה"ג) אֵיזֶהוּ פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא? כָּל שֶׁנִּפְצְעוּ הַבֵּיצִים שֶׁלּוֹ, וּכְרוּת שָׁפְכָה שֶׁנִּכְרַת הַגִּיד שֶׁלּוֹ. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֵבָרִים הֵם שֶׁמּוֹלִיד הַזָּכָר בָּהֶן, בַּגִּיד וּבַבֵּיצִים וּבַשְּׁבִילִין שֶׁבָּהֶם יִתְבַּשֵּׁל הַזֶּרַע, וְהֵן נִקְרָאִין חוּטֵי בֵּיצִים, וּלְפִיכָךְ מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּפְצַע אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה אֵבָרִים אֵלּוּ אוֹ נִכְרַת אוֹ נִדּוֹךְ, הֲרֵי הוּא פָּסוּל. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בְּפֶרֶק שְׁמִינִי מִיְּבָמוֹת.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Yevamot 70a, and see Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Intercourse 16:3), “Who is [considered] ‘one whose testes are crushed?’ Anyone whose testicles were wounded [...]. And [who is considered] ‘one whose member is cut off?’ One whose penis was cut off.” And there are three organs that the male reproduces with: with the penis, and with the testicles and with the paths in which the seed matures — and they are called the testicular ducts. And therefore from when one of these three organs is wounded or cut or crushed, behold, he is disqualified. And the rest of its details are elucidated in the eighth chapter of Yevamot.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהוּא פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא אוֹ כְּרוּת שָׁפְכָה וְנָשָׂא בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְעָלָהּ חַיָּב מַלְקוּת, אֲבָל מֻתָּר לִשָּׂא גִּיּוֹרֶת אוֹ מְשֻׁחְרֶרֶת. וְיֵשׁ מִן הַמְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ, דִּבְבִיאָה לְבַד בְּלֹא נִשּׂוּאִין עוֹבֵר, וְהָכִי אִיתָא בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times, by males. And one who transgresses it — and he is one whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off — and marries a daughter of Israel and has sexual relations with her, is liable for lashes. But he is permitted to marry a convert or a freed slave. And there are some commentators that have said that he transgresses with sexual relations alone, [even] without marriage, and so is it in the Talmud Yerushalmi.