Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

To not reveal the nakedness of the wife of the father, even though she is not his mother: To not reveal the nakedness of the wife of the father, even though she is not his mother, as it is stated (Leviticus 18:8), “The nakedness of the wife of your father you shall not reveal.”

What we wrote (above, Sefer HaChinukh 190) regarding the [close] relatives is from the roots of the commandment. But we should also say that the reason for this is because there would be a disgrace to the father in the matter. And we have already written in the commandment of honoring the father (Sefer HaChinukh 33), the benefit that is found for us with honoring the parents.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 53a) that the wife of his father is forbidden by Torah writ, whether [she is his wife by virtue of] betrothal — the understanding of which is kiddushin (designation) — or from marriage; whether in the lifetime of his father and even if he divorced her, or after his death. And so [too,] that which they forbade (Yevamot 21a) the wife of his father’s father — meaning to say the wife of his grandfather — even though she is not his grandmother, to make a fence for this prohibition. And so [too,] did they also forbid the wife of the father of his grandfather and so [too,] the wife of the father of the mother of his grandfather, and likewise going way back, even to Yaakov. And they also forbade just the wife of the father of his mother, as a fence for this prohibition. And the reason is because the essence of this prohibition is from the side of the father — meaning the wife of the father. Therefore they, may their memory be blessed, were more stringent with the side of the fathers and said that it be forbidden going way back forever; but from the side of the mother they only decreed just with the wife of the father of the mother. And this is similar to the distinction that we wrote above with the prohibition of the mother. And the rest of its details are in the places that we will write below (Sefer HaChinukh 211) at the end of the Order. (See Tur, Even HaEzer 21.) And this is from the sexual prohibitions that all people of the world were prohibited more generally. But there is a distinction between Israel and the rest of the nations — as with the rest of the nations, [one] is only called the wife of the father by way of intercourse, but with Israel, even by way of designation; and likewise regarding the secondary ones, as there is no prohibition of the secondary ones among the nations, as we said.

And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times. And one who transgresses it and lays with the wife of his father volitionally is liable for excision, and is stoned if there are witnesses and a warning; inadvertently, he is obligated to bring a fixed sin-offering at the time of the [Temple]. And if he laid with one of the secondary ones, he is struck with lashes of rebellion.