Regarding incest in the Torah, neither the Holiness Code [Leviticus 17-26] or the Deuteronomic Code prohibit marriage between cousins. Additional marriage partners, sheniyyot or Ì¢‰âÒseconds,Ì¢‰âÂå were forbidden by various rabbinic authorities, however no Talmudic opinion prohibits the marriage of cousins Ì¢‰â‰۝including first cousins. In fact, 19th century data show that marriage between cousins occurred at a much higher rate among Jews in Europe than among Catholics or Protestants.

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