Deuteronomy 22:5

'God is not the author of confusion,' and the natural distinctions He Himself has appointed ought to be respected. Whatever contravenes the law of nature contravenes the law of God: cp. the principle laid down by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:3. Immodesty leads to immorality. There may be an allusion here to the unchaste practices connected with certain idolatrous rites in which the sexes exchanged dress.

6, 7. To take the old bird as well as the young would be wanton cruelty. Kindness to animals is part of the law of God: see on Exodus 23:4; Exodus 23:21; Leviticus 22:28. It is to be observed that the same reward is attached to this commandment as to some of what may be considered the 'weightier matters of the law': see e.g. Deuteronomy 5:16; Deuteronomy 5:33. Rabbi Akiba, referring to this promise of long life, supposes the case of a man who climbs a tower and takes the young from a nest, sparing the dam in accordance with the commandment given here. But on his way down he falls and breaks his neck. To the question, 'Where is the going well and prolonging of days in this case?' the Rabbi answers, 'In the world where all goes well, and in that world where all is abiding.' He holds that the truth of the resurrection of the dead is implied in all the promises of reward attached to the keeping of the Law: cp. on Exodus 20:12.