Forbidden touch is a prohibition against laying hands upon a person or thing. When Nephi’s brethren came to lay their hands upon him, Nephi commanded, “ye touch me not,” saying that whoever laid hands on him would “wither even as a dried reed” and that God would smite him (1 Nephi 17:48). The Lord told Nephi to stretch forth his hand toward his brethren, and Nephi did so; the Lord shook them, but they did not wither (1 Nephi 17:53-54).
Abinadi said, “Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me,” because he had not delivered the message the Lord sent him to deliver (Mosiah 13:3). A command states, “Touch not the things which are sealed,” until they are brought forth in “mine own due time” (2 Nephi 27:21). Lamanites did not lay their hands upon Nephi and Lehi for fear of being burned, while Nephi and Lehi “were not burned” (Helaman 5:23).