"Don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone you love." -Woody Allen
Masturbation Is Bad
רע בעיני ה' כְּרָעָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹנָן, מַשְׁחִית זַרְעוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאוֹנָן וַיָּמֶת גַּם אֹתוֹ, כְּמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל עֵר מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹנָן וְלָמָה הָיָה עֵר מַשְׁחִית זַרְעוֹ? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְעַבֵּר וְיַכְּחִישׁ יָפְיָהּ:
The next Talmudic passage in part discusses how even when you pee you shouldn't touch your member, lest it lead to mixed dancing by yourself
But why all these precautions? — Because otherwise one might emit semen in vain, and R. Johanan stated: Whosoever emits semen in vain deserves death, for it is said in Scripture. And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the Lord, and He slew him also. R. Isaac and R. Ammi said. He is as though he shed blood, for it is said in Scripture.
אמר רב המקשה עצמו לדעת יהא בנדוי.
ולימא אסור?
דקמגרי יצה"ר אנפשיה.
ורבי אמי אמר: נקרא עבריין שכך אומנתו של יצר הרע היום אומר לו עשה כך ולמחר אומר לו עשה כך ולמחר אומר לו לך עבוד עבודת כוכבים והולך ועובד
ואמר ר' אלעזר: מאי דכתיב (ישעיהו א, טו) ידיכם דמים מלאו אלו המנאפים ביד
תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל (שמות כ, יג) לא תנאף לא תהא בך ניאוף בין ביד בין ברגל.
Rav stated: 'A man who willfully causes erection should be placed under a ban'.
But why did he not say, 'This is forbidden'?
Because the man merely incites his evil inclination against himself.
Rabbi Ammi, however, stated: He is called a renegade, because such is the art of the evil inclination: Today it incites man to do one wrong thing, and tomorrow it incites him to worship idols and he proceeds to worship them.
Rabbi Eleazar stated: Who are referred to in the Scriptural text, Your hands are full of blood? Those that "commit adultery" (i.e. masturbate) with their hands.
It was taught at the school of Rabbi Ishmael, Thou shalt not commit adultery implies, Thou shalt not practice masturbation either with hand or with foot.
(א) איסור הוצאת זרע לבטלה ודברים המביאים לכך ובו ז סעיפים:
אסור להוציא שכבת זרע לבטלה ועון זה חמור מכל עבירות שבתורה לפיכך לא יהיה אדם דש מבפנים וזורה מבחוץ ולא ישא קטנה שאינה ראויה לילד:
(1) It is prohibited to spill seed needlessly and this sin is more severe than all Torah transgressions. For this reason a man should not thresh inside and sprinkle [his semen] outside [of a woman], and he should not marry a girl who is unable to have children.
Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 4:19 by Maimonides
Semen constitutes the strength of the body, its life and the light of the eyes. Its emission to excess causes physical decay, debility and diminished vitality... Whosoever indulges in sexual dissipation becomes prematurely aged; his strength fails; his eyes become dim... (This goes on for a while)
Masturbation Is Permitted Because...
For Health
On the same issue, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said to Shmuel: What is the reason for the difference in halakha between a rebellious man and a rebellious woman?... He said to him: Go and learn from the market of prostitutes. Who hires whose services? Clearly, a man suffers more from lack of sexual intercourse, and therefore the penalty for a rebellious wife is greater. Alternatively, when he desires sexual relations, his inclination is noticeable on the outside, and therefore he feels shame as well as pain. But for her, her inclination is on the inside, and is not obvious.
Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 4:1
(1) Seeing that the maintenance of the body in a healthy and sound condition is a God-chosen way, for...it is necessary for man to distance himself from things which destroy the body, and accustom himself in things which are healthful and life-imparting.
Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 4:19 by Maimonides
He should only cohabit when he finds himself in good health and vigour, experiences involuntary erections which persist after he has diverted his mind to other things, is conscious of a heaviness from the loins downwards as if the spermatic cords were being drawn and his flesh is hot. Such a condition calls for cohabitation which then is conducive to health.
It Keeps You From Doing Worse
חלקק מחוקק, אבן העזר כג
עיין בספר החסידים... שאם אחד מתירא שלא יכשל באשת איש או באשתו נדה חס ושלום, טוב לו להוציא זרע לבטלה משיכשול חס ושלום באיסור אשת איש או בנדה...
Chelkak meChokek (a Halachic commentary on the Shulchan Aruch)
It is written in the Sefer haChasidim that if one is tempted to sleep with a married woman or with his wife while she is a niddah (and is forbidden to him), it is better that he should masturbate than committing adultery or sleeping with his wife while she is a niddah...
Chizkuni, Genesis.41.1.2
According to the Talmud, Joseph had actually wanted to sleep with the wife of Potiphar when his father’s image appeared to him and helped him to overcome the temptation. According to the description there, he dug his fingernails into the floor and ejaculated semen by that means. The Talmud continues that he was really meant to sire twelve tribes just as had his father Yaakov, but enough semen escaped through the ten fingernails to preclude him from fulfilling his destiny in that respect.
Does this mean Joseph had dick fingers?
There Is No Prohibition In The Torah
אמר רב המקשה עצמו לדעת יהא בנדוי.
ולימא אסור?
דקמגרי יצה"ר אנפשיה.
Niddah 13b
Rav stated: 'A man who willfully causes erection should be placed under a ban'.
But why did he not say, 'This is forbidden'?
Because the man merely incites his evil inclination against himself.
Temptation and Urges Are A Part Of Life.
It's Ok To Slip Up Sometimes That's What Tshuva Is For
אם נצחו מוטב ואם לאו יעסוק בתורה שנאמר אמרו בלבבכם
If one succeeds and subdues his evil inclination, excellent, but if he does not succeed in subduing it, he should study Torah, as alluded to in the verse: “Say to your heart.”
Just Because The Ayin Harah Is Bad Doesn't Mean It's Not Also Good
Breishit Rabba 9:7
Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary!
But for the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children
Treat Yo' Self
(8) Even if a man lives many years, let him enjoy himself in all of them, remembering how many the days of darkness are going to be. The only future is nothingness!
Some Questions for Discussion
- Is the sin Judah's son commits not continuing his brother's name or wasting his seed?
- Every other sexually deviant act is listed but not masturbation?
- Discussion of female masturbation does not appear in the sources. Why is that?
- Semen replenishes itself. Can one truly waste something that replenishes itself?
- One theme seems to be about self-control. Does this kind of self-control differ from keeping kosher or keeping Shabbat?
- Is the phrase "If it feels good, do it." Agree with or disagree with Jewish thought?