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Most of us are working from Western notions of sexuality and identity
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The idea that sexual orientation is an innate or essential part of a person’s identity (even if it changes over time) is a contemporary idea
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Rabbinic notions of sexuality were not based on identity but rather on acts (there is no rabbinic word for “gay”)
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Sex and gender refer to two different things
1. Some argue that the text had no knowledge about, and therefore could not forbid, serious and stable gay or lesbian relationships. Leviticus is, perhaps, about idolatrous sexual rituals - and especially does not apply to gay marriage.
2. Some argue that gay people are "compelled" to their orientation by their genes or very early imprinting, and therefore come under the halakhic category in which people are not punished for disobeying mitzvot if they are being compelled to violate them.
3. Some say the text, on close examination, does not (cannot, anatomically) mean what it seems to say. "A male shall not lie with a male as with a woman" - How? So, the text must be midrashically reinterpreted: perhaps, "Do not pretend to be heterosexual when you are not. Come out of the closet."
- This is referring to non-consensual sexual contact, based on the other ways in Tanach this verb is used
- This is coming from a desire to distinguish ourselves from the other nations
- This is referring to pedophilia, a practice in surrounding nations in which grown men would have sex with boys
"The verse (in Leviticus) prohibits the kind of sex between men that is designed to affect the power and mastery of the penetrator. Sex for the conquest, for shoring up the ego, for self-aggrandizement, or worse, for the perverse pleasure of demeaning another man is prohibited."
(1) ואת זכר לא תשכב משכבי אשה, some people attempt to deceive others into believing that they are women instead of men.
וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
(27) And G!d created man in G!d's own image, in the image of G!d, G!d created him; male and female G!d created them.
As such “male and female [God] created them” can be read as “Zachar u’nkevah bara otam.” “God created male and female and every combination in between.”
Midrash interprets this to mean that adam harishon was an androginos - one with both male and female sex characteristics.
The Midrash, classical Jewish exegesis, adds that the [first human] being formed in G-d's likeness, was an androgynous, an inter-sexed, person . . . Hence, our tradition teaches that all bodies and genders are created in G-d's image, whether we identify as men, women, inter-sex, or something else. (Rabbi Elliot Kukla, Reform Devises Sex-Change Blessings)
(ז) יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וגו' (בראשית לז, ב), וְאַתְּ אָמַר וְהוּא נַעַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה נַעֲרוּת, מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּעֵינָיו, מְתַלֶּה בַּעֲקֵבוֹ, מְתַקֵּן בְּשַׂעֲרוֹ.
“Joseph, being seventeen years old, etc." He was seventeen years old, yet you say, being still a lad! It means however that he behaved like a boy pencilling his eyes, lifting his heels, and curling his hair.
Jacob and Joseph both display alternate expressions of masculinity: Jacob in contrast to his brother Esav, and Joseph as wearing a long, brightly colored tunic and very in touch with his emotions.
According to midrash, Yitzhak was born with a female soul - it wasn't until the akeida that he received a male soul.
Rivka is referred to multiple times as na'ar (young man) instead of na'arah (young woman) (Genesis 24:16, Genesis 24:28)
My brother Jonathan,
You were most dear to me.
Your love was wonderful to me
More than the love of women.
(16) But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
יומא חד הוה קא סחי ר' יוחנן בירדנא חזייה ריש לקיש ושוור לירדנא אבתריה אמר ליה חילך לאורייתא אמר ליה שופרך לנשי א"ל אי הדרת בך יהיבנא לך אחותי דשפירא מינאי קביל עליה בעי למיהדר לאתויי מאניה ולא מצי הדר אקרייה ואתנייה ושוייה גברא רבא... חלש דעתיה דרבי יוחנן חלש ריש לקיש אתאי אחתיה קא בכיא אמרה ליה עשה בשביל בני אמר לה (ירמיהו מט, יא) עזבה יתומיך אני אחיה עשה בשביל אלמנותי אמר לה (ירמיהו מט, יא) ואלמנותיך עלי תבטחו נח נפשיה דר' שמעון בן לקיש והוה קא מצטער ר' יוחנן בתריה טובא אמרו רבנן מאן ליזיל ליתביה לדעתיה ניזיל רבי אלעזר בן פדת דמחדדין שמעתתיה אזל יתיב קמיה כל מילתא דהוה אמר רבי יוחנן אמר ליה תניא דמסייעא לך אמר את כבר לקישא בר לקישא כי הוה אמינא מילתא הוה מקשי לי עשרין וארבע קושייתא ומפריקנא ליה עשרין וארבעה פרוקי וממילא רווחא שמעתא ואת אמרת תניא דמסייע לך אטו לא ידענא דשפיר קאמינא הוה קא אזיל וקרע מאניה וקא בכי ואמר היכא את בר לקישא היכא את בר לקישא והוה קא צוח עד דשף דעתיה [מיניה] בעו רבנן רחמי עליה ונח נפשיה
One day, Rabbi Yoḥanan was bathing in the Jordan River. Reish Lakish saw him and jumped into the Jordan, pursuing him. [At that time, Reish Lakish was the leader of a band of marauders]. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Your strength is fit for Torah study. Reish Lakish said to him: Your beauty is fit for women. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: If you return and study Torah, I will give you my sister, who is more beautiful than I am. He accepted upon himself [to study Torah]. He wanted to jump back out of the river to bring back his clothes, but he was unable to return. Rabbi Yoḥanan taught Reish Lakish Bible, and taught him Mishna, and turned him into a great man... [Years past and Reish Lakish and R. Yochanan became chevrutot very close friends. One day, they got in a serious quarrel] Rabbi Yoḥanan was offended, [and in turn] Reish Lakish fell ill. Ultimately, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish died. Rabbi Yoḥanan was sorely pained over losing him....Rabbi Yoḥanan went around, rending his clothing, weeping and saying: Where are you, son of Lakish? Where are you, son of Lakish? He screamed until his mind was taken from him. The Rabbis prayed and requested mercy on him and his soul rested.
ת"ש גדול כבוד הבריות שדוחה [את] לא תעשה שבתורה
Come and learn: So great is human dignity that it supersedes a negative commandment of the Torah.
Zachar: This term is derived from the word for a pointy sword and refers to a phallus. It is usually translated as “male” in English.
Nekevah: This term is derived from the word for a crevice and probably refers to a vaginal opening. It is usually translated as “female” in English.
Androgynos: A person who has both “male” and “female” sexual characteristics. 149 references in Mishna and Talmud (1st-8th Centuries CE); 350 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes (2nd -16th Centuries CE).
Tumtum: A person whose sexual characteristics are indeterminate or obscured. 181 references in Mishna and Talmud; 335 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes.
Ay’lonit: A person who is identified as “female” at birth but develops “male” characteristics at puberty and is infertile. 80 references in Mishna and Talmud; 40 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes.
Saris: A person who is identified as “male” at birth but develops “female” characteristics as puberty and/or is lacking a penis. A saris can be “naturally” a saris (saris hamah), or become one through human intervention (saris adam). 156 references in mishna and Talmud; 379 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes
כבוד
שלום בית
בצלם אלקים
כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה
שמירת הלשון
ואהבת לרעך כמוך
אל תפרוש מן הציבור (find allies and others who feel similarly; reach out to those who appear to be isolated)
- Becoming Eve by Abby Stein
- Torah Queeries
- Wrestling with G!d and Men by Steven Greenberg
- A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts
- G!d vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality by Dr. Jay Michaelson
- Siddur Sha'ar Zahav
- Siddur Davar Hadash
- Keshet
- JQ International
- Eshel
- Svara