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Homosexuality In Judaism

Summary

1 Condemnation of male homosexuality in the Torah
2 Condemnation of the crime of Onan
3 The story of Sodom and Gomorrah
4 David and Jonathan
5 The commandment to procreate
6 Lesbianism
7 Homosexuality in Judaism
8 Notes and references
9 Bibliography
10 Films
11 See also

Condemnation of male homosexuality in the Torah

As in other religions monotheistic, the homosexual male is forbidden in Judaism. Two passages in the Torah seem to condemn:

In Leviticus, the sexual relationship between men is presented as an "abomination" ("To'vah" in Hebrew).

1. "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a woman. It is an abomination." : Leviticus 18:22

The interpretation of Rabbi Gabriel Farhi ^{Condemnation of the crime of}Onan

The crime of Onan (son of Judah) involved a refusal of the application of the levirate who enjoined to give seed to his brother in fertilizing Tamar his sister. The text of Genesis 38:9 says "But Onan knew that posterity would not be hers, and every time he united with the wife of his brother, he let loose on earth not to give seed to his brother ". This crime was associated with masturbation , also called masturbation , although it may also, according to the text of a heterosexual coitus interrupted. It is worth noting that the woman consented sodomy is a sexual practice not mentioned as prohibited. Moreover, contraception is permitted in Judaism as part of family planning.

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah

In the verse of Genesis 19:5, the people of Sodom wanted to "know" (= "IADA" in Hebrew, which means having sex) the companions of Lut. The destruction of the city that completes the story from that time was considered a punishment from God against the crime of homosexuality.

The verse states: "And they called Lot and said to him: Where are the men who came in to thee this night? Bring them to us so that we may know them" (Genesis 19:5).

Following this verse, the word sodomite became synonymous with homosexual men and term Gomorrhan was used to describe lesbians.

David and Jonathan

The first book of Samuel speaks of a relationship between intense friendship David and Jonathan which was interpreted (by Thomas Rmer ) as a homosexual relationship.

Samuel 18:1-3 "When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan clung to the soul of David and Jonathan began to love him as himself. Saul kept him on this day and does not allow him to return to his father. Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. "

Samuel 8:17 p.m. "Jonathan lent new oath to David, because he loved her with all his soul."

In the second book of Samuel we find a verse lamentations of David translated ambiguous feelings vis--vis Jonathan: "My heart is tight because of you, my brother Jonathan. You had deliciously expensive, your friendship me more wonderful than the love of women. " (2 Samuel 1:26)

The command of childbearing

The marriage in Judaism is a commandment. Unlike Christianity, celibacy and chastity are condemned under the verse "God said, It is not good that man should be alone. I must make him a helper fit for him" Genesis 2:18.

Procreation is also a command according to the verse of the Torah that says "God blessed them and said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it." The imperative of procreation are addressed to men, however, which is justified in some cases, the contraceptive.

Lesbianism

The Torah does not mention and therefore does not condemn lesbianism. The rabbis of the Talmud (Yebamot 76a, Shabbat 65 b, 69b sanhedrin) discuss about the marriage of priests, whether lesbians practices can lead to an impediment to marriage. They conclude that there is not a matter sufficiently serious to prevent the marriage with a priest. Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, sexual relations prohibited) states that there is no prohibition precise but nonetheless ordered the husband to his wife not to expose people to gain a reputation for lesbians and advises him to give whip. The real problem would not come to any practice prohibited sexual but the married woman who refuses sex with her husband. Some contemporary texts are more stringent than those of the past. A contemporary writing shows for example that lesbianism is a "perversion of nature and the divine order" and is "inherently repugnant"