News for the ‘Compassion’ Category
Same-sex unions test limits of love
Published June 28, 2008 in the Antelope Valley Press
by David Hoffman
In light of the California Supreme Court’s decision in favor of gay marriage, the Antelope Valley Press has devoted several articles in the Opinion and Religion sections to the topic. I read with interest the lead editorial in the Sunday, June 22, AV Press on the drama surrounding gay unions.
The Jewish tradition, which emphasizes the blessing that is derived from children and idealizes harmonious and loving family life, really does not have much to say about homosexuality.
There is no prohibition of lesbianism, for example, though Leviticus 18 includes male homosexual in a series of prohibited sexual acts, calling it an “abomination.” But what is an “abomination”?
The Hebrew word everyone translates as “abomination,” does not mean that God finds the behavior inherently repugnant, but rather the behavior is one for a man to avoid.
In a related prohibition (Deuteronomy 22:5) concerning cross dressing, (wearing the apparel of the opposite sex), which arises innocently in many young children and persists at times into adulthood as transvestitism, the two greatest Medieval rabbis, Maimonides and Rashi, interpret the Hebrew word often translated as “abomination” homiletically as toeh – vah, meaning that more mistakes will come in the wake of that act. In other words, cross dressing in and of itself is not inherently repulsive.
Edited: July 2nd, 2008
