Comments on: Why is homosexuality described as an “abomination”? http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/2010/02/what-is-meant-by-the-term-abomination-with-respect-to-homosexuality/ Unorthodox Jewish reflections on the issues of our day Mon, 21 May 2012 23:32:47 +0000 hourly 1 By: admin http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/2010/02/what-is-meant-by-the-term-abomination-with-respect-to-homosexuality/comment-page-1/#comment-126 admin Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:34:46 +0000 http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/?p=2853#comment-126 Well, I just fixed up the text a little bit. I appreciate your comment on lesbianism and there is more to say on this topic later when I have some free time (NOT!). Well, I just fixed up the text a little bit. I appreciate your comment on lesbianism and there is more to say on this topic later when I have some free time (NOT!).

]]> By: Yochanan Lavie http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/2010/02/what-is-meant-by-the-term-abomination-with-respect-to-homosexuality/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Yochanan Lavie Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:13:05 +0000 http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/?p=2853#comment-125 I understood the primary sin of Sodom was a lack of hospitality; a grave sin in the ancient world. (Compare Homer's Odyssey, for example). Male rape is certainly not a hospitable gesture. Simply being gay was never a sin, as I understand it. But male anal sex is a sin, from what I know of halacha. There is nothing in the torah against lesbianism. The rabbis claim it's the "Egyptian sin", in total ignorance of Egyptian culture. Lesbianism was not a salient feature of Egyptian culture, the way it was accepted in Greek. Marrying half-siblings was an Egyptian custom (first among pharoahs, and then filtered down to the masses). Although expressively forbidden in the torah, the torah probably felt a need to reiterate it because of the strong cultural influence of Egypt felt throughout Canaan. Gay gezunte heit. I understood the primary sin of Sodom was a lack of hospitality; a grave sin in the ancient world. (Compare Homer’s Odyssey, for example). Male rape is certainly not a hospitable gesture. Simply being gay was never a sin, as I understand it. But male anal sex is a sin, from what I know of halacha.

There is nothing in the torah against lesbianism. The rabbis claim it’s the “Egyptian sin”, in total ignorance of Egyptian culture. Lesbianism was not a salient feature of Egyptian culture, the way it was accepted in Greek. Marrying half-siblings was an Egyptian custom (first among pharoahs, and then filtered down to the masses). Although expressively forbidden in the torah, the torah probably felt a need to reiterate it because of the strong cultural influence of Egypt felt throughout Canaan.

Gay gezunte heit.

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