My Second Gay Comment

This ad by the Reform Movement in Israel was published on the back page of Haaretz on Wednesday, November 8:-



The add contains a quotation from Midrash Tanhuma, Pichas 10, Sanhedrin, Chapter 4 Mishneh 5, Kohelet 3:15 and Yehsayhu 2:3.

Now, I'm all in favor of quoting the Bible and the Talmud and the Midrashim, even if in this case, all those quotes were completely out of context and irrelevant to the subject matter and even the total opposite of the message the Reform wanted to convey. But, hey, that's the Reform.

But you must be even-handed. The Reform movement, in supporting some of the most concessionist policies of Israel's governments, have always supported what our American "friends" have termed 'even-handedness'. So, they must do so when bringing source material from Jewish literature.

So, since they haven't, I'll do it for them. Here is one, Leviticus 18:22-30:-

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is an abomination. 23 And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out from before you. 25 And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 Ye therefore shall keep My statutes and Mine ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the home-born, nor the stranger that sojourneth among you-- 27 for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled-- 28 that the land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. 29 For whosoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep My charge, that ye do not any of these abominable customs, which were done before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

and here is another Leviticus 20:13:

"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

And for a good Orthodox viewpoint, try this.

But I don't want to deal specifically with the issue of homosexuality or lesbianism. What interests me is the inclination of people to seek sources that do not support their positions but nevertheless, thrust them out to people who have no idea othwerwise.

They do that on this theme and they do that on the matter of Israel's international legal basis, borders, demographics and security.

And I don't like it.