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Female Homosexuality

  

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Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg: Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment...what's on your mind?

Jacob: well, wondering if the issur [ed. note: prohibition] of homosexuality applies both to men and women

Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg: yes it does, albeit slightly differently

Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg: the Torah1 clearly prohibits the act of male homosexual cohabitation

Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg: the lesbian lifestyle is just a lifestyle, not an act, so its prohibition is not mentioned clearly in the Torah where it lists forbidden sexual acts. It is nonetheless prohibited and alluded to in the Torah2

Jacob: interesting

Jacob: i appreciate your candidness on here, i thought it would be more prudish

Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg: take care

Jacob: u too

All names, places, and identifying information have been changed or deleted in order to protect the privacy of the questioners. In order to preserve authenticity, the chat sessions have been posted with a minimum of editing. Please excuse typographical errors, missing punctuation, and/or grammatical mistakes which naturally occur in the course of informal chat sessions.

Footnotes

  • 1. Leviticus 18:22
  • 2. See Maimonidies laws of Forbidden Relationships 21:8 based on a verse in Leviticus 18:3

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COMMENTS

Female Homosexuality

Posted by: Anonymous, Yorba Linda, Ca, 92807 on Mar 27, 2005

I read the question submitted by an individual who asked about female homosexuality. He was answered by a Mrs. Tzivie Greenberg I believe. With all do respect, I believe her answers to this issue were very incomplete. Although Lesbianism is not mentioned in the Torah, Rashi discusses that this is what the ancient Egyptians practiced. The posuk warns us not to follow in this path of "K'maaseh eretz Mitzrayim." Furthermore, this issue is discussed in Gemara as well, namely Yevamos 76a with rashi, interpreting the term of "Mesolelot." There is also a Machlokes if this prohibition is Biblical or Rabbinic. Further information is available in the Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics, authored by Avraham Steinberg, published by Feldheim, page 937, with notes there for further information. In my opinion, when someone asks a question of such controversy, the appropriate sources should be cited to clarify the matter, rather than simply giving a yes or no answer and saying it is not part of the Torah's lifestyle. Thank you.

Female Homosexuality

Posted by: Cockneyite, London, England, UK on Jul 04, 2005

It is a machlokes between the Rambam (Issurei biah 21 or 22 - I don't have it in front of me) and the Perischa in Ewen Haeser 20 if it is an issur mideoraissa. The Rambam says it is a "Lav Schebichlalut" (-Generalised prohibition) of "Kemaaseh erez Mizrajim" and is therefore not punishable, but is still mideoraissa. The Perischa says it's an "Assmachta" and therefore only a rabbinical prohibition.
Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Jacob
Third of the three Patriarchs and father of the Twelve Tribes. Lived most his life in Canaan and died in Egypt in 1505 BCE. Also known by the name of "Israel."