21 Tamuz 5776
This is a very important message which every Jew needs to hear. In the beginning, Rav Bar-Hayim focuses specifically on the homosexual issues raised by Rav Levenstein's recent speech, but when he goes on to address the main issues raised in that speech, which were overlooked by the media, it is quite an eye-opener. It is very much worth hearing and sharing as widely as possible.
Also of interest: Stop Drinking The Kool-Aid, America: Political Fiction In An Age Of Televised Lies
Wow! He's super! He said it all so eloquently. Not one word to differ from him. Kol hakavod to this Rabbi and thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAS
Well said by Rav Bar-Hayim. Agree 100%.
ReplyDeleteExcellent drasha by Rav Bar-Chaim. Spoke beautifully and said it all as the above commenter,AS, wrote. Also, a Yasher Koach to Rav Levenstein - may such Rabbonim be blessed for their righteousness, courage and truth!
ReplyDeleteWe read in Tehilim and elsewhere that not by the might of the army, weaponries, etc. will we be victorious but it will be Hashem who saves us! The weakening of the once great IDF has all been foretold because as is written, we will not have anyone to help us or rely upon except Hashem, and the world will all know Ein Od Milvado! nili
I'll give my honest opinion, which I'm not sure will be posted just like none of my comments are posted no matter how respectful they are, I'll continue to try to voice my opinion as respectfully as possible anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe LGBT community does not expect the religious community to accept homosexuality. What we do expect is to be treated respectfully just like any other Jews. The rabbi keeps saying, rightfully so, that religious Jews should not hate LGBT people, but by using words like "ill" and "perverts" to refer to us, he promotes hate and incitement inevitably because most people in religious communities already have a very latent tendency to be very belligerent and hateful towards LGBT people. By referring to LGBT Jews as perverts and ill or as abominations, he dehumanises Jews and gives anyone legitimacy to treat us as anything other than human no matter how often he emphasises that we should not be hated.
It is easy to preach that we should hate the sin and not the sinner (which is a very deep and beautiful truth in Judaism), but in practice the experience of most gay religious Jews is that they're beaten, hated and ostracised by their families. Next time a religious gay Jew commits suicide, what the rabbis should be asking themselves is if they have done enough to make that person's community more compassionate.
Answer me one thing. Why does anyone have to know how you like your sex?
DeleteNobody knows how I like my sex, but I do not wish to be called a pervert for being gay, which is not an indicative of my sexuality, but rather of whom I'm attracted to. And if you ask me why people have to know why I'm gay, then I shall answer with another question: have you ever been to a Jewish dinner? The first thing people ask you, sometimes even before knowing your name is if you are married and have children, if you're looking for a wife, if you want to be introduced to a nice lady or maybe even that there is someone else there whom they would like to introduce to you. I myself answer with a diplomatically "I'm not looking. Thank you." But I hope you understand how "in-your-face" those questions are even though they come from a good place. They are, however, questions that put LGBT people in a very awkward situation and many feel forced to come out, so people will stop asking them questions and judging them. Because of course, even when you say you're not looking, many times they go as far as to ask you why.
DeletePhysically, there is only male and female. "Gay" is a state of mind and emotion. As explained below, "attraction" has everything to do with sexuality and that's why the word "homosexuality" has gone out of vogue. Because there is an agenda to further this lie you are now telling yourself. Being "gay" has everything to do with sex - whether you fulfill the desire or manage to control it and abstain.
DeleteThe "dinner" questions also hurt heterosexual singles who have not for whatever reason coupled with a mate. There will always be well-meaning, but tactless people to deal with on any manner of subjects, but nobody forces you to "out" your most personal, private details at a family Shabbat table out of pique.
To address your reference to words like pervert and deviant - how else to describe what deviates from and perverts the natural order and intention of creation? I'm open to alternative suggestions.
DeleteGay refers to attraction, not to sex. The sexual act (homosexuality) is allegedly prohibited. Nothing is said anywhere in the Torah about attraction. There are many "gay" religious Jews who are celibate, and therefore the qualificative is not an oxymoron. You should educate yourself.
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest. "Attaction" for the purposes of sexual relations. A homosexual prefers the same gender for the purposes of sexual relations. Love and friendship on the other hand have no gender barrier. Looking and lusting are also sins. A human being has the ability and the obligation to control his physical desires.
ReplyDeleteAgain, why is it anyone's business if someone holds this preference? How is anyone else to know unless you tell them? What is there to be proud of? Why this deep need to force an unwilling public to approve and "celebrate"? I'd really like to understand.
Moshino, not only is spilling seeds one of the most severest sins, according to the Zohar, according to other holy books, it actually is physically dangerous to the surroundings. Perhaps you should educate yourself on this topic by reading up on books dealing with Tikun Haklali.
ReplyDelete"Velo-taturu acharei levavkhem ve'acharei einiekhem - do not stray after your hearts and eyes" is one of the 613 Commandments.
AS
In a nutshell, firstly, LGBT is a political movement. Their goal is to normalize what is not normal. G-D gave humanity directions on how to live. People sin, but to flaunt those sins and purposely in your face have parades in the holiest city on earth is chutzpah beyond evil. Evil has no shame nor boundaries. No one is telling anyone else how to live, but societies have boundaries and rules, basically taken from G-D's Instructions. Live by it or not, but do not push it onto normative societies, especially b'Eretz HaKodesh, b'Ir HaKodesh.
ReplyDeleteTZEDEK
Moshino - As far as I can tell, you have not answered any of my questions. Instead, your subsequent comments have stated the usual case which the world has already been hearing more of than it should. The comments section will not be used to justify and excuse what the Torah forbids. Maybe you will remain celibate all your life, but this is not the norm for what you persist in calling a "community" which it is not - not any more than a meeting of thieves makes them the T.H.I.E.F. "community". Whether you recognize it or not, you are aligning yourself with those who do practice this aberrant lifestyle even to making a mockery of marriage and it makes you as guilty as they are by association.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up the 70s and I have to wonder just how old you are and what country you live in. I came of age in the 70s. There were people who were wondered about, but no one asked and no one forced that knowledge on us. Homosexual activity was a felony in every state in the union. The militant homosexual movement wants more than not to be discriminated against. It wants legitimacy and approval and celebration. The believing world will never give it to you.
Dear Devash, I pray that one day, instead of discussing what separates us, we will talk about what makes us one. May we be blessed with Geulah Shlema speedily in our days.
ReplyDeleteMoshino, if you identify with what you call the "LGBTQ community", you have separated yourself from us and from Hashem. When you are ready to do teshuvah, you will be welcomed back with joy.
DeleteAnd here I beg to differ again. I have neither separated myself nor have I been separated from any communities. I am an integral part of the Jewish people and I'm Israeli. I have friends from many ultra-orthodox and chassidic communities where I regularly have dinners and I have friends in the LGBTQ community. I am blessed with much health, friends and beautiful parents and a family that loves me and supports me B"H and I wish all gay people could get to have what I've always had, but "hakol byad Hashem."
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, absolutely everything about this period of time is about separation. The Hebrew term is birur. Hashem is separating the Holy from the Profane. As Eliyahu HaNavi said so many years ago - "For how long will you straddle two opinions? Choose today whom you will follow." You can't be party to both worlds.
DeleteI hope everyone reads these comments well and understands what a situation we find ourselves in today. In the past, the Jews were either believers or frei. Today, our ranks are filled with those who would be frei while wearing tallit and tefillin and praying in the beit knesset.
ReplyDeleteThis alone would be enough to make any normal person scream to Heaven for deliverance from the evil that grips this world.
Suggestion to Moshino - just separate yourself from the
ReplyDeleteLGBT community 'cold turkey'. They will only bring you down further. Do teshuvah and return to the normal world. We are living in special times where we need to hang on to the right side which is the side of H' and His Commandments.
Moishe
The problem is that there are those who think that the 613 Commandments are optional - we can pick and choose whatever we like, dump whatever we don't, and still be considered "a religious Jew".
ReplyDeleteAS