Bruce Jenner & Rav Aharon Lichtenstein ob”m on Homosexuals
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5775
Never in a million years did I think that Bruce Jenner’s transition to womanhood would inspire a sermon. In a sense it did, although it was more the reaction to it than the event itself which caught my attention.
Stars and celebrities lined up to offer congratulations and encouragement. You are my hero, bravest person ever etc.
I felt as if this were a celebration of gender transitioning in the context of a society which champions an individual’s right to whatever they want as a supreme ideal. I get the same sense when reading about gay rights and marriage and even the right to kill one’s self.
Two years ago, when Jason Collin’s came out I spoke about the need to distinguish between opposition to the sin and compassion for the sinner and the impact of living in a society which celebrates the sin. If you would like a copy please email me after Shabbat.
Today I want to approach the issue from another perspective and share other insights from Rav Aharon Lichtenstein (RAL) ZT”L which clearly have impacted his students and highlight his greatness. The first idea is one of the first ideas that I heard from him in a Friday night sicha at the Yeshiva. When Adam and Eve were in Gan Eden, we read:
בראשית פרק ב
טז) וַיְצַו֙ יְקֹוָ֣ק אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל
יז) וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת
- And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
- But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
RAL asked very simple question – once Adam and eve are commanded not to eat the tree of knowledge it follows that they can eat from every other tree. Why does God have to command them to eat from the other trees?
RAL’s answer was simple and profound. It was to teach us that we live as commanded beings. Everything we do, that which we are allowed and that which we are not, we do as commanded beings.
He lived his every aspect of his life as a commanded being, every action and character trait derived from his being a metzuveh, a commanded servant of God. It informed the very essence of his being and greatness. It is nearly impossible to describe and even less so to emulate.
I share the idea because I believe it has real relevance for today’s sermon and that in two ways.
- The idea of my happiness as a supreme value is antithetical to life as a commanded being. There is nothing wrong with happiness and enjoying life, but only within the context of what we are allowed to do.
- Truly living a Torah life where everything flows from the Torah, purely and honestly, has an interesting application for how we view a person transitioning. I have heard many comments along the lines of – that is disgusting, vile repulsive etc. You hear the same types of comments from the religious community when discussing homosexuality.
I will shift to that discussion for a moment and then come back to transitioners.
It is an abomination they will tell you. God finds it repulsive and so do I. Addressing those sentiments RAL asked the following question- do you object and are you repulsed because it is prohibited or because you are homophobic and find the activity distasteful?
Homosexuality is called a toevah and punishable by death. That is true. There is however another area of halacha where the term toevah is used and many areas where the activity is punishable by death. Honesty in weights and measures which is commanded in this parsha is also mentioned in Ki Tzetzeh and there one who is dishonest is labeled a toevah. One who violates Shabbat is also theoretically punished with death.
Here RAL challenged us – do we feel the same revulsion for the one who cheats in business? Do we feel the same repulsion towards the Shabbat violator?
I would imagine that most who chant Toevah in the homosexual arena do not feel that way about those who are unscrupulous in business or Shabbat violators. If we do not than me must admit that this revulsion does not stem from the Torah’s prohibition, rather it stems from a homophobia that is not Torah based.
If your thoughts, actions and attitudes all stemmed from the Torah you would feel the same towards all three and you would treat all three the same!
Transitioning from male to female is a clear torah prohibition of sirus, or castration and possibly chabbalah, causing damage to one’s self. The punishment for that sin is lashes. The punishment for eating not kosher is lashes. That punishment for eating bugs in unwashed lettuce is lashes!
Do we view those two in the same light?
Do we object because it is forbidden or because we feel it is disgusting?
Those are important questions with very real ramifications for communal policy and practice. And they are questions that one truly and purely committed to Torah must ask.
Our challenge, those who look to embrace and be inclusive is to ensure that we are motivated by Torah concerns and not by societal ones.
