S'dom: a major misinterpretation
There has been a lot of talk lately, linked to Katrina, about the people of S'dom. Much of it is based on a major, but very common, misinterpretation of P'shat in the story of the destruction. I'd like to set it straight.
Rape is a crime of violence, NOT of sex. The reason that it uses sexual means is to increase the effect to the maximum. Anyone can punch someone in the face. To violate them sexually is the ultimate in domination and humiliation, thus providing the maximum satisfaction to the aggressor. In fact, if you take a confirmed homosexual and put him in a barbarian army, he will join in raping the women as fast as any of the others.
The Torah narrative of the visit to S'dom by the Malachim (B'reishit 19:4-11) is a story of RAPE, NOT homosexuality. If the people of the town just wanted an orgy they could've propositioned the strangers directly. Everything about their actions, from the demand that Lot throw his guests out of his house to their attempt to break in shows that violence was the motive.
If you look at the Midrashim associated with the people of S'dom, you see the same thing. A significant percentage speak about violence and robbery, not sex, when illustrating the crimes of the cities of the plain. THIS is why they were destroyed. Once again, crimes against one's fellow man are the highest level of evil. I would go so far as to say that if in their dealings with each other they were good, honest, people, that they would NOT have been destroyed for homosexuality. At the very least, like Ninveh, they would have been offered the chance to to T'shuva first.
But wait, you tell me. Homosexuality is a Toeva (usually translated as abomination) so it MUST be punished, and we absolutely must have to spend tremendous efforts condemning it!
There are a lot of things the Torah called Toevot; it's true that homosexuality is one. But so is cheating at business(Devarim 25:13-16)! And what comes right after those P'sukim? Zachor! Rashi right on the spot (Pasuk 17) says the REASON that Amalek comes is because we cheat in business! NOT because of homosexuals in New Orleans or San Fransisco, not even because of (whisper it...we don't want to admit our own hypocrisy when we scream about secular homosexuals) homosexuals in Boro Park!
The Torah and Chazal return us once again to the same points: our problems stem primarily from offenses between man and man, and especially from those offences when commited by our own. Maybe we should start to listen.
Rape is a crime of violence, NOT of sex. The reason that it uses sexual means is to increase the effect to the maximum. Anyone can punch someone in the face. To violate them sexually is the ultimate in domination and humiliation, thus providing the maximum satisfaction to the aggressor. In fact, if you take a confirmed homosexual and put him in a barbarian army, he will join in raping the women as fast as any of the others.
The Torah narrative of the visit to S'dom by the Malachim (B'reishit 19:4-11) is a story of RAPE, NOT homosexuality. If the people of the town just wanted an orgy they could've propositioned the strangers directly. Everything about their actions, from the demand that Lot throw his guests out of his house to their attempt to break in shows that violence was the motive.
If you look at the Midrashim associated with the people of S'dom, you see the same thing. A significant percentage speak about violence and robbery, not sex, when illustrating the crimes of the cities of the plain. THIS is why they were destroyed. Once again, crimes against one's fellow man are the highest level of evil. I would go so far as to say that if in their dealings with each other they were good, honest, people, that they would NOT have been destroyed for homosexuality. At the very least, like Ninveh, they would have been offered the chance to to T'shuva first.
But wait, you tell me. Homosexuality is a Toeva (usually translated as abomination) so it MUST be punished, and we absolutely must have to spend tremendous efforts condemning it!
There are a lot of things the Torah called Toevot; it's true that homosexuality is one. But so is cheating at business(Devarim 25:13-16)! And what comes right after those P'sukim? Zachor! Rashi right on the spot (Pasuk 17) says the REASON that Amalek comes is because we cheat in business! NOT because of homosexuals in New Orleans or San Fransisco, not even because of (whisper it...we don't want to admit our own hypocrisy when we scream about secular homosexuals) homosexuals in Boro Park!
The Torah and Chazal return us once again to the same points: our problems stem primarily from offenses between man and man, and especially from those offences when commited by our own. Maybe we should start to listen.
posted by meturgeman | 10:27 PM
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