Sexual Morality
The three most stringent laws in the Torah are the prohibitions against Avodah Zarah (worshipping anything other than the one true G-d), the prohibition against murder and the prohibition against sexual immorality.
These laws are so stringent that when faced with the choice of violating one of them or being killed, the Jew must choose death.
The prohibition against sexual immorality forbids bestiality, homosexuality, incest (as defined by the Torah), adultery (defined as a man having sex with a woman who is married to another man) and sexual relations with a woman who is a nidah or zava. (For all practical purposes we do not distinguish between a nidah and a zava. In practice, a woman may not have sexual relations (or even casual physical contact with a man) from the time that her menstrual period begins until seven days after all blood has ceased and not until she has properly immersed in a mikveh (ritual bath) or certain natural bodies of water. Sexual activities less than sexual intercourse are also prohibited (either by the Torah acording to the Rambam or by rabbinical enactment according to the Ramban) and even hugging and kissing and shaking hands are prohibited with only very few exceptions (such as a father with his daughter and a mother with her son).
Nonmarital sex is also forbidden. One need not give up one's life to avoid nonmarital sex as long as the other person isn't prohibited by one of the issues in the previous paragraph. As time permits, we will discuss the halacha regarding a pilegesh, which is a status less than a full wife, but not single either. As a pratical matter, and based on longstanding Jewish practice, unmarried Jewish women do not immerse themselves after their menstrual periods. Therefore, no physical contact such as kissing, hugging or even shaking hands is permitted with a single woman or girl once she has started to have menstrual periods.
This means that the only permitted sexual contact is between a man and his wife (or possibly pilegesh). Furthermore, in general, no physical contact at all is allowed with members of the opposite sex except spouses with each other. All male homosexual activity is prohibited including sexual kissing, oral genital contact and anal intercourse. Intercourse between men is a capital offense (punishable by death). Two men are allowed to kiss each other in a nonsexual way (such as a greeting) and are allowed to shake hands. Lesbian activity is also prohibited.
Male masturbation is also forbidden.
This means that the Torah expects Jews to refrain from all sexual activity until they are married, and to restrict that activity to their spouses.
Especially in todays corrupt society this is a great expectation from people. The Torah gave guidelines to make this easier, which we will attempt to explore in other articles.
These laws are so stringent that when faced with the choice of violating one of them or being killed, the Jew must choose death.
The prohibition against sexual immorality forbids bestiality, homosexuality, incest (as defined by the Torah), adultery (defined as a man having sex with a woman who is married to another man) and sexual relations with a woman who is a nidah or zava. (For all practical purposes we do not distinguish between a nidah and a zava. In practice, a woman may not have sexual relations (or even casual physical contact with a man) from the time that her menstrual period begins until seven days after all blood has ceased and not until she has properly immersed in a mikveh (ritual bath) or certain natural bodies of water. Sexual activities less than sexual intercourse are also prohibited (either by the Torah acording to the Rambam or by rabbinical enactment according to the Ramban) and even hugging and kissing and shaking hands are prohibited with only very few exceptions (such as a father with his daughter and a mother with her son).
Nonmarital sex is also forbidden. One need not give up one's life to avoid nonmarital sex as long as the other person isn't prohibited by one of the issues in the previous paragraph. As time permits, we will discuss the halacha regarding a pilegesh, which is a status less than a full wife, but not single either. As a pratical matter, and based on longstanding Jewish practice, unmarried Jewish women do not immerse themselves after their menstrual periods. Therefore, no physical contact such as kissing, hugging or even shaking hands is permitted with a single woman or girl once she has started to have menstrual periods.
This means that the only permitted sexual contact is between a man and his wife (or possibly pilegesh). Furthermore, in general, no physical contact at all is allowed with members of the opposite sex except spouses with each other. All male homosexual activity is prohibited including sexual kissing, oral genital contact and anal intercourse. Intercourse between men is a capital offense (punishable by death). Two men are allowed to kiss each other in a nonsexual way (such as a greeting) and are allowed to shake hands. Lesbian activity is also prohibited.
Male masturbation is also forbidden.
This means that the Torah expects Jews to refrain from all sexual activity until they are married, and to restrict that activity to their spouses.
Especially in todays corrupt society this is a great expectation from people. The Torah gave guidelines to make this easier, which we will attempt to explore in other articles.
posted by emeslyaakov | 2:26 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home