is the finest contribution to the theological study of homosexuality and traditional faith communities I have seen, I'm really glad to have read this book in its entirety, It's something that has been so influential at least in my highly specific circles that I knew most of the broad strokes of Greenberg's conclusions and few of his source texts, but hadn't really been taught much in the way of the specifics of his halachic argument, and I found his readings really interesting.
All communities deserve members like Rabbi Greenberg, who love them enough to really, deeply challenge them from within, A fascinating and important work, Rabbi Greenberg makes some incredibly important points and provides all the research and evidence one needs to prove that inclusion of LGBT people in Judaism is more than required.
But frustratingly he doesn't spell out the conclusions he is obviously making, instead leaving the 'what should happen next' part to our imagination, instead of a call to action.
Brilliant exegesis and history woven with a gay Orthodox rabbi's personal story, How I wish that orthodox Christians could treat Scripture, reason, tradition and the testimonies of LGBTQS people with as much dignity as Rabbi Greenberg does here! Very interesting book that as far as I know is one of the few that discusses gay Jewish identity from an Orthodox perspective.
SO MANY THOUGHTS HEAD FULL!!!!!!
This really took me back to my Yeshiva days and has made me question my perception of halacha and rabbinic authority in ways I hadn't fully realized as a highschooler.
I'm really intrigued by the ideas Rabbi Greenberg brings forward, but am still troubled by the sacrifices gay Jews are expected to make to remain part of Orthodox Jewish life.
I'm sure I'll spend my entire life grappling with the notions put forth in this book, but I have such a deep love and appreciation for Rabbi Greenberg and his passionate advocacy for LGBT Jews.
He gave my friend and I a lot of guidance and support in creating our own underground GSA at our Yeshiva, and I would love to speak to him further about Orthodox support of the LGBT community, and where we, as gay and/or gnc Jews can continue to create solidarity and celebration of our identities in the future.
Rabbi Steven Greenberg's Wrestling with God amp Men takes on a fairly formidable task making room for the acceptance of homosexuality within the Jewish tradition.
This task is complicated by the fact that Rabbi Greenberg has chosen not to simply disregard halakha and tradition as does the approach toward the acceptance of gays and lesbians within many nonOrthodox circles.
Instead, he sets to carve out a space within the tradition in which homosexuality can exist and be acknowledged as permissible within the constraints of halakha.
Rabbi Greenberg pursues this task from a variety of angles, mustering a diverse range of arguments to make his case.
While some are considerably less compelling than others a fact which he himself often acknowledges, the overall sweep of his case is not easily dismissed.
Indeed, one of the unexpected pleasures of this book is that, while it is focused on a particular set of halakhic concerns, it also manages to serve as a brilliant example of approaching Torah in a manner that is innovative and audacious in its embrace of contemporary insights while remaining respectful and true to the tradition.
Wrestling with God amp Men would be worth reading on this score alone even for one with little concern for the specific issues the book raises.
Rabbi Greenberg has no illusions about the difficulty of his task, He readily acknowledges that his approaches to the issue of homosexuality and halakha will face considerable challenges and resistance.
So it is to his credit that he chooses not to sidestep these challenges, but instead takes them headon.
This is a great work of scholarship that deserves as wide an audience as possible, particularly within the Jewish community.
Wrestling with God and Men is the product of Rabbi Steven Greenberg's tenyear struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with Orthodox Judaism.
Employing traditional rabbinic resources, Greenberg presents readers with surprising biblical interpretations of the creation story, the love of David and Jonathan, the destruction of Sodom, and the condemning verses of Leviticus.
But Greenberg goes beyond the question of whether homosexuality is biblically acceptable to ask how such relationships can be sacred.
In so doing, he draws on a wide array of nonscriptural texts to introduce readers to occasions of samesex love in Talmudic narratives, medieval Jewish poetry and prose, and traditional Jewish case law literature.
Ultimately, Greenberg argues that Orthodox communities must open up debate, dialogue, and discussionprecisely the foundation upon which Jewish law reststo truly deal with the issue of homosexual love.
This book will appeal to all people of faith struggling to merge their belief in the scriptures with a desire to make their communities more open and accepting to gay and lesbian members.
This was a tough, fascinating, and often vexing read, It's a bookas far as I can, it is THE ONLY bookabout Orthodox Jewish tradition and homosexuality, It's written by an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi who is gay and openly gay, and partnered, Orthodox tradition generally regards homosexuality, after the prohibition of men lying with men in Leviticus, as an abomination.
So Greenberg is swimming against the tide here, as he makes a case for a reading of the Torah and traditional Jewish law that might excise the prohibition.
His goal is a conversation with his Orthodox colleagues, to open minds and hearts to a view of homosexuality that moves beyond tolerance to acceptance, that understands the gay man as not a person with an affliction but simply with a difference.
I applaud the goal and hope that in the nearly two decades since the book was written it has perhaps started to move the needle within Orthodox Judaism.
I am reading the book because the man I have fallen in love with is an Orthodox Jew.
I am about as secular a Jew as it's possible to be, raised in the Reform movement, I want to understand what my boyfriend has been taught, and how I can provide whatever support he may need from me.
The tricky part is, that if one isn't Orthodox as I am not it feels difficult to understand, as the book unfolds, why Greenberg doesn't just leave Orthodox Judaism and embrace another tradition such as Reconstructionism where gay people are welcomed.
I get that he's trying to fight a battle within the system but the spiritual needs that Orthodoxy fills for Greenberg and presumably others aren't clear to me from the book.
I should note that in the case of my boyfriend things are clearer: he is tied to a family and community of longstanding that are bound up in Orthodox practice.
The book is a tough read, mostly, It's written in a style I can only call Talmudic, as it considers and reconsiders and examines and reexamines almost ad nauseum the various interpretations and arguments and readings of the Biblical verses that relate to homosexuality.
The whole mindset of these verses is, by definition, ancientour understanding of being gay in the contemporary Western world is less than a century old, so therefore nowhere reflected in the texts Greenberg necessarily consults and deals with.
The final chapters offer an attempt at a solution to the problem inherent in the book, wherein Greenberg imagines a conversation between a reasonably caring and enlightened Orthodox rabbi and a young man who is Orthodox and gay and wants to be both in a coherent way.
Greenberg does offer glimmers of what the solution ought to be at least to my mind: the core of Judaism is often said to be that we are made in the image of God and must treat all others in the loving, compassionate way that follows from that idea.
Shouldn't it just be that simple
I am glad to have read this, The subject is fascinating. Reading this book was frustrating and often difficult for me, but I think will matter in my life, given my personal situation.
This is in my library as part of my research on sex, gender and morality in the Bible, By no means is this an easy
read! This is a detailed examination of the strictures against homosexuality in the Old Testament or Torah by an Orthodox Rabbi.
The recounting of the Jewish faith tradition since the fall of thend Temple is very interesting, Rather than rely on a single authority, the interpretation of the Law is determined by an ongoing debate that may last many years.
This book is an interesting study of the different forms of argument this debate takes on and refers to many distinguished Rabbis over the centuries.
A great theological read!! Read various parts of this previously, but now reread cover to cover over Shabbes for teaching purposes.
Might post more about it later, but I have several deadlines right now and am also lecturing in Kansas City tomorrow.
. . There was a lot to take in from this stunning book, I always assumed there was a "closed case" for homosexual expression in Judaism, The rabbi's exegesis was interesting and made me rethink for the thousandth time the wisdom of basing one's life on a literal interpretation of ANYTHING.
Language is the tool for clarity and obscurity both simultaneously,
Reading the book with an open mind, I went on to look more into the Ancient Greek sources for treating homosexuality as a sort of enslavement.
Does it make sense to apply those standards today
I don't know,
An indepth look at the texts regarding sexuality, ethics and God's law in the Hebrew Scriptures, Carefully researched and very readable, this book presents several different argument structures from several not just two sides and allows the reader to come to their own conclusions a rare feat these days! Especially enlightening for Christians who are not familiar with Jewish approaches to Scripture.
I think I'll be rereading this one regularly in my professional life,
I'm not sure I'm the best person to guess who would find this book useful in terms of education levels I think certainly any interested college student with a little patience would find this book readable enough.
A high school student might struggle a bit, but taking it chapter by chapter, instead of all at once, might help.
This is the kind of book where you have to let the ideas settle a little while, anyway, There is than one author with this name, .