Connecting Jewish Texts to Queer Experiences

Youth intern Ruby created this text study guide that connects Jewish texts and stories to queer experiences. This study guide focuses on two texts - one exploring queer themes in Jewish texts and one exploring themes of solidarity and action in Jewish texts.

October 10, 2024

By Ruby B.

Introduction 

This text study is for people who are Jewish, queer, or Jewish and queer and want to learn about how queerness fits into Judaism and why supporting LGBTQ+ rights is Jewish! It is designed to be accessible to people across the spectrum of observance. 

About

Ruby (she/they) is a gay college student, hopefully on the premed track. She is heavily involved in Jewish life on campus and will be vice president on the Hillel board next year! They are also very active in the NYC house rabbit community and just adopted a NJB (nice Jewish bunny) named Elwin! She has been going to Keshet programs since sophomore year in high school and absolutely loves the intersectional space they provide. 


Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 6:3

 

Rebbi Jehudah ben Pazi went to the upper floor of the House of Study and saw two men in homosexual activity. They said to him, Rebbi! Realize that you are one and we are two! רִבִּי יוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי סְלַק לְעִילִיתָא דְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא וְרָאָה שְׁנֵי בְנֵי אָדָם נִזְקָקִין זֶה לָזֶה. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. הַב דַּעְתָּךְ דְּאַתְּ חַד וַאֲנָן תְּרֵי. 

A Rainbow Thread (edited by Noam Sienna) – Chapter 10 

What’s going on:

This “anecdote” comes after the rabbis are discussing different scenarios regarding witnesses. In a Jewish court, two witnesses are needed to convict an accused person. In this situation, the students (who were accused of homosexual activity) remind the rabbi that regardless of whether or not they were doing something wrong, he holds no power over them since he lacks a second witness. It should also be noted that if the students wanted to, they could create a case and convict the rabbi since their interests are aligned – essentially blackmailing him into remaining silent. 

Why it matters:

This story is the only non-theoretical example of Jews engaging in queer activities in the Talmud. This is important to note because while the rabbis spent time conversing about numerous topics that fall under the modern LGBTQ umbrella (such as how intersex people should be considered in Jewish life or whether Kohanim are allowed to marry women who have previously engaged in sex with other women) these scenarios were all theoretical and not based in real life. 

Question:

  • While there are many stories in the Tanach and other Jewish texts that may contain subtext for LGBTQ characters, this is an explicit, undeniable example of queer Jews. Why is that important? How does it fit into what you know about queerness in Judaism? (It’s totally fine if you know nothing; hopefully this activity gives you some background!) 

Kiddushin 82a

 

…It is taught in the Tosefta (5:10): They said to Rabbi Yehuda: Jews are not suspected of engaging in homosexual intercourse nor of engaging in intercourse with an animal. …אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה: לֹא נֶחְשְׁדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מִשְׁכַּב זְכוּר וְלֹא עַל הַבְּהֵמָה. 

Torah Queeries Chapter 29 “How Flexible Can Jewish Law Be? Parshat Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1-18:30)” by Elliot N. Dorff

What’s going on:

The rabbis are in discussion over whether Leviticus 18:22 applies to two unmarried business partners sharing a bed on a trip…and they were business partners

Why it matters:

Rabbi Yehuda’s students’ statement on what is arguably the most famous anti-LGBTQ biblical passage might sting more than the actual passage itself because it dismisses the possibility of queer Jews as worthy of exploring or analyzing further. If we’re reading the line from Leviticus through the lens that everything written in the Torah is intentional and exactly as God wanted it to be (likely how it was read in Talmudic times), surely it’s not unnecessary and was put there to be further discussed. Judaism places a lot of emphasis on questions and meaningful discussion. We discuss this at the Passover Seder in the form of the four children, specifically the one who doesn’t know how to ask, who we dismiss as being uninterested in Judaism or the Passover story. By brushing off this line of Torah, these students are turning from a critical part of text study.

Also for what it’s worth, A Rainbow Thread has so many stories of Jews being gay, so, shockingly, this rabbi doesn’t know what he’s talking about. 

Questions:

There is a teaching of the Torah that says that every single word is intentionally written by God. Consider the students’ response to Vayikra 18:22:

  • How does the student’s response reflect or challenge the ideas of Vayikra 18:22?
  • Machloket L’shem Shamayim translates to “arguments for the sake of heaven,” essentially having constructive conversations, regardless of the other person’s opinion.
  • How would you respond to this translation of Machloket L’shem Shamayim? 
  • Is there a way to respond constructively to “Jews are not suspected of engaging in homosexual intercourse” – a statement that could feel so dismissive?

Vayikra 19:16-19

 

16) You shall not judge unfairly in a trial. Do not push down the small and push up the big. You shall judge your fellow Israelites in justice; 

(17) You shall not tell tales about people not present and you shall not stand idly by while one of your fellow Israelites is being hurt for I am your God;

(18) Do not seek revenge on your fellow Israelite and you shall love your fellow as yourself for I am God;

(19) You shall live by my laws. You shall not breed hybrids with your livestock, nor will you put two types of produce in one field and an article of clothing that is made of two different types of strands shall not be on you.

לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃

 לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃

 לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃

 אֶֽת־חֻקֹּתַי֮ תִּשְׁמֹ֒רוּ֒ בְּהֶמְתְּךָ֙ לֹא־תַרְבִּ֣יעַ כִּלְאַ֔יִם שָׂדְךָ֖ לֹא־תִזְרַ֣ע כִּלְאָ֑יִם וּבֶ֤גֶד כִּלְאַ֙יִם֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז לֹ֥א יַעֲלֶ֖ה עָלֶֽיךָ׃

 

What’s going on: 

Rules from God.

Why it matters: 

The bolded parts feel especially relevant in this election cycle, knowing that the right wing outlined plans designed to consolidate the checks and balances of our government system under the executive branch. Their plan is effectively “pushing up the big” while “push[ing] down the small” through removing access to abortion, rescinding LGBTQ protective legislation, and getting rid of price-caps on medication, which could lead to death for individuals who can no longer afford life-saving medicine. In the following line, we are reminded “not to stand idly by” while one of our own is being hurt. As Jews, we have a duty to vote this November.

Loving another as yourself means applying the same commitment to their life and rights as yours. Therefore, living by these laws means ensuring that the rights of LGBTQ individuals are not stripped away during the upcoming election. The Trevor Project’s 2024 survey found that recent politics negatively affected 90% of LGBTQ young people. Coupled with the information that 39% of LGBTQ people seriously considered suicide in the past year, and that the rate of attempted suicide in LGBTQ young people decreased when they felt accepted, leading a Jewish life means caring about these issues and using your voice and your vote to protect the rights of LGBTQ people.

Note: I think I lost brain cells while reading just a few paragraphs of Project 2025.

Questions: 

In 2024, The Trevor Project’s survey found that 39% of LGBTQ people seriously considered suicide in the past year.

  • Based on this statistic, how can you show love to the people around you?
  • The line “do not push down the small and push up the big” feels especially relevant now with the potential for many marginalized groups’ rights at stake.
  • What are some ways to live this line of Torah?
  • 90% of LGBTQ young people surveyed by The Trevor Project stated that recent politics negatively affected them. 
  • What are some concrete things you can do to show yourself love in the coming weeks? What is the importance of self-care in activism movements?
  • Think about the communities you are a part of. What changes can you advocate for to make the environment more LGBTQ inclusive?

 

Next Steps

Now that it’s been established that the queers can be (and are!) a part of our communities, and protecting them is a fundamental Jewish value, here are some concrete steps to show up this election cycle!

  1. Vote!!! If you’re 18+ and think you’re registered, you can confirm your registration here. If you haven’t signed up yet, search “register to vote in [your state].”  You can do it online or print and mail your registration. If you aren’t 18 yet or can’t vote, mobilize others to vote. There are likely local opportunities in your area!
  2. Support Keshet’s community mobilization efforts in states with large Jewish populations and potentially harmful LGBTQ policies.
  3. Volunteer for campaigns on both the local and federal level! If you don’t have the time to volunteer, consider making donations.
  4. Social media posts! Reposting statements from candidates and credible news sources can help share information and hopefully spread awareness about current issues…just maybe don’t get into a Facebook argument with your relatives…