Editing Jewish views on homosexuality (section)

==Homosexuality in the Torah==
{{Further|The Bible and homosexuality|Leviticus 18#Homosexuality}}

The [[Book of Leviticus]] refers to [[Gay sexual practices|male homosexual sexual practices]] twice ([[Jewish Publication Society of America Version|JPS]] translation):

{{verse translation|lang=hbo|italicsoff=y|rtl1=y|{{Script/Hebrew|.וְאֶת-זָכָר, לֹא תִשְׁכַּב מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה — תּוֹעֵבָה הִוא}}|Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is detestable.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible''{{Bibleverse|Leviticus|18:22|HE}}</ref>}}

{{verse translation|lang=hbo|italicsoff=y|rtl1=y|{{Script/Hebrew|.וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת-זָכָר מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה — תּוֹעֵבָה עָשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם. מוֹת יוּמָתוּ; דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם}}|And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed a detestable act: They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{Bibleverse|Leviticus|20:13|HE}}</ref>}}

Several commentators believe that the verses specifically condemn the practice of [[sodomy]] (i.e. [[anal intercourse]] between two males).<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Translations and interpretations of Leviticus 18:22; all views |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/interpreting-Leviticus-18-22.htm |access-date=19 June 2019 |website=www.religioustolerance.org}}</ref><ref>Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 54a and b; Josephus, Against Apion 2.199; and Philo, Abraham 135. Some modern authors stating this view include {{harvp|Alter|2004|p=623, 632}}; {{harvp|Boyarin|1995|p=339, 343}}; {{harvp|Brooten|1996|p=61}}; {{harvp|Cohen|1990|p=6}}; {{harvp|Daube|1986|p=447}}; {{harvp|Milgrom|2000|p=1568}}; {{harvp|Olyan|1994|p=185}}; {{harvp|Thurston|1990|p=16}}; and {{harvp|Walsh|2001|p=208}}.</ref>{{sfnp|Brodsky|2009}} Rabbinic thought supports this view, condemning homosexuality as an example of "unnatural intercourse" compared to the "natural intercourse" between non-related men and women. Intercourse in both scenarios only occur if penetration exists.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Moss |first1=Jacob A. |last2=Ulmer |first2=Rivka B. Kern |date=2008 |title="Two Men Under One Cloak"—The Sages Permit it: Homosexual Marriage in Judaism |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/00918360802129337 |journal=Journal of Homosexuality |volume=55 |issue=1 |pages=71–105 |doi=10.1080/00918360802129337 |pmid=18928046 |s2cid=39050949 |via=Taylor & Francis Online}}</ref>

Deuteronomy 23:17 tells followers: "None of the daughters of Israel shall be a [[Qedesha|kedeshah]], nor shall any of the sons of Israel be a [[Qedesha|Kadesh]]." This has been interpreted as prohibiting the "sons of Israel" from serving as a [[Male prostitution|homosexual temple prostitute in a pagan cult]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/23-17.htm|title=Deuteronomy 23:17 No daughter or son of Israel is to be a cult prostitute.|website=biblehub.com|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>