JUDAISM - sexual ethics Flashcards
core ethical teachings
commandments of the torah (613 mitzvoth, torah, talmud, guidance for actions)
prophetic vision (rights for individuals, personal service to community, tikkun olam)
book of proverbs (wisdom literature, collection pop short statements, wise and foolish proverbs)
ethical teachings: commandment of torah
- Ethics, beliefs and sacred texts are interlinked
- Halacha which is living out the Torah, the most important source
- Mitzvot are an application of the Jewish ethical principals
- Derive from the covenantal relationships
- Ten Commandments contain the essence of ethics
ethical teachings: prophetic vision - including tikkun slam and social justice
- Prophets are people that distinguish between justice + injustice
- remember covenant with God
- vision for better future + speak on behalf of oppressed
- Isaiah, Jeremiah + Ezekiel prophets
- stance to reform social structures to promote justice, equality + peace + observe law + ritual
- Tikkun Olam is a partnership with God facilitated through the prophets’ words that repairs the world.
- All individuals have a dual responsibility of rectifying inequalities by helping the poor and being a steward
- Ways to repair include: stewardship, Tzedakah (giving charity deut 17:7) and Gemilut Chasidim acts of loving kindness.
ethical teachings: book of proverbs
- Gives advice for upright living
- Not a source of Halacha law but reflects Jewish values
- Wisdom:
Mostly in the book of proverbs
Comes to the knowledge of God
Reciprocal relationships - Righteousness:
Integrity is tired to true happiness - Purity:
Praise purity and integrity that focuses on values
Proverbs 11:4 - Generosity of Spirit
Reach out to those in need
Proverbs 28:27
importance of ethical teachings to jewish adherents
- Jews are expected to place a considerable emphasis on the ethical teachings and making moral choices in this practical religion
- Ethical teachings are important in the life of adherents because it allows for enduring success and peace of a united community.
- They ensure a safe and protective Jewish community and a place in the world where common laws and ideals encourage close bonds between individuals that foster the message and desires of God.
ethical teachings on sexual ethics
ETHICS: A system or code of moral behaviour by which human actions are judged to be good, bad, right or wrong
- Sources of Ethical Teachings – Tanakh (Torah), Talmud, Halakah (law), Responsa (rabbinical discussions)
- Teachings on sexual ethics – e.g. scripture; Gen 1:28 “Be fruitful and multiply”
- Sexual Ethical issues (4 in detail) – homosexuality, contraception, premarital and extramarital sex, gender roles
- explanation of the issue/source and teaching on the issue
- Variant position on the issue (orthodox, conservative, progressive/reform)
- Application to the daily life of adherent
- Recent article, organisation, initiative, statement which can demonstrate Judaism as a living religious tradition
- Quotes from significant people such as Maimonides, Rabbis
- The teachings are not the issues
- The teachings are applied to the issues
- There are numerous variations within each variant so always include evidence to support your answer e.g. Quotes/organisations/statements.
sacred texts and rabbinical literature
- Tanak (Torah)
- Teaching: go forth and multiply; “be fruitful and increase in number: fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28)
- Teaching: sex is ‘kiddushin’ (holy) in marriage; “a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife…they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). - Talmud
- Teaching: family unit maintains covenant; “he who lives without a wife lives without joy and blessing” (Yebamoth 63b – Talmud). - Halakah
- Teachings: Halakah Law: Taharat Ha-mishapachah (code of behaviour)
Niddah; state of impurity = unethical (menstruation etc)
Mikvah; ‘ritual bath’ (cleansing) = absolves niddah
Tznuit; modesty (huge matter of interpretation) - Responsa
- Teachings: vary across 3 strands – general readings on ethics (3 strands and interpretation): Orthodox, conservative, reform.
The Jewish standpoint on sexual ethics is heavily influenced by the perception of the body, as created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1) – thus we must care for the body in order to achieve the Torah’s commandments. Ultimately, this perspective requires Jews to act in certain ways, concerning a range of social, environmental, economic and personal issues.
Sexual ethics in Judaism provides guidance for human behavior, and seeks to establish correct codes of sexual behavior.
ethical system governing sexual ethics
- The ethical system that operates within Judaism is represented by codes of positive and negative commandments, studying and analysing coreethical concepts.
- Under this system of ethics, one acts in a certain way because that is in the halacha (Jewish law) and the halacha is God’s will
- One of the commandments of the halachah is to be fruitful and multiply (Gen1:28; 8:17; 35:11). In this context, sex and sexuality is accepted as a natural part of being human.
- Yet the Tenach and later rabbinic literature offers two opposing views about human sex and sexuality. The extreme ascetic view sees sexual relations as appropriate only for the purpose of procreation and it is thus a necessary evil. The view that predominates in the halachah, however, is that sexual intercourse for the pleasure of the married couple is wholesome and good.
- Through the teachings of the Talmud, Torah and significant people, Judaism retains its status as a living religious tradition by being able to solve individual questions of sexual morality.
- The Hebrew Bible warns against following abominations of the land of Egypt- adultery, incest, unnatural sexual acts, rape etc are all considered evil
- Sexuality and marriage are so important in the Talmud that one of the most extensive of its sections, Nashim, is devoted specifically to it, often in great detail.
adherent perspective on sex
- Traditional Judaism adheres to the prohibition on women engaging in sexual intercourse for seven days following the cessation of the bleeding of menstruation. After this, a woman must immerse herself in a mikvah (ritual bath).
- In modern Jewish thought, the idea of marriage remains central to sexual relations. Modern Judaism notes that the principle that lies behind sexual relations is that of respect and concern for the dignity of the other.
attitudes towards sexuality - menstruating women and marriage
NIDDAH (menstruating woman)
• For much of their married life, a couple’s relationship will be regulated by the laws of family purity.
• According to the Torah, a man is forbidden from having sexual intercourse with a niddah, a menstruating woman.
• Each month, from the time her period starts until she has immersed in a mikvah or ritual bath, a wife is in a state of “niddah” or separateness from her husband – seen to allow renewal in the marriage – the Talmud describes it as being under the wedding canopy again. The period of abstention has both physical and psychological benefits.
• Many Jewish women, whether Orthodox, Conservative or Reform, find that the niddah gives them a sense of identity & holiness
• Traditional Judaism adheres to the prohibition on women engaging in sexual intercourse for seven days following the cessation of the bleeding of menstruation. After this, the woman must immersie herself in a mikveh (there are mikvaot for this purpose in Australian cities)
CONJUGAL (marriage) DUTY
• The Talmud specifies both the quantity and quality of sex that a man must give his wife. It specifies the frequency of sexual obligation based on the husband’s occupation, although this obligation can be modified in the ketubah (marriage contract).
• A man may not take a vow to abstain from sex for an extended period of time, and may not take a journey for an extended period of time, because that would deprive his wife of sexual relations.
• Although sex is the woman’s right, she does not have absolute discretion to withhold it from her husband. A woman may not withhold sex from her husband as a form of punishment, and if she does, the husband may divorce her without paying the substantial divorce settlement provided for in the ketubah.
