1. Genesis 2, 24 and Leviticus 18, 22

2. To be sure, Torah advocates, and indeed obligates, the punishment of sinners. But punishment is not meted out to those who were raised in a permissive environment and do not appreciate the severity of biblical commandments. On the contrary in those situations it is incumbent upon us to educate rather than to discriminate.

3. Psalm 104, verse 35.

4. Bab. Talmud Brachos, 10a.

5. It is important to distinguish between the homosexual act and homosexual impulses. The former is biblically forbidden and an abomination, the latter is not forbidden at all.

6. It is true that these acts are only forbidden to Jews while homosexuality is biblically forbidden to all mankind but the argument remains cogent despite this distinction.

7. But rabbi, you might argue, the bible refers to homosexuality as an abomination, thus deeming it a greater sin than the others. Even if, for the sake of argument, I would agree that the term abomination somehow increases the level of offense I would point out that homosexuality is not the only abominable sin in the Bible. (Leviticus 18, 26) If one treats a homosexual in the same manner that one treats all other abominable sinners than one has indeed passed the litmus test.

8. The Massachusetts legislature has in the past considered a compromise that supported same sex unions but did not condone same sex marriage. The same suggestion was rejected in the Canadian Parliament.

9. It may be argued that my understanding of the case is mistaken and that it truly is an attempt to offer full legal rights to same sex couples. I would still be compelled to oppose the bill because legalizing same sex marriage would de-facto legalize and thus condone the homosexual act. (See footnote #7)

Same sex Mmarriage: Part one of a three part series