Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition
by Steven Greenberg
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Book Summary Information
Author: Steven GreenbergEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-02-24
ISBN: 0299190943
Number of pages: 312
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
Book Reviews of Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition
Book Review: Where There's a Heart, There's a Theology of Love
Summary: 4 Stars
I read the original paperback edition of 2004. The book contains some 260 regular text pages, plus 31 pages of footnotes (altogether 328 pages). The author, an openly homosexual orthodox rabbi, had appeared in the 1999 documentary Trembling Before G-D.
Speaking in the popular language of separation I am not an Orthodox Jew, but the "original" holy texts which often get interpreted homophobically most certainly are of relevance to me, as their (King James) Bible derivations are used within the RastafarI branch of religion for the downpression of the constructed minority of homosexuals. Theologically, the book is of interest for any branch of religion which knows certain common stories, such as the one of Sodom.
There are advantages and disadvantages of this book being written by an ordained religious official. However, the air of authority is irrelevant to me personally: As a RastafarI I do not know such officials. The advantage is that this book departs from similar ones (of any closely related religion) in that it is less argumentative in a general sense, but is open to reassessing theological concepts. The disadvantage is, that the reasoning of the book has to be restricted to the parameters of (orthodox) Jewish theology. Which of course is again an advantage for the Jewish orthodox reader, but not necessarily on all issues to the reader who seeks more universal answers. I was also looking for some specifics of elsewhere averred alterations/mistranslations of early Jewish texts (e.g. at the time of the Egyptian diaspora), but of course a rabbi can't go into such a notion and I am not complaining as I respect other people's concepts of belief/knowledge.
I am also a mystic and appreciated the few references to the Jewish light on mysticism. In addition, the Ham story is of involuntary importance to RastafarI, as it was used to justify slavery, and I am always all ears of how this story gets interpreted in different ways. I am thankful for the author's elaborations on the Sodom story, as many other non-homophobic interpreters remain rather superficial when it comes to the anti-greed part. (Another advantage of the book having been written by a theologian instead of a scientist- or activist-only.) It was refreshing to read the "anecdote" suggesting that God has given the Torah to the humans and now it is their business to interpret it. In general books about the European Middle Ages, it gets usually forgotten how non-Christian homosexuals were treated. So it was interesting to learn that Jews weren't delivered to Christian courts and their corresponding (capital) punishments.
The theological differentiation between willful transgressors (not for pleasure, but rebellion) and indulgent transgressors (who can't resist temptation) is more for the specifically Jewish reader.
Not all of the author's reasoning I have to agree with. To begin with, it's a persistent myth that women can't get pregnant while nursing. As the opposite is the reality, intercourse by nursing women can't get used as another example of theologically allowed non-procreative sexuality. I agree (of course, what else?!) that holy texts (not only the Torah, but also e.g. the derived Bible) got freely reinterpreted to re-allow money lending with interest. In fact, banking was once termed another example of sodomy (unnatural reproduction of money) by the Church. I even do like the theology better which is against exploitation and classism as put forward in this book. However, I don't agree that it was such a good idea to radically change that prohibition or even to change it at all, taking a look a the local and global system, which is basically an extension of that downturned (overturned) ancient holy law. Ok, it DOES show a precedent for humans freely changing interpretations of holy texts. All I am saying is that it is a bad choice of example. Actually the worst, considering that it is about the original meaning of the Sodom story about greed and pitilessness.
I am flabbergasted to read from THIS author that the Jonathan-and-David-story would make most sense if Jonathan were homosexual, but David not: Though Jonathan "manages in battle, we find him not very aggressive or interested in military prowess. He doesn't think strategically." As a pacifist and draft dodger I would applaud, if being homosexual would automatically equal the same attitude. But isn't talk like that supposed to be foolish prejudice? In any case, in the ancient world, the opposite of that was at least one of the realities. In fact, some Greek city states especially employed and encouraged homosexual warrior couples. Hawaiian warriors bonded sexually before battle. (Make love, then war.) Fascinating concept, even if not my cup of tea, so I just ordered Gay Warriors: A Documentary History from the Ancient World to the Present.
All of that said, the upper line is: This is a great book. Challenging in different ways for both sides of the issue. For that what it is, this book succeeds. It clearly shows that where there's a will there's a way. This book has a heart. Which seems to be the diametrical opposite of the hatemongers - of any branch of religion. And I am not sure wether religion is supposed to be engaged in without a heart.
You may also be interested in Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century and Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History, and Literature.
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