Genesis

בייח

Study Partners, sometimes, we lose sight of what is happening around us because we are so focused/fixed on one area. We are oblivious! Or perhaps we have not studied in a particular area because it does not peak our interest. We are disinterested! Could it be that the mere mention of a subject seems so far-fetched we would not consider it? It is ludicrous! Considering some of the sexual issues our world is struggling with, it is a good time for us to seek clarity from The Torah and The Talmud. Genesis Five discusses some of the origins of sexuality. Androgynous is one of eight areas The Talmud lists as a point of sexual identification.

Did you know Adam and Chavah were created androgynous? That means Adam was partly male and partly female in appearance. Chavah was partly male and partly female in appearance. How do we know this? The Holy Scripture says, ‘He/HaShem Created them as Male and Female. He/HaShem Called their name, Adam.’ So Adam was called Adam, and Chavah/Eve was also called Adam. Why? HaShem formed their body as one being, with a combination of masculine and feminine sexual organs. They were created androgynous. Rabbi Moshe Weissman, The Midrash Says (Brooklyn, New York: Benei Yakov Publications 1980), p. 33

(Genesis 5.1)

בְּיוֹם בְּרֹא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם בִּדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֹתוֹ

(Genesis 5.1) Says, ‘This is the book of the generations/history of man/Adam. In the day when God created man/Adam, in the [Spiritual] semblance of God, He made him male and female. He created them/him; and blessed them,/him and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.’

Genesis 5.1 Says, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם ‘This Book is the history of Adam [humankind].’Translators tend to translate תּוֹלְדֹת Toh Lihl Doht as descendants or generations rather than ‘history.’ תּוֹלְדֹת Toh Lihl Doht means both. If we bypass explaining the history, i.e., the sexual history of humankind, that opens the doors to misunderstanding and confusion. (Psalms 119.105) Says, ‘Your Word [Torah] is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’ When Scripture Says The Torah is a light to our path, it means one of the purposes for learning The Torah is to enlighten us. How are we enlightened by the meaning of תּוֹלְדֹת Toh Lihl Doht if we only study about our descendants? We must also examine the sexual history of humankind. In addition, some translators render אָדָם – Adam as ‘man’ instead of ‘Adam.’ Again, both are correct. Yet, in this instance, using Adam is the better choice because we already have a Word for ‘man’ – אִישׁ Eesh. When we focus on only one of the meanings for אָדָם – Adam and תּוֹלְדֹת Toh Lihl Doht, we are not receiving a complete education.

(Genesis 5.2) Says, ‘He Created them as זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם – Zaw Chawr Male וּנְקֵבָה Voo Nih Kay Vawh – and Female. So, initially, a male Adam and a female Adam shared the same body.’ (Bereisheit Rabba 8) quotes R. Jeremiah ben Leazar as saying: ‘When the Holy One, blessed be He, Created Adam, He Created him as a hermaphrodite [bi-sexual], for it is written, ‘Male and female Created He them and called their name Adam.’ Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman said: ‘When HaShem Created Adam, He Created him double-faced, then later He split him and made him with two backs, one back on this side and one back on the other side.’

(Genesis 1.27) Says, ‘וַיִּבְרָא Vah Yee ‘And He,’ [singular] God ‘Vih Raw’ CREATED[singular] אֶת־הָאָדָם Eht Haw Aw Dawm the Adam/man entirely in His own image, in the image of God He בָּרָא created him [singular]; male and female He created them.

זָכָר Zaw Chawr is the first of eight areas The Talmud lists as a point of sexual identification and Voo Nih Kay Vawh וּנְקֵבָה is the second. The Word זָכָר Zaw Chawrmeans with male parts, i.e., the male reproductive genitals. HaShem created the penis on a husband/man to become firm to enter the hollow portion, i.e., the vagina of a woman/wife, to eject seed. The Word Voo Nih Kay Vawh וּנְקֵבָה means with female organs, i.e., the female reproductive organs. HaShem created a woman/wife’s vagina that is like a tunnel. The vagina was designed to receive the husband’s/male’s penis and the seed it ejects. HaShem intended that the first time the husband/male organ entered the female’s/wife’s organ, this would be the consummation of marriage. This is the action of becoming one flesh, as described by Adam in (Genesis 2.24). This is וְדָבַקVih Daw Vahk – the clinging act that physically bonds a man and a woman together as husband and wife. A man and woman who participate in the primary sexual act do so to consummate their marriage, establish a bond of unity, and produce children, so when I combine the words man and husband and woman and wife, it is with this understanding.

(Genesis 2.24) Says, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, וְדָבַק Vih Daw Vahk and shall cleave בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ Bih Ee shih Toh –

to his Wife, and they shall be one flesh.’

The clinging action is natural. Marriage Partners should focus on establishing and keeping a pure, holy marriage relationship. There are immoral, sinful acts that are out of bounds. Any act of homosexuality is unnatural and immoral. The Torah teaches that annal and oral sex are not part of the act of clinging to one’s spouse. The clinging activity is only promoted during the time of the month when a wife is pure, i.e., not releasing blood. When a wife is in a time of impurity, she is 100% OFF LIMITS to her husband. They sleep in separate beds. They do NOT touch! Not even a hug or kiss is permitted!! A husband honors his wife during this time by not sexually pursuing her. When a wife concludes her time of impurity in which she has been separated from her husband, she renews herself by immersing in the Mikvah. She beautifies herself. Immediately, the husband realizes his wife is available to him. They reunite in one bed. The husband must spend plenty of time with his wife and give her great pleasure. No excuses on either side!! During the days of impurity, there is plenty of time for business meetings, extended Torah studies, and other essential responsibilities.

So, our first Parents were created androgynous. While they were androgynous [The Torah Says] He/HaShem וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם Vah Yih Vaw Reh Kah Ooh Tawm and [then blessed them. Does that seem strange or awkward? Perhaps those who adhere to strict positions need to explain how it is that HaShem created our first parents androgynous and then וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם HaShem Blessed them. That does not give the impression that HaShem is unhappy with those who are struggling with their sexuality. HaShem knows us better than we know ourselves. HaShem gives us time to sort through and confront our sexual urges.

That is significant because Holy Scripture does not describe God as being androgynous. Being created androgynous should help each of us understand physical and sexual attractions experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. Those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer may appear different from heterosexuals. Yet, who can say what is in each of our gene pools? We need to be very careful about branding other humans as evil or sinful because of their sexual choices.

It is okay to have diverse opinions until one knows the Truth.

What is it like to be sexually misunderstood, murdered, hated, bullied, victimized, persecuted, demeaned, humiliated, and embarrassed beyond imagination because you do not sexually fit into society?

My belief is God Intends for everyone to be straight. There is no need to be harsh and insensitive. We must not forget that a primary teaching of The Torah is ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Lord’ (Leviticus 19.18). I encourage each of us to consider our actions and to work toward a proper relationship with our Creator and others. It does not matter what I think, how I feel, or what my opinions are about the LGBTQ community. My obligation is to study, understand, and follow the Holy Scriptures to the best of my ability. This is not to say that I am not aware of a man’s strong feelings for another man or that a woman may have strong feelings for another woman. We know that the deviant side of any of us struggles with straying from Torah Observances. Many are born with challenges of varying kinds. Some challenges are sexual. Based on discussions with individuals who are lesbian, gay, transexual, homosexual, or queer indicate they have been this way from birth. I cannot honestly say and will not tell them what they feel is untrue. Some homosexuals feel like being lesbian, gay, or transexual is genetic. It does seem like science is moving closer and closer to substantiating this. Still, even though this may prove to be accurate, it does not change what The Torah Teaches about same-sex intercourse or improper heterosexual urges.

According to what I have read and have been told by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals is that, they have and have had heterosexual relationships and have children from those relationships. So, even though it is challenging, It is possible to observe the Command of The Torah to be fruitful and replenish (Genesis 9.1,7). I am not suggesting this is easy or comfortable, only that it is possible to Observe this Command of The Torah.

The Spiritual semblance of Adam before HaShem separated Chavah from him. Initially, they were one soul. When HaShem separated them, they became soulmates. Kabbalah teaches that all souls originate from Adam. What is it like to be like God? The Torah states that we are made in the Spiritual semblance of God. What does that mean? We know that God is Spirit. When we think of God’s Semblance, perhaps we should think of God as Spirit, Wind, or Breath, where His Presence is seen or felt.

We can deduce from the above information that we were not created in the physical image of God. God does not have a physical appearance. We were created in God’s Spiritual Image. Our likeness to God is Spiritual. We were created in His Spiritual Likeness. What does this have to do with sexuality? The Torah explains our Spiritual likeness to God before delving into our physical being.

May we, God Willing, study the Torah’s Guidelines of righteous living and repentance. May we help ourselves and others. May we bring peace, kindness, love and healing to our world. May this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day.

Good Sabbath!

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author