Brody's Notes... Prominent Jewish Rabbi & Author Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: 'No Holds Barred: The Jewish View Of Homosexuality'

Rabbi Boteach Appearing On Oprah  Photo Courtesy of Harpo Productions

By Mark Singer (Washington DC) OCT 20 | In an editorial published yesterday in The Jerusalem Post, Israel's largest English daily newspaper, author and columnist Rabbi Shmuley Boteach posed the question; "I have numerous gay friends whose greatest fear, like so many straight people, is to end up alone. Should we merely throw the book at these people?” In his op-ed column, Rabbi Shmuley noted:

As an Orthodox rabbi who reveres the Bible, I do not deny the biblical prohibition on male same-sex relationships. Rather, I simply place it in context. There are 613 commandments in the Torah. One is to refrain from gay sex. Another is for men and women to marry and have children.

So when Jewish gay couples come to me for counselling and tell me they have never been attracted to the opposite sex in their entire lives and are desperately alone, I tell them, “You have 611 commandments left. That should keep you busy. Now, go create a kosher home with a mezuza on the door. Turn off the TV on the Sabbath and share your festive meal with many guests. Put on tefillin and pray to God three times a day, for you are His beloved children. He desires you and seeks you out.

Englewood, New Jersey based Shmuley, became a fixture of celebrity culture in the late 1990's when he became a close friend, confidant and spiritual advisor to Michael Jackson after the pop star used his music to lash out at the Jewish community, and in particular Larry Feldman, the attorney who had settled a child sexual abuse lawsuit against Jackson for 22 million dollars. Jackson's song "They Don't Care About Us" from the 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future; Book I contained lyrics which were seen by some as anti-semitic. Boteach was instrumental in helping Jackson rehabilitate his image.

The Rabbi's latest book- 'Renewal: A Guide to the Values-Filled Life,' was published last spring. Shmuley is founder of This World: The Values Network, a national organization that promotes universal Jewish values in American society.


Rabbi Shmuley's entire op-ed is here: [Link]