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| Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin |
This is clearly NOT what Rabbi Bashevkin meant. He was simply encouraging
them to remain connected to their families and to our tradition. Which is
exactly the right thing to do. He was obviously NOT encouraging behavior that
the Torah calls a Toeivah. In other words, Rabbi Bashevkin who works for NCSY, was doing
what NCSY does better than just about anyone. Bringing and keeping young Jews
close to Judaism.
If one goes beyond the startling, misleading, and shameful headline one can see exactly what he did mean. And understand why he was hesitant to reveal his views. He did not want to risk being falsely accused of supporting a gay lifestyle. Which is exactly what has happened here by implication.
Rabbi Bashevkin is exactly right. I have always referred to this attitude
about gay people as ‘Hate the sin - Love the sinner’.
What about the forbidden nature of the sexual acts usually
associated with gay people? Shouldn’t that warrant the kind of outrage and rejection implied by the Matzav
headline?
Absolutely not. We are obligated to assume they do not
commit sins just because they might have a desire to do so. If they don’t talk about
what they do in the bedroom we are obligated to judge them favorably. It’s
called being Dan L’Kaf Zechus.
On the other hand, a headline like the one in Matzav, is Dan L’Kaf Chova. It perpetuates the assumption that gay people automatically sin. And are therefore to be completely rejected from the family and ostracized from the community. This will in many cases lead to depression and suicide. Is this what the Torah wants?
I don’t think so. One may ask, ‘What about the fact that gay male to male sex is considered a Toeivah’ – a capital offense punishable by a court imposed death sentence?
That cannot happen today. Our Batei Din (religious courts)
are not empowered to do that. But even in the days where we had our
own courts with the right to issue capital punishment, convicting someone of
sodomy was an almost impossible task. There had to be 2 Kosher witnesses to
the actual event. They had to warn them of the consequences of the sin which
they were about to commit, including the type of death the Torah imposes on such
an act. The perpetrators had to acknowledge that they heard the warning and
understood the consequences, and then the 2 kosher witnesses had to actually witness them
doing it. How often does anyone think that ever happened? Unless those exact circumstances
prevailed no death penalty could be issued or carried out.
Today, when gay sex is glorified by the mainstream media, the entertainment industry, and the political left, it is virtually impossible to counter that culture with the negative view the Torah has of it. The pull away from tradition is therefore very great. Society not only looks the other way, but the acceptance by the general culture combined with the total rejection of religious views ends up glorifying a lifestyle filled with forbidden gay sex.
This sociological phenomenon of full acceptance is seen by the progressive left
as the more moral approach to gay people. Combined with being alienated from family and community,
it surely dooms any chance that a young gay Jew will ever return to his roots. It will instead push them as far away as
possible and make them an enemy of Torah. Right along with the rest of the general
culture that is increasingly embracing progressive anti religious views.
I have never met the man. But I admire what he does and what he did here. Thank God there are people like Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin with
the courage to speak the truth without regard to personal consequences. I am therefore happy to counter the erroneous implications of Matzav. And instead support encouraging gay Jews to remain with family and community. Thank God for Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, who is a lot more influential
than Matzav will ever be.
