Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition [Paperback]

Steven Greenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2005

Wrestling with God and Men is the product of Rabbi Steven Greenberg's ten-year struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with Orthodox Judaism. Employing traditional rabbinic resources, Greenberg presents readers with surprising biblical interpretations of the creation story, the love of David and Jonathan, the destruction of Sodom, and the condemning verses of Leviticus. But Greenberg goes beyond the question of whether homosexuality is biblically acceptable to ask how such relationships can be sacred. In so doing, he draws on a wide array of nonscriptural texts to introduce readers to occasions of same-sex love in Talmudic narratives, medieval Jewish poetry and prose, and traditional Jewish case law literature. Ultimately, Greenberg argues that Orthodox communities must open up debate, dialogue, and discussion-precisely the foundation upon which Jewish law rests-to truly deal with the issue of homosexual love. This book will appeal to all people of faith struggling to merge their belief in the scriptures with a desire to make their communities more open and accepting to gay and lesbian members.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Defying more than 3,000 years of Torah tradition and belief, Greenberg, an Orthodox rabbi who recently publicized his homosexuality, embarks on a thorough, if questionable, trek to reevaluate the overt biblical prohibition of male-male relations. Central to his argument is a rereading of Leviticus 18:22, "Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abhorrence" (JPS translation) to be understood as "And (either a female or) a male you shall not sexually penetrate to humiliate [;] it is abhorrent." The story of Sodom's destruction, the love between David and Jonathan and the creation of Adam and Eve figure prominently as sources of new and interesting perspectives, yet they are all based on subjective evaluations that bear no textual confirmation. While he is obviously well versed in Torah knowledge and rabbinic law, Greenberg admits that he is "not a disinterested party on the matter of homosexuality"; indeed, many of his arguments stretch the truth or omit vital segments of biblical text to reach their desired conclusion, and, in addition, are fraught with expressions of unease such as "maybe" and "perhaps." This is not to say that his attempt bears no fruit. He effectively portrays the plight of closeted and openly gay Orthodox Jews who struggle daily with their sexual desires and with the knowledge that the Torah and the rabbis forbid homosexuality. While Greenberg's controversial biblical claims on this long-taboo topic may infuriate some and gratify others, his book arouses deep empathy for Orthodox homosexuals.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Wrestling with God and Men—as useful for Christians as it is for Jews—not only brings new and fresh thinking about our current debate over homosexuality but interweaves theology and history with Greenberg's own personal journey in a way that is enlightening, instructive, and inspirational. I heartily recommend this book to Christians who wish to take their Hebrew scriptures seriously and who are willing to examine their own responses to this raging debate."—The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

"[Greenberg] effectively portrays the plight of closeted and openly gay Orthodox Jews who struggle daily with their sexual desires and with the knowledge that the Torah and the rabbis forbid homosexuality."—Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press; 1 edition (February 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299190943
• ISBN-13: 978-0299190941
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 5.8 x 8.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #826,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Gay

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, insightful, respectful and enlightening March 15, 2004

By S. Marks

Format:Hardcover

The task of trying to reconcile preconceived ideas about sexuality and religion is not an easy one. Rabbi Steven Greenberg tackles these with great respect to both Judaism and also his own sexuality. As an orthodox Jew myself, I have always struggled with the feeling that too many of my co-religionists look for problems rather than solutions, and it is gratifying that Rabbi Greenberg has taken the latter approach to this thorny issue.

Wrestling with God and Men gives some special insights to texts that I thought I knew well and I think should be accessible even outside of Orthodox or even Jewish circles. However, I think it is of most important for Orthodox Jews to take the time to read this book - no matter what their opinion on homosexuality and Judaism may be, in the same way that they should also view Trembling Before God - the film that preceded/interrupted this book. It is important that we face the challenges that the world provides us, rather than either pretending that they don't exist or that they are someone else's problem.

While Judaism provides us with a way of life, the accretion of bias and discrimination that has built up over the ages does not mean 'this is the way it must be, because it has ALWAYS been like this'. To echo Rabbi Goldstein, if in the last 50-100 years Orthodox Jewry has been able to tackle issues as complex as and central as women's role in our community and faith, then I am confident that with time, we will be able to deal with the broader issue of sexuality, too.

The one thing that I have taken away from this book, is that ultimately it is an incredibly special thing to be able to love another human being and to have them love you to and I cannot believe that God would have it any other way, no matter if that love be for somone of the opposite or same sex.

If you wish to be informed about these issues and better understand how to relate to your fellow human beings - read this book.

34 of 41 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Give a copy of this book to everyone whom you care about! April 1, 2004

By "glenng126"

Format:Hardcover

"Wrestling with God and Men" is the most erudite, compelling, and utterly satisfying book on homosexuality in religion that I've ever read. Rabbi Greenberg weaves the scholarship of our ancestors into a glorious tapestry, demonstrating not just the fact of homosexuality within the fabric of Judaism, but the more fundamental necessity of this inclusion.

Rabbi Greenberg would seem to prefer we believe that he is like "Daniel the Tailor", the champion of the oppressed, who challenged his Rabbis for failing to balance their jurisprudence and values with the biblical concern for justice and fairness. (Greenberg, pg 212). However his holy scholarship suggests that Rabbi Greenberg is more like Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, former chief rabbi of Israel, who invited "Jews everywhere to return to their ancestral land and restore their ancient spirit" (Greenberg, pg 242).

In all likelihood, this book could not have been written in any other age. It needed the living experiences of an openly-gay Rabbinic mind to realize an honest gay perspective and approach to our sacred texts.

If you are considering buying this book, please buy several copies and donate them to your local Hillel, Chabad, Yeshiva and Shul. All people who are "wrestling with god" should read this book!

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life! September 11, 2004

By Robert Horowitz

Format:Hardcover

It was Shakespeare who said, "To thy own self be true," but it was Rabbi Steven Greenberg who made this his mantra. As a (...)of the Jewish faith, I have wrestled with God and men, both figuritively and literally. Rabbi Greenberg's eloquant writing is equally compassionate and thought provoking. It is comfort; a warm glass of milk or a soft blanket, if you will. I feel more at ease being a (...)Jew after having read this book. I feel more at peace and more comfortable in this world. Buy this book and share it with those you love.