Judaism and Sexuality

Judaism may need new categories of sexual relationships in order to adjust to the reality of sex outside marriage.

Some traditional Jewish authorities condemn homosexuality, while advocating compassion for individual gays and lesbians.

The Torah does not address lesbianism, but later rabbinic commentators frowned upon it.

While the Torah does not forbid premarital sex, the rabbis of the talmudic era prohibited it--but one modern authority proposed a sanctioned form of exclusive sexual relationship outside of marriage.

LGBT issues in Judaism

The Torah doesn't explicitly outlaw sex before marriage, but it doesn't approve of it either.

Jewish tradition looks favorably on sex and sexuality, given certain conditions.

Judaism approves of sex and sexual pleasure, valuing it as a means toward procreation and companionship.

A selection of statements from rabbis of various denominations.