Hyehudi.org

Open Orthodoxy’s New Sanction of Lesbian Relationships

by Avrohom Gordimer · September 26, 2024

Open Orthodoxy has just endorsed lesbian marriage and intimate relations. No, this is not a typo or exaggeration.

Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, who was the first graduate of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT) and now serves as rosh yeshiva at Maharat, the Open Orthodox school housed in Hebrew Institute of Riverdale that ordains women for the rabbinate, penned Nashim Mesolelot: A Teshuva, in which he ruled that lesbian marriage and intimate relations are permissible. This responsum was recently published as a book, and the book was formally launched just last night by way of a special symposium entitled Nashim Mesolelot: Lesbian Women & Halacha sponsored by Maharat and Eshel.

Even though the Rambam (Hil. Issurei Bi’ah 21:8), Semag (Lo Ta’aseh 126), Tur (Even Ha-Ezer 20) and Shulchan Aruch (ibid. s’if 2) all unequivocally prohibit lesbian conduct, Rabbi Fox rules otherwise. And even though the Gemara (Yevamos 76a) terms lesbian relations as “p’ritzusa” – licentiousness – Rabbi Fox concludes his responsum:

When two women seek to build a Jewish home together, with love and commitment, this can no longer be called (even) pritzuta. Rather, given the vacuum left to be filled, this should be understood as tzniuta (modesty) and perhaps even kedushata (holiness).

Continue reading…

From Cross-Currents.com, here.