Imagine an Israeli society with religious leaders capable of civil discourse like Rabbi Navon. It would be a society that would bring us all closer to God

Do people who don't eat kosher parade down Yafo street? do no shomer shbabat people scream and yell in your face about being mehalel shabbat, NO. Once these gays start acting like normal people and stop putting their gayness in people’s faces will they be treated like normal people? I don’t care what you do in your own bedroom, just don’t do it on the street.

something and not preaching or yelling. really nice-whether or not i agree with his outlook-its just really well written and sort of...calming

they should be tolerated but they were not content when society finally agreed to stay out of their bedrooms-they then wanted to be man and wife - we are said to be bigoted if we think this is repugnant to families and to language, let alone to torah!

According to our religion, one should not say that pork is despicable. When offered pork, one should not say "ieeh, bahh, that's disgusting" - instead, one should say, "wow, what a great smell, it seems so tasty, it looks so great - but our Creator forbade us to ate it, and so I won't ate it, though I would very much like to." So yes, you most definitely have a point here. Thanks for noting it. I myself had never thought of this principle regarding homosexuality - while regarding kashrut, it is a well-known subject.

Using the same propaganda that this man you can conclude very strange things : "Why do we believe that killing an innocent are forbidden? For the same reason that we believe that we must not eat a cheeseburger or shrimps: Because it says so in the Torah.... Then we must treat someone who kill somebody the same we treat a man who eat a cheeseburger...." This rabbi must be ashamed of him... In rhetoric we call it a syllogism...

18:22: regarding man with man 18:23: regarding being with an animals 18:24: "Do not become contaminated through any of these; for through all of these the nations that I expel before you contaminated." 18:25: "The land became contaminated and I recalled its iniquity upon it; and THE LAND DISGORGED ITS INHABITANTS". ABOMINATION is indeed mentioned regarding all three reasons you refer to. But its ONLY REGARDING HOMOS that the Torah states: For the people of the land who preceded you did these abominations and THE LAND BECAME DEFILED. And LET THE LAND NOT VOMIT YOU OUT FOR HAVING DEFILED IT, AS IT VOMITED OUT THE NATION THAT PRECEDED YOU.

Wow. Now this was a meaningful and intelligently argued article. Much better than most of the other articles written by rabbis on Ynet. It also goes to what a significant amount of people with Jewish educations realize: a lot of opposition among haredim (specifically the riotous ones) on a variety of issues has very little to do with the mesora.

the showbread to those who were with him because they were hungry!! Hashem expects us to use COMMON SENSE which it's obvious that this is something you are lacking in.!! Torah tells us that homosexuality is an abomination. And yet you cannot figure out why? Please Rabbi, have your wife go to the store and buy you a CLUE because it is obvious that you don't have one!!

I think that homosexuality falls into a group of aveiros, gilu'y aroyus (excuse spelling) - usually bundled with sh'fichos domim and avoda zora. Idol worship is not so prevalent nowadays (except perhaps in the Far East where, for the West, it is effectively out of sight). Murder is common in our society and it IS considered different from other common "sins" such as theft or damages. The reaction against homosexuality is almost certainly being given the same importance as against murder - in a society where it is becoming ever more acceptable (perhaps both murder and homosexuality) - even affecting those who may be careful with other mitzvos.

Rabbi, yoiu have to consider the fact that the Torah is thousands of years old and followed a time when people thought women were impregnated by water spirits when they bathed. When men figured out that they were partially responsible for bringing children into the world, they chose to practice homosexuality. It's the choice that they made which is offensive. We know today, that most if not all, homosexuals don't chose to be that way so it isn't a moral issue.

Not to mention working on Shabat, or having extramarital hetereosexual sex with a partner whose consent is obtained by duress, or giving one's child a fancy education that excludes Torah, or supporting government policies that oppress the poor, etc.

what a premiss is. Stop intellectuallizing that which is an article of faith. Many people can rationalize killing an inocent. On absolute morality, even the great, liberal Burtrand Russel, mathamatician and logician, said, "I like to think there is something wrong with killing someone other than the fact that I choose to think it so."

why can't a brother mary a sister? birth defects? -well then use contraception. anyway, we don't outlaw marriages if people have genetic diseases. the fact is that people were created with a basic sense of what is morally reprehensible. that is why sexual perversions such as incest of homosexuality are considered binding even on non-jews according to jewish law. it is as basic as "don't murder"

peace instantly!

This "rabbi", Chaim Navon, has freedom of speech and is allowed to say anything he wants, according to civil law and compliance with Ynet editorial choice. Not according to Torah. According to Torah he is re-writing the Book, in as much as Lev. 20:13 clearly states that male homosexual act is an "abomination" to be punished by "death". The Torah uses strong language here and the "rabbi" has no right to distort halacha in order to accommodate western values and sensibilities. Judaism is not democracy and democracy is not Judaism. The spiritual welfare of the ModiIn community under the guidance of this "rabbi" is clearly under threat and in grave danger.

Rabbi Navon, I apologize for my previous comment. You wrote a good article, only the title and subtitle are misleading and I read only those before.

Read Talkback #8

Just like the loser who was too lazy to get up and make coffee for his comrades. Religious people find every excuse to minimize the rights of others who have other opinions than the religious pillars of society: eg - cheeseburger fans and same sex couples. Oddly enough - I find it fascinating that when that same loser left the army - he more than likely got a job working for a Gay coffee shop owner, making his tips on a sabbath at the expense of those same people that were cold and thirsty and hoping for him to make coffee at the base during his military days. Shame on you for acting so self righteous!!

WHY DO YOU NEED TO RESORT TO CALLING THEM 'HOMOS'? THAT JUST MADE YOU SOUND IGNORANT AND MADE ME COMPLETLEY TURNED OFF FROM CONTINUING TO READ YOUR POST. NOT VERY SMART.

A Pervert of Nature - it IS an ABOMINATION!

What does perversion mean? “Deviation and aberration”. So according to definition, homosexuals are perverted. It’s really that simple although not politcally correct. If homosexuals represent 5% of the population and they can’t procreate then they are aberrations. I am not saying that homosexuals are bad but they certainly have nothing to be proud of in the same way that it would be foolish for a heterosexual to say that he was proud of being heterosexual, German or English or anything else over which he had or has not control. The similarities between kashrut and homosexuality may be interesting from a rabbinical point of view but the article's heading is totally inaccurate and has no bearing on the critique.