What is the stance on homosexuality in the torah

The Torah explicitly prohibits male homosexual intercourse in two verses in Leviticus, classifying it as to'evah (תּוֹעֵבָה — abomination/abhorrence). This is understood in traditional Jewish law as one of the 613 commandments (mitzvot), binding upon Jewish men, with severe consequences stated in the biblical text itself. The Torah's stance is unambiguous in the plain meaning of the text, though rabbinic literature and later commentators elaborate on its scope and meaning.

Key Takeaways

The Torah explicitly prohibits male homosexual intercourse in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, calling it to'evah.
The prohibition carries the death penalty in biblical law (Leviticus 20:13), though this was rarely if ever applied in practice under the strict evidentiary requirements of Talmudic law.
The Talmud notes that "Israel was not suspected of mishkav zachar" [Kiddushin 82a], suggesting this was viewed as a rare transgression among Jews.
The prohibition applies specifically to male-male intercourse; female homosexuality is treated separately and differently in rabbinic literature.
Traditional halachic authorities universally regard the act as forbidden; debates in modern Orthodox contexts center on pastoral approach, not on the prohibition itself.

The Biblical Sources

Leviticus 18:22 — The Primary Prohibition

וְאֶת־זָכָר לֹא תִשְׁכַּב מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה תּוֹעֵבָה הִוא׃ "And with a male you shall not lie as one lies with a woman — it is an abomination." [Leviticus 18:22]

This verse appears in Parashat Acharei Mot, in the context of the arayot (עֲרָיוֹת — forbidden sexual relations). The chapter systematically lists prohibited sexual unions, placing this prohibition alongside incest, adultery, and bestiality.

The key word is תּוֹעֵבָה (to'evah), translated as "abomination." This is a strong term of moral revulsion used in the Torah for acts considered fundamentally incompatible with Israel's holiness.

Leviticus 20:13 — The Penalty

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אֶת־זָכָר מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה תּוֹעֵבָה עָשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מוֹת יוּמָתוּ דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם׃ "And a man who lies with a male as one lies with a woman — both of them have done an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them." [Leviticus 20:13]

This verse, in Parashat Kedoshim, reiterates the prohibition and specifies the penalty (mitat beit din — judicial execution) for both parties involved. In Talmudic law, however, capital punishment required an almost impossibly high standard of proof (two valid witnesses, prior warning, etc.), making actual execution extremely rare.

Rabbinic Elaboration

What Is Technically Prohibited

The Talmud identifies the specific act prohibited as anal intercourse between males (mishkav zachar — מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר). Other sexual acts between men may be rabbinically prohibited but do not carry the same biblical penalty.

The Talmud's Remark on Israel

The Gemara in Kiddushin 82a contains a notable passage:

"They said to Rabbi Yehudah: Israel was not suspected of mishkav zachar nor of bestiality." [Kiddushin 82a]

This statement does not suggest the act is permitted — it remains completely prohibited. Rather, the Talmud is making a sociological observation that this transgression was considered uncommon among Jews, in contrast to surrounding cultures. This passage was used to explain certain leniencies in Jewish law regarding men being alone with other men (as opposed to with women).

Rashi's Comment on Amalek

Rashi on Deuteronomy 25:18 interprets the word vayikarkha (וַיְקָרְךָ — "he happened upon you") as a reference to keri (טֻמְאָה — ritual impurity), noting that Amalek "defiled them through mishkav zachar" — male-on-male sexual violation — as a weapon of war and demoralization [Rashi, Deuteronomy 25:18]. This illustrates that the Sages viewed such acts as deeply degrading and contrary to Israel's sanctity.

Female Homosexuality

Mishkav zachar refers only to male-male intercourse. Female homosexual acts are not subject to a biblical karet or death penalty, but are prohibited rabbinically under the category of licentious behavior (ma'aseh eretz mitzrayim — the practices of Egypt). Maimonides rules that a woman who engages in such acts should receive lashes and is restricted from certain communal matters [Rambam, Hilchot Issurei Biah 21:8].

The Word To'evah — What Does It Mean?

The term to'evah has generated significant discussion:

Traditional view: It reflects intrinsic moral wrongness — an act fundamentally contrary to the divine order of creation, human sanctity, and the purpose of sexuality (which traditional Judaism grounds in procreation and the covenant of marriage between man and woman).
Some modern scholars have argued to'evah is culturally relative, meaning something "ritually abhorrent" rather than universally immoral. However, mainstream Orthodox authorities reject this reading, noting the term is used consistently for acts considered morally serious (e.g., idolatry, injustice in weights and measures).

Broader Torah Context

The prohibition is part of a larger theology of kedushah (קְדֻשָּׁה — holiness). The Torah frames human sexuality as purposeful and bounded — oriented toward procreation, covenant, and family within the framework of marriage between a man and woman. The arayot chapter (Leviticus 18) frames these laws as what distinguishes Israel from Egypt and Canaan (Leviticus 18:3), tying sexual ethics to national and spiritual identity.

The Modern Orthodox Pastoral Debate

While no mainstream Orthodox authority permits the act itself, there is significant discussion today about:

How to treat individuals with homosexual orientation with compassion and dignity
Whether orientation (as distinct from act) is itself sinful
How communities can be more welcoming without compromising halachic standards

Major poskim (halachic decisors) such as Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv reaffirm the prohibition unequivocally. The Rabbinical Council of America and other Orthodox bodies have issued statements distinguishing between the forbidden acts and the pastoral care owed to individuals.

Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Judaism have, from their respective frameworks, moved toward acceptance of same-sex relationships — but this represents a departure from the classical halachic tradition.

For personal guidance on any halachic matter, consult your local rabbi or posek.