Judaism and Gender – Tazria-Metzorah
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְטָמְאָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כִּימֵי נִדַּת דְּוֺתָהּ תִּטְמָא. ... וְאִם נְקֵבָה תֵלֵד וְטָמְאָה שְׁבֻעַיִם כְּנִדָּתָהּ וְשִׁשִּׁים יוֹם וְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב עַל דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה (ויקרא יב, ב,ה).
The world that we currently live in, is becoming increasingly muddled, specifically the Western world. Concepts that have been the fabric of society for millennia have recently been tampered with and distorted beyond all recognition. One of these concepts is gender. In today's liberal, progressive, "woke" world, the topic of gender has acquired a completely new lexicon of vocabulary that never previously existed, terms like "gender identity", "gender dysphoria", "gender conformity", "gender integration", "personal gender pronouns (PGP's)", "intersectionality", "gender essentialism", "gender parity", … to name but a few. These highfalutin "buzz words" serve one purpose – to confuse. That is their intention, to diminish clarity on a subject that is essentially and intrinsically clear.
In this shiur we are going to try to restore some clarity to a subject that has been crystal clear to humanity since the dawn of time, until recent decades. We are going to discuss the Torah view on gender in the clearest possible way, without any ambiguity or apologetics, in an attempt to restore balance and sanity to an upside-down world.
HKB"H created a bi-polar world. I am of course not referring to the mental disorder that bears the same name, but rather to the fundamental foundation of Creation, that the world is built on the principle of opposing poles – male זָכָר and female נְקֵבָה.
The English terms male/female do not sufficiently express the essence of these two poles, a more meaningful English expression of these poles is male/activity/provider vs. female/receiver/nurture. The "male" pole is typified by activity, the purpose of which is the creation of energy in order to provide. The "female" pole is typified by receiving this energy, nurturing it and exponentially upgrading it.
This is how our world began. On the first day of Creation created the first two poles בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱ-לֹקִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, Heaven and earth. The role of the Heaven/sky is energetic activity to form clouds and rain to provide to the earth. Anyone who doubts the involvement of energy in this process, has never seen a lightning and thunder storm. The earth receives the rain, nurtures it and uses it as a catalyst to produce something exponentially more valuable than water itself.
Also on the first day, HKB"H created another two opposite poles – light and dark. Light is energy and activity (waves/particles). Darkness is the receiver of light, nurtures it and then itself becomes illuminated.
On the second day HKB"H separated the waters into two opposing poles, the upper waters and the lower waters. The upper waters contain the spiritual energy to provide to the lower waters, which receive and nurture them to produce something exponentially more valuable than the lower waters themselves (מֶלַח בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְנִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ).
On the third day HKB"H separated our planet into two opposing poles. I am not referring to the North Pole and South Pole (those too), but rather to water and land. The water provides the energy to the land which receives it (via irrigation/rain), nurtures it and gives rise to something exponentially more valuable – plants. Plants themselves are divided into two poles – the male pole and the female pole. Over 94% of flowering plant species are hermaphroditic, i.e they contain both the male and female poles in the same plant. 6% of plant life is distinctly male or female, i.e the plant is wholly male or female.
On the fourth day HKB"H created two luminaries in the Heavens, two opposing poles – the sun and the moon. The sun is the energy/activity that provides light. The moon is the receiver of that light, it nurtures and reflects that light to provide something exponentially more valuable, the lunar cycle upon which life is based.
On the fifth day HKB"H created the fish and birds, each with their opposing poles – male זָכָר and female נְקֵבָה. It does not state it specifically here in the first chapter of Breishit, but later when Noach gathered the creatures to the ark it specifically says וּמִכָּל הָחַי מִכָּל בָּשָׂר שְׁנַיִם מִכֹּל תָּבִיא אֶל הַתֵּבָה לְהַחֲיֹת אִתָּךְ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה יִהְיוּ (בראשית ו, יט). Noach didn't take fish into the ark, but we know from science that the vast majority (98%) of sea life is divided into distinct male or female poles (we will be addressing the 2% that isn't later on).
On the sixth day HKB"H created all remaining creatures aside from fish and birds – crawling/flying creatures (insects, arachnids, reptiles, etc.), mammals, and humans, all of which are divided into male and female poles. It is a scientific fact that there are no known hermaphroditic species among mammals, birds, insects, arachnids and reptiles.
When HKB"H created humans the passuk says וַיִּבְרָא אֱ-לֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱ-לֹקִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם (בראשית א, כז). HKB"H created humans in His image. What does this mean? The image of G-d encompasses two opposing poles - male זָכָר and female נְקֵבָה. What the "image of G-d – male and female" is referring to is the aspect of G-d that reflects these two opposing poles. HKB"H is "All", "Everything". He is both the Creator (זָכָר) and Creation (נְקֵבָה). HKB"H reflects the pole of Creator – activity/energy in originally creating the world - in the six days of Breishit and also the continual renewal of creating the world - every millisecond of every day. HKB"H also reflects the pole of Creation – presence/being. HKB"H's Presence, שְׁכִינָה, resides in His Creation, is present in Creation, in every component of Creation, every molecule, atom, quark (and all the smaller particles that have yet to be discovered). Being present is not an activity/energy, it is a passive sense of simply "being".
HKB"H therefore encompasses both poles (amongst His infinite other attributes) - Activity/Provider (of everything) and also Presence/Nurture/Receiver (He receives our prayers). Obviously HKB"H is neither male nor female, nor does the fact that we refer to G-d in the masculine (He, His, etc.) indicate that G-d has gender chas vechalila. G-d has no physical form and is infinite. The reason that we refer to HKB"H in the masculine is simply indicative of the way we view our relationship with Him. In the context of our relationship with HKB"H – He is the Provider and we are the receiver.
Originally, when HKB"H created Adam HaRishon, He created Adam as a hermaphrodite organism, with both male and female poles in the same organism.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הקב"ה אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס בְּרָאוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. א"ר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הקב"ה אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דּוּ פַּרְצוּפִים בְּרָאוֹ וְנָסְרוֹ וַעֲשָׂאוֹ גַּבַּיִּים, גַּב לְכָאן וְגַב לְכָאן. (בראשית רבה, פרשה ח, פסקה א)
Later, HKB"H changed His plan and separated Adam HaRishon into two distinct, separate organisms – Adam (male) and Chava (female). The reason for this, according to Rashi (בראשית ב, יח), quoting Breishit Rabba (א, ז), is that it should not be said that HKB"H is alone (encompasses these two poles in one Being) in Heaven and that Adam HaRishon is alone (encompasses these two poles in one organism) on earth, i.e. erroneously thinking that there are שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת. In fact, when the angels first saw Adam HaRishon (the hermaphrodite organism) they mistakenly thought he was G-d (תנחומא, פקודי, סימן ג').
The first time in the Torah we find the words male/female, נְקֵבָה/זָכָר is in reference to Adam and Chava and not prior to that, in the creation of any of the other components of Creation (above) which were also created in that same template, because Adam/Chava were the pinnacle of Creation, they were created in HKB"H's image and all other components of Creation were created for them.
Why have two opposing poles? Why is the Creation based on this fundamental property?
The reason is because without them there is no growth, only stagnation. The tension between the two opposing poles creates movement and growth/life.
The Torah and Creation are based on this principle – hypothesis, antithesis, symbiosis and finally - synthesis.
The tension between the two poles (hypothesis/antithesis) creates interaction between them, an intermingling of the poles (symbiosis), resulting in the creation of something new (synthesis).
This is the structure of the Mishna/Gemara. Someone proposes a hypothesis, another/others provide a counter antithesis. This creates interaction (symbiosis) between them (each arguing and bringing proofs for their "pole") and the result is something new – a halachic ruling/chidush (synthesis).
This is the way procreation works. Sexual tension between the male and female gives rise to interaction between the two, resulting in new life.
HKB"H created Creation so that there should be growth, new life. HKB"H's first commandment to all living creatures is פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ, be fruitful and multiply. HKB"H's Creation is not a stagnant painting hanging on the wall of the Louvre, it is a vibrant, throbbing, self-renewing, living entity.
HKB"H created the two poles equal but not equivalent. If they were equivalent, they would not be opposites, there would be no tension between them and the result would be stagnation and the cessation of life.
The man/male/ זָכָרand the woman/female/נְקֵבָה are not equivalent, they are not the same. Each has a different purpose and role which are equally important. The purpose of the man is activity/provider and the purpose of the woman is receiver/nurture.
This is reflected in their roles designated in the Torah.
For a man to feel the Presence of HKB"H, he has to be involved in activity, in avodah. A man's relationship with HKB"H is directly proportional to his activity, the more activity the closer his relationship with HKB"H. The man corresponds to the Creator "pole" – he always has to be working, creating, renewing, injecting energy. This is why HKB"H gave men more mitzvot, to address their need for increased activity.
For a woman to feel the Presence of HKB"H, extraneous activity is unnecessary, because a woman corresponds to the "Creation" pole – "being". A woman's relationship with HKB"H is inherent, it is intrinsically embedded within her, without the need for extraneous external activity to strengthen it. This is why women have less mitzvot in the Torah. They have little need to strengthen something that is already intrinsically strong within them. From this aspect, women are on a higher spiritual level than men.
This is why men are more drawn to עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה than women. Men intrinsically feel the need for intermediary activity to draw them closer to HKB"H. This is why in the sin of the egel, only the men were involved, not the women.
In the structure of the Torah, the man is the attribute of יְסוֹד, the provider, like Yosef HaTzaddik, who is also the attribute of יְסוֹד. The woman is the attribute of מַלְכוּת, the receiver, like the earth, which is also called מַלְכוּת.
The woman receives the seed provided by the man, nurtures it, exponentially improves upon it and the result is new life. How can you compare the value of one sperm cell to the value of a fully formed, living human being? The role of the man in creating new life is short and fleeting. For the woman, it is a much longer job – nine months of gestation and then suckling, weaning and raising the child.
Similarly, the earth receives the seed, nurtures it, exponentially improves upon it and the result is new life. How can you compare the value of one peach seed to a peach tree with hundreds of peaches on it? Here too the role of the man is short and fleeting – planting the seed. The earth has a much longer job – to nourish the seed, to provide minerals, soil allowing it to grow into a plant and maintain it.
The role of the male is energetic and fleeting. The man is in and out. A man is biologically unable to give birth. A man is away at work, in and out of the home and unable to raise the child. The energy he injects into the home in the form of parnasa and emotional energy, however, is essential to sustain life. The man who plants the seed in the earth initiates the process of life. The rain which constantly waters the earth is essential for the seed to grow.
In this sense a man is compared to the six days of the week and a woman to Shabbat (שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה) - מַלְכוּת. Unless the man works during the week to provide, there will be nothing to eat on Shabbat. However, the woman, the Shabbat, takes that energy and exponentially improves it so that it radiates forward and blesses the upcoming week.
HKB"H assigned these roles to the two poles. HKB"H physically and biologically designed the two poles in different ways to be able to fulfil their designated roles. One is not more important than the other – they are of equal importance, both are essential to the equation of hypothesis, antithesis, symbiosis and synthesis. This is the way HKB"H designed and created the world.
The Torah delineation of gender is binary, black and white. You are either male or you are female. The determination of the above is dependent on which physical, biological reproductive organs you possess.
The vast majority of HKB"H's Creation is clearly delineated. On the normal distribution "bell curve", there exists a small percentage (2%) of sea creatures which are hermaphrodite – they possess both male and female reproductive organs and can self-reproduce. There are no known hermaphroditic, self-reproductive species among mammals, birds, insects, arachnids and reptiles.
On the "bell curve", there is also a very small percentage (less than 2%) of humans who are born with both male and female biological reproductive organs. In the case where these organs are visible, Chazal uses the term אַדְרוֹגִינוֹס. In the case where these organs are not clearly visible, Chazal uses the term טֻמְטוּם. Both such cases, despite the presence of both sets of reproductive organs, cannot self-reproduce.
The Torah does not hide the existence of such cases in nature. It in fact discusses them at length in the Gemara, for the purpose of determining whether they are considered male or female. This has halachic ramifications related to whom they may marry, a man or a woman? How do they inherit, like a son or a daughter? etc. One of these issues is in fact discussed by the Or HaChayim on our passuk above (ויקרא יב, ה). If a woman gives birth to an אַדְרוֹגִינוֹס or a טֻמְטוּם, which laws of purification must she follow? For a male child or a female child?
This is the only gender ambiguity provided for by the Torah, delineation based on physical, biological evidence. The Torah does not accept a case of an indisputably biological male "thinking" he is a female, or vice versa. According to the Torah you are your biology.
This does not discount, however, the possibility of a man thinking in his head that he is a woman (or vice versa). We have such a case in the Torah, with Yitzchak. The Zohar Hakadosh (יתרו, קלד) and subsequent Mefarshim (אור החיים, בראשית יח, י; שם משמואל, שם; ר' צדוק ועוד) explain that Yitzchak was born בְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא, which according to the Zohar means that the neshama of Chava was מִתְגַּלְגֵּל in Yitzchak, he was born with a "female" neshama and subsequently could not bear children. This was a nisayon that HKB"H gave Yitzchak and a nisayon that He continues to give other people, even today. There is only one remedy for such a nisayon - an Akeida, sacrificing this tendency and being reborn a different person whose head is aligned with their physical biology.
The Torah is binary regarding delineation of male or female gender. This does not mean that the Torah does not allow for diversity.
Part of the equation of hypothesis, antithesis, symbiosis and synthesis is - "symbiosis", the interaction between the opposite poles. This is not limited to interaction between males and females, but also the interaction within a person between the "male" attribute (גְּבוּרָה) and the "female" attribute (חֶסֶד), or on a biological level – the hormonal balance between testosterone and estrogen. You therefore have some males who are less masculine, some who are more masculine. You have some females who are less feminine, some who are more feminine. In this lies the diversity. It does not alter your biological gender delineation however. Even if you are an effeminate man, you are still male, and if you are a masculine woman, you are still female.
Problems begin to arise when the genders do not fulfil their designated roles.
The first such problem in history in this regard was Adam and Chava. It was Adam's role to be active, perform avodah and provide וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ (בראשית ב, טו). Adam HaRishon was negligent in performing his role in פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. This resulted in Chava assuming Adam's role. Chava switched roles to the active/provider by eating from the עֵץ הַדַּעַת, and then by providing Adam to eat from it as well וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה לִּי מִן הָעֵץ וָאֹכֵל (בראשית ג, יב). Chava assumed the role of the provider and Adam the role of the receiver. There are myriad aspects to the sin of Adam and Chava, but a central one is a reversal of gender roles. It resulted in the most catastrophic disaster to ever befall mankind.
This concludes the introduction.
Prior to a few decades ago, the world operated basically according to the principles of the Torah, above – even the non-Jewish religions (many of which are based on the Torah). Gender delineation was basically cut and dry and mainstream. The regions on both extremities of the "bell curve" have always existed, since the dawn of time. Homosexuality, for example, is not something new, it has been around for millennia. Chazal tell us that Potiphar was a homosexual and purchased Yosef as a slave for that purpose. These phenomena always existed in society, in the proportion to the space they occupied on the "bell curve" - a similar proportion to hermaphroditism in the animal kingdom in general.
So, what has changed in the past few decades?
Superiority and antagonism toward and ostracization of minorities, including gender minorities, has always existed in the world throughout history. However, this is not the Torah way.
According to the Torah way, before you are your gender, you are first a human being, created in G-d's image. According to the Torah, males are neither superior nor inferior to females and vice versa. Each are equally important and have a G-d given role to play in this world. The Torah does not condone men mistreating or demeaning women, quite the opposite – the Torah requires men to treat women with the utmost respect as they are the source of blessing in the world.
Similarly, the Torah does not condone demeaning or mistreating extremity populations on the "bell curve", for example, an אַדְרוֹגִינוֹס or a טֻמְטוּם. Although the Gemara (Bava Batra 140b), debates the rights of such individuals regarding inheritance, there is no question about them regarding yibum. If a couple has an only child who is an אַדְרוֹגִינוֹס or a טֻמְטוּם and the father dies Rachmana litzlan, the widow is not eligible for yibum, because, even though the gender of the child is not clear, he/she is a "child" (a human being) before he/she is an אַדְרוֹגִינוֹס or a טֻמְטוּם and therefore the widow is not childless and is not eligible for yibum. Would we ever in our wildest dreams contemplate demeaning Avraham Avinu? who Chazal say was a טֻמְטוּם (Yevamot 64a).
According to the Torah way, if a person is given any nisayon by HKB"H, for example, they are struggling with homosexuality or lesbianism, we are required to be empathetic. To treat them first and foremost like a human being and to help and support them and to empower them to triumph over this nisayon. Not to chas vechalila condone an explicit isur in the Torah, which homosexuality and lesbianism clearly are, but to be respectful and try help and inspire people in this situation to acquire control over their yetzer hara.
The Torah way is that HKB"H never sends a curse to this world from birth. Every human being who is born has the potential for bracha. Each of us are sent to the world with our own nisyonot and must battle our yetzer hara and overcome it. Our job is also to help other people overcome their nisyonot as well as our own.
Unfortunately, in our own nation, not always have we followed this Torah way. How much more so in other nations.
The recent change we are experiencing is predominantly prevalent in Western society and culture, because it is specifically this type of culture that idolizes celebrity. I am referring to celebrities in the entertainment industry, the music, movie and media industries, in particular. For some reason, perhaps because of a higher level of sensitivity and creativity required, these industries attract a greater number of people from the LGBT population. I am not saying that all actors, actresses, singers and TV presenters are gay, but the percentage per capita in these professions is higher than in other professions, for example – architecture.
As a result, we now have a larger number of very rich and influential people with a grudge. They are no longer willing to tolerate the discrimination or mistreatment that was mainstream just a few decades ago and they are using the full clout of their fame, fortune and influence to acquire positions of power to wage a vendetta of revenge against all those who have downtrodden them in the past. This is not limited to the specific individuals who have wronged or mistreated them, but extends to the entire culture that they believe has wronged them – the culture of traditional, religious values.
As part of this vendetta, they are trying to reshape the "bell curve" so that their life philosophy will no longer feature on the extremities, as it naturally does, but will instead occupy center stage in the curve, by forcing the rest of the world to conform to their life view.
What perhaps began as a reactionary movement to mistreatment and discrimination, has turned into a "monster" of mistreatment and discrimination in the opposite direction. Anyone who does not conform to their life view and their new dictates on society is ostracized, publicly shamed and subject to the full force of their "cancel culture". This is not limited to only the entertainment industry, it has also infiltrated other strata of society, academia, corporations, civil service, etc. etc. It is a revenge campaign backed by mega bucks and power.
It began in the USA and Europe, but has now also infiltrated Israeli society to a large degree.
The Israeli education system is forcing this "woke", "cancel culture" in schools. The entertainment industry and media are polluted by it, as is much of academia, the military and the justice system. They are basically waging war on the Torah, it is as simple as that.
In this new culture – anything goes. There is no longer such a thing called gender. According to them, the only relevant thing is "gender identity". If you are a man who feels like a woman, then you are a woman. If you are a woman who feels like a man, you are a man. It does not matter what your eyes – and your body – tell you. Whatever notion you have in your head at any point in time is who you are. Forget about the fact that hermaphrodism only largely occurs in nature in plants (94%) – people who want to be hermaphrodite, are aspiring to be more like a cucumber! Not only that, but you are free to alter your biology to align with what is in your head. G-d is wrong, He gave you the wrong physical body, so to spite Him, you will have surgery or undergo chemical treatment to mutilate the body that G-d gave you. That's unacceptable at any level, but when it affects children under the age of ten, whose parents are encouraging them, backed by mainstream media and academia, to mutilate their bodies because they have not yet consolidated their gender development, that is already another issue altogether. The only thing that resembles it in any way, is the generation of the Flood in the time of Noach – where the entire world became perverted.
If you speak up against this you are "cancelled" and labelled a pervert, child molester, an unfit parent, etc. etc.
Already, however, "ground zero", the USA is experiencing a backlash. The recent elections won by the Conservative party in a landslide, shows that the simple guy on the street still has common sense and can tell right from wrong and real from fantasy. Slowly this trend will hopefully continue to Europe and also to Israel and we will begin to reacquire our moral compass.
Until then, the remedy to this scary trend is – speaking the truth – plain and simple. Not jumbling people up with highfalutin vocabulary that nobody understands, but speaking plain old common sense that has its foundation in the Torah. The more people who are not afraid to stand up and speak the truth, the quicker this "monster" will disappear from our reality.
Then we need to take stock, examine our previous behavior toward these population groups and make sure that such a thing never happens again, by following the way of the Torah and treating them with the respect and dignity they deserve, first as human beings, before anything else.
