"The verses in Achrei Mos and Kedoshim prohibit male gay sex is the strongest of terms. The Torah sees this as forbidden and puts it together with prohibitions related to incest and bestiality. Imagine you knew someone who was gay—you probably don’t have to imagine! Now imagine they are sitting in shul, right next to you when that verse is being read. How might they feel? I can try to imagine.
The Torah calls gay sex an abomination. It decrees that anyone who has gay sex must be put to death. But let me not hide behind the words “the Torah says.” Hashem calls a consensual loving act between two men who have no desire for women an abomination and that they should be executed. How might it feel to hear such harsh language directed at what feels to you to be a natural desire, an inborn inclination, an act of love that occurs in private between committed adults?
What I propose is a modest and humble acknowledgement of this reality, no more and no less. The rabbi of the shul would rise before the first verse of the aliyah where this is mentioned (this year it is revi’i) and state, “We are about to read a verse that is so very painful for some to hear. We do not know why Hashem commanded this, nor can we know why it was stated so harshly. We will read it because it is Torah and we also wish to convey to everyone who is here and those who are not, that you are loved and appreciated, and we acknowledge how much this hurts.”
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I will add - tongue in cheek - a modest proposal.
We don't stop there. We know that it is all too common for men and women to have extra marital affairs. The Torah says that ONE act of adultery [with עדים and התראה] mandates the death penalty. This can be very offensive!!! So the rabbi gets up and apologizes to all those involved in forbidden consensual intermarital sexual relationships. After all - it is an innate part of human nature to be sexually attracted to people to whom they are not married. He says "Those who are now or have been involved in loving extramarital affairs - you are loved and appreciated and we acknowledge how much this hurts".
WAIT!! We all know how many Orthodox-identifying Jews are dishonest in business. So before reading about the prohibition of stealing we apologize to all the thieves in the crowd.
There is MORE!! The pasuk says:
ראֵה לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי, יְ-ה-וָ-ה אֱ-לֹהָי: לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן--בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם בָּאִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.
The Torah says that the mitzvos were given to be observed in ERETZ YISRAEL!!!! This can be OFFENSIVE to Jews in the Five Towns and Teaneck. They are GOOD JEWS and we read a pasuk telling them that their religious observance is inferior. So the Rabbi apologizes.
I think the point is clear.
We don't apologize for Hashem and our values are eternal. We don't need to apologize to people who engage in משכב זכור. Just b/c Baruch Obama, Yossi Biden and the editorial board of the NY Times think that it is OK doesn't make it OK.
