וְנָתַתִּ֤י פָנַי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְנִגַּפְתֶּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְרָד֤וּ בָכֶם֙ שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם וְנַסְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵין־רֹדֵ֥ף אֶתְכֶֽם׃
I will set my face against you, and you will be struck before your
enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you; and you will flee when
no one pursues you.
ורדו בכם שונאיכם – שאיני מעמיד עליכם אלא מכם ובכם ובשעה שאומות העולם עומדים על ישראל אינן מבקשים אלא מה שבגלוי, שנאמר: והיה אם זרע ישראל ועלה מדין ועמלק ובני קדם ועלו עליו. ויחנו עליהם וישחיתו את יבול הארץ עד בואך עזה ולא ישאירו מחיה בישראל ושור ושה וחמור. אבל בשעה שאעמיד עליכם בכם ומכם הם מחפשים אחר מטמוניות שלכם, שנאמר: ואשר אכלו שאר עמי.
מכם ובכם.
Chazal say that the enemies from within are worse than the enemies from the outside [i.e. Anti-Semites]. The enemies from within seek out our hidden places and destroy there. They are much more insidious.
All of these "Pride" people who are aggressively pushing their agenda to try to gain approval from the Orthodox community are a classic example. They want validation: "Mishkav Zachar is GREAT. If that is what excites you - go for it. As valid as heterosexual relationships". In other words - they want the Torah community to renounce the Torah. Chas Vi-shalom. And they are going after the "hidden places". The bedroom. Destroying קדושת ישראל from within.
From YU's website:
Yeshiva University, America’s flagship Jewish university, today announced a new initiative grounded in Halacha and Torah values to support its LGBTQ undergraduates, including strengthening its on-campus support services and endorsing a new student club that presents an approved traditional Orthodox alternative to YU Pride Alliance.
Yeshiva, since its inception, has been and remains a faith community dedicated to fostering and disseminating the principles, values, and dicta of the Torah in today’s world. Yeshiva’s religio-educational [great term!!!! Original!] efforts are animated by a personalized love for all its students and a profound sense of responsibility for their spiritual and mental well being. In keeping with this, Yeshiva is: Establishing the Kol Yisrael Areivim Club for LGBTQ students striving to live authentic Torah lives.... The club will provide students with space to grow in their personal journeys, navigating the formidable challenges that they face in living a fully committed, uncompromisingly authentic halachic life within Orthodox communities.
Yeshiva, since its inception, has been and remains a faith community dedicated to fostering and disseminating the principles, values, and dicta of the Torah in today’s world. Yeshiva’s religio-educational [great term!!!! Original!] efforts are animated by a personalized love for all its students and a profound sense of responsibility for their spiritual and mental well being. In keeping with this, Yeshiva is: Establishing the Kol Yisrael Areivim Club for LGBTQ students striving to live authentic Torah lives.... The club will provide students with space to grow in their personal journeys, navigating the formidable challenges that they face in living a fully committed, uncompromisingly authentic halachic life within Orthodox communities.
If the goal is to help the students try to "live authentic Torah lives" and not "compromise" by overcoming their homosexual urges then terrific. But I have my *doubts* that this is what these LGBTQ are looking for. I don't question the sincerity of YU. But I think what YU wants to provide is not what the students are seeking. These students want to "live a fully committed, uncompromisingly authentic halachic life within Orthodox communities"???? Meaning - renounce Mishkav Zachar as Tamei, Assur Dioraisa, a Toeiva and מחייב מיתה. Isn't that authentically Halachic?? Are they ready to say "We don't have pride in being sexually attracted to members of our own gender"? Why is that a source of pride? Should one have pride that he is attracted to a member of the opposite gender? No. One shouldn't have pride. Period. Certainly not in the fact that he sleeps with other men.
One SHOULD strive to live a life of Kedusha and keep all matters of sexuality private. צניעות doesn't stop being a primary value b/c we live in 2022.
