By the Grace of G-dRosh Chodesh Nissan, 5739Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I trust you received my reply to your letter with reference to the particular case. As promised, I now return to the general subject of homosexuality. I must declare that I was rather surprised at your referring to it as a “problem” even for Rabbonim, etc.

The reason for my surprise is understandable. For inasmuch as the Torah is eternal and unchangeable and it is both Toras Emes and Toras Chaim, its teachings and imperatives apply to all Jews, at all times and in all places. Consequently, the strict prohibition of homosexuality in the Torah, both in Torah shebiksav and she’be’al peh, is in full force also in the present day.

Moreover, inasmuch as G-d does not require of man anything that is humanly impossible to carry out, it is certain that it is well within human capacity to overcome this problem; though for some people it is no problem in the first place, for others it is easily overcome and for some individuals more difficult. But G-d forbid to think that it is insurmountable.

Thus, the individual who thinks it difficult to break away from this habit, far from using this difficulty as an excuse, should be told that his special difficulty only proves that he had been given greater capacity to meet the test since, as mentioned above, it would be illogical to think that G-d would give anyone an impossible task. If, therefore, he does not utilize his full capacity, all the greater is the loss and harm for himself and his surroundings.

All the above is so clear and self-evident that no further elaboration is needed.

I will only add a point of fact: I personally know of many cases for whom the said problem had seemingly been desperate, yet when they subsequently turned to the way of Torah and its observance in the everyday life and realized the seriousness of the matter, they resolved and succeeded in overcoming it and in due course, married, raised children and took their proper place in society and communal affairs.

With the approach of Zman Cheiruseinu, I wish you and yours a kosher and happy Pesach and true Liberation from all distractions, materially and spiritually.

With blessing,

PS. I purposely wrote this letter in English so that you could make use of it for the benefit of those who are not versed in Hebrew.

On the other hand, I do not think it advisable to give this matter much publicity because, first of all, it would not be in keeping with the spirit and way of tznius, and tznius is also one of the immutable statutes of the Torah. Secondly, it is a matter of common sense that all the open talk about sex and sex aberrations arouse the curiosity of those who would otherwise not dwell on this subject; some may even wish to debate it, though not competent and it may also lead to contact with circles that are far from Torah, etc. And just as one mitzvah leads to another, so it is vice versa.

Incidentally, this is also the reason for my strong opposition to introducing sex discussions in public schools, which some advocate on the false assumption that it will help children avoid distorted views, etc. My reply to this argument is that this can be accomplished by speaking to children individually when there is a need for it; but discussing the subject in class or in groups, is bound to involve children who would otherwise not be involved, with all the consequences therein. This too requires no elaboration.¹