Interdating and Intermarriage in the Biblical Imagination

From revulsion to acceptance, and in between

The Torah describes worship of other gods as akin to adultery, cheating on one's spouse. The sexualization of involvement in non-Israelite religious traditions is displayed in this week's portion, Balak. After a military victory, the Israelite begin hooking up with the Moabites, and this leads to worship of the local god, Baal Peor. The public killing of one Israelite-Moabite romantic couple soothes YAH/Adonai's anger.

Some -- but not all -- Biblical texts condemn intimate relations with members of other peoples. Join us at 7:30 PM for Nafshenu's Torah study to examine the range of responses in our tradition with Reb Dovid (student rabbi David Goodman).