Judaism loves sex

The idea that religion is anti-sex couldn't be more false. Though that belief may be true for Victorian-era Christianity, Judaism takes a very different view.

In this series of articles, we will look at some ancient texts from Judaism regarding sex and sexuality and see just how clearly Judaism loves sex.

Here are some of the texts we will explore:

Frequency of sex: Talmud, Ketubot 61b: Sexual relations are expected daily

A Woman's right to sex: Talmud, Eruvin 100b: A man is forbidden to compel his wife to have marital relations…a woman may divorce a husband who fails to satisfy his wife sexually. Exodus 21:10-11: A man may not withhold 3 things from his wife: food, clothing, or sexual relations. If he fails her in any of these 3 ways, she shall be free of him.

Sex is not just for procreation: Talmud, Ketubot 48a: There must be close bodily contact during sex. This means that a husband must not treat his wife in the manner of other peoples, who perform marital duties in their clothes.

CLEARLY not just for procreation: Mishneh Torah (12th cent), Laws Concerning Sexual Relations 21:9: A man may have intercourse with his wife as frequently he or she desires, may kiss any organ of her body he wishes, and he may have intercourse with her vaginally or anally.

Sex is beautiful: Nachmanides, “Iggeret HaKadosh” (13th cent) God created all as Divine wisdom decreed, and did not create anything ugly or shameful. For if sexual intercourse were repulsive, then the sexual organs are also repulsive…If the sexual organs are repulsive, how did the Creator fashion something anything less than perfect? If that were so, we should find that God's deeds were not perfect.

Sex is not restricted to marriage: I Kings 1:1-4:  King David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with blankets, but he could not become warm.  His servants said to him, "Let a young woman be sought...and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord...may become warm. They sought for a pretty girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunemmite, and brought her to the king...She attended the king, and performed services for him"

Does Judaism condone or even advocate prostitution? Reference Judah impregnating his daughter in law Tamar, mistaking her for a prostitute (Genesis 38), where the Torah speaks openly of him visiting a prostitute simply as part of the story. So is this simply an ancient concept? Reference The Ravad (Rabbi Avraham ben David—12th century): prostitution is only immoral when a woman is not discerning about her sexual partner and gives herself to any man who asks. Still to ancient a text? Rabbi Jacob Emden (18th-century), sought to reintroduce the institution of the concubine into his community. In a long, technical responsum, Rabbi Emden writes: the Ramban [Nachmanides], permits a man to take a concubine… so that people would not engage in forbidden sexual relations (adultery or incest)…”for a man with bread in his basket will not have the same burning desire to steal food.”