Aish Rabbi #fundie aish.com

[A FtM transgender Jew asks what (Orthodox) Judaism says about his gender dysphoria.]

God created men and women. He wants there to be a clear boundary between the sexes. From the fact that there is such a commandment, it means that some people have a desire to do just what the Torah forbids. It means there are men who would like to be women, and women who would like to be men.

God does not make mistakes. If He gave you a female body, it means that he wants you to live your life as a Jewish woman, not as a Jewish man.

If you were to undergo an operation to try to change your sex, you would be trying to escape from the responsibilities that God has entrusted with you. If you underwent an operation, you may look more like the way you feel, but in God's eyes you would still be a Jewish woman and be expected to act that way. No amount of operations or name changes (a name change, by the way, is not advisable) can alter the metaphysical reality, nor it's implications, that was imposed on you by your Creator, along with it's incumbent responsibilities.

Consider the person who was born with an unusual ability to perform on the violin. God has given him this talent to bring peace, tranquility, and joy to his fellow humans.

Now let us say that this person has no desire to give other people pleasure. In his heart he does not feel like playing. However, the obligation to give others pleasure is still incumbent upon him. Even if he were to cut off all his fingers, it would not change the obligations that he has, he would simply be unable to fulfill them.

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Confused?

So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!

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