| Doing IT The Jewish Way |
1. Genesis 1:28Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it. 2. Talmud, Ketubot 61bThe times for conjugal duty prescribed in the Torah are: for men of independent means, every day; for labourers, twice a week; for donkey drivers, once a week; for camel drivers, once in thirty days; for sailors, once in six months. 3. Talmud Yevamot 62bRabbi Joshua ben Levi said: whoever knows his wife to be a God-fearing woman and does not duly visit her is called a sinner 4. Talmud Eruvin 100bRabbi Yochanan observed: If the Torah had not been given, we could have learned modesty from the cat, honesty from the ant, chastity from the dove, and good manners from the rooster, who first coaxes and then mates 5. Talmud Ketubot 48aThere must be close bodily contact during sex. This means that a husband must not treat his wife in the manner of the Persians, who perform their marital duties in their clothes. This provides support for the ruling of Rav Huna who ruled that a husband who says, “I will not perform my marital duties unless she wears her cloths and I mine,” must divorce her and giver her also her ketubah settlement [the monetary settlement agreed to in the marriage contract] 6. Even ha-Ezer, 25:3 (Notes by R. Moses Isserles to the Shulhan Arukh)Since a man’s wife is permitted to him, he may act with her in any manner whatsoever. He may have intercourse with her whenever he so desires and kiss any organ of her body he wises, and he may have intercourse with her naturally or unnaturally, provided that he does not expend semen to no purpose. Nevertheless, it is an attribute of piety that a man should not act in this matter with levity and that he should sanctify himself at the time of intercourse. 7. Talmud Niddah 17aRav Hisda ruled: A man is forbidden to perform his marital duty in the daytime, for it is said, “And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself [Leviticus 19:18]. But what is the proof? Abaye replied: “I might observe something repulsive in her and she would thereby become loathsome to him.” 8. Talmud Eruvin, 100bRami bar Hama, citing R. Assi further ruled: A man is forbidden to compel his wife to the [marital] obligation, since it is said in Scripture, And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. R. Joshua b. Levi similarly stated: Whosoever compels his wife to the [marital] obligation will have unworthy children. Said R. Ika Hinena, What is the Scriptural proof? Also without consent the soul is not good. So it was taught Also without consent the soul is not good refers to a man who compels his wife to the [marital] obligation. 9. Mishneh Torah (Maimonides)Before the giving of the Torah, a man would meet a woman in the marketplace, take her home and she would become his wife. Or he would meet a woman, pay her a fee, and have a sexual encounter with her. Since the giving of the Torah, however, prostitution has become forbidden and marriage now requires a public ceremony including ketubbah and kiddushin before witnesses. Any other sexual encounter is akin to prostitution, which is forbidden by the Torah. 10. Ravad (Rabbi Avraham ben David, in response to Maimonides)Prostitution is only when she is promiscuous and sleeps with any man, but if she set aside one man there is no prohibition. Compiled by Shira Schwartz |




