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One of the tragedies of reading only English translations of Torah – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy – is that the reader is prevented from seeing the richness, depth, humor, breadth, and paradox of the original Hebrew text. When reading only English translations of Torah the reader is limited to reading the biases of the translator (all translators have a translator’s bias).
The text below is from Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s “Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler” column in the current issue of Spirituality & Health Magazine. It provides a good example of the richness and depth of meaning in the original Hebrew text. More importantly I hope Rami’s words and wisdom provide some comfort to the writer of the question to which he is responding.
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Reader: This is a very difficult question for me to ask. My teenage daughter wants to transition to a boy. I love my daughter and I support her decision, but I love my Bible too, and I’m told I must choose between them. I am desperate for you to show me otherwise.
Rabbi Rami: What a blessing that the love you and your child share is strong enough to work through this together. Let’s see if we can do the same with the Bible by engaging in a close rabbinic reading of Genesis 1:26: “Let us make adam in our image, after our likeness;” and Genesis 1:27: “God created adam in God’s image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them.”
First, the Hebrew word adam (pronounced ah-dahm) usually translated as “man,” comes from the Hebrew adamah and is best translated as “earthling.” Indeed, “man” (“ish” in Hebrew) doesn’t appear in the Bible until after woman (“ishah”) is removed from adam’s side (not rib) in Genesis 2:24. Technically, woman is created before man in the Bible.
Second, notice the pronouns referring to adam in verse 27: him and them. According to ancient rabbinic commentators, the singular pronoun him reveals that only one adam/earthling was created; the plural pronoun them reveals that this one adam was an androgyne: a being both female and male. From this, the rabbis spoke of six possible sexes: “ishah” (female), “ish” (male), ‘tumtum” (one who is neither female nor male), “androgyne” (one who is both female and male), ‘aylonit” (a person designated female at birth who becomes male later on), and “saris” (a person designated as male at birth who fails to develop as a man or who has his testicles removed, which is the closest they could imagine to a male becoming female). With this in mind, let’s look at the notion of “image and likeness.”
In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make adam in our image, after our likeness.” In Genesis 1:27, however, only God’s image is mentioned. Why? God’s image is the original androgynous nature of an earthling at birth: adam as female and male. God’s likeness is how that androgynous earthing develops over time into one of the six sexes. When your child speaks about transitioning from female to male, think of this as the androgynous image of God maturing into the likeness of God as an “aylonit.” This is not a violation of God’s design but a natural part of it.
Lech L’Shalom
Here is the post again with my thoughts and critique in bold throughout.
Self-defeating Claim
One of the tragedies of reading only English translations of Torah – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy – is that the reader is prevented from seeing the richness, depth, humor, breadth, and paradox of the original Hebrew text. When reading only English translations of Torah the reader is limited to reading the biases of the translator (all translators have a translator’s bias).
My first thought was the self-defeating bias claim that all translators have a translator bias. I assumed that would include Rabbi Rami, who translated Genesis 1:26-27. After reading the post twice, along with his translation, I found his bias unmistakably in support of the LGBTQ agenda. No surprise.
The text below is from Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s “Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler” column in the current issue of Spirituality & Health Magazine. It provides a good example of the richness and depth of meaning in the original Hebrew text. More importantly I hope Rami’s words and wisdom provide some comfort to the writer of the question to which he is responding.
Above, we were told we are prevented from seeing the richness and depth when Hebrew is translated to English, but now, because Rabbi Rami Shapiro translates, we are enriched and suddenly able to appreciate the original Hebrew.
Do you see the contradiction? Yet people all over social media repost this drivel without doing a little research and analyzing the claims.
If, as stated above, translating to English or reading only English translations prevents us from seeing the richness, depth, humor, and breadth, how is it we can see the richness, depth, humor, and breadth in an English translation provided by Rabbi Rami? Does he have a magic wand, a unique God-given anointing, that allows us to see what all other English translations can’t?
Below is the question a reader supposedly asked Rabbi Rami.
False Dilemma
Reader: This is a very difficult question for me to ask. My teenage daughter wants to transition to a boy. I love my daughter and I support her decision, but I love my Bible too, and I’m told I must choose between them. I am desperate for you to show me otherwise.
What idiot told you that? My second question is, do you believe everything someone tells you? What makes you think you must choose between your Bible and your daughter? You can’t love both? Following the logic, that would mean every Christian, father or mother would have to choose between loving their children or loving scripture.
For those who have been following the cultural shift and the wholehearted endorsement of gender ideology on the left, it will be no surprise that someone told them they must choose between the love of their daughter or their love for scripture.
Rabbi Rami: What a blessing that the love you and your child share is strong enough to work through this together. Let’s see if we can do the same with the Bible by engaging in a close rabbinic reading of Genesis 1:26: “Let us make adam in our image, after our likeness;” and Genesis 1:27: “God created adam in God’s image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them.”
God has no form to be male or female. God’s image is reflected in our non-physical soul. Adam did not resemble God in the flesh and blood but in spirit. John 4:24 says God is spirit.
In Latin, ‘imago dei’ is the immaterial part of humanity, and we can say Adam’s body did resemble God in that he was created in perfect health, and death was not possible till after the fall. The imago dei is what separates us from the animal kingdom.
This is a painful reading of verses. “Them” in Genesis 1:27 is obviously talking about both Adam and Eve. Then, in Genesis 1:28, God tells “them” to be fruitful and multiply. Is God demanding they split like an amoeba? He is clearly telling “them” to join as one and produce offspring, something ONLY a male and female can do. Duh.
We Are Earthlings
First, the Hebrew word adam (pronounced ah-dahm) usually translated as “man,” comes from the Hebrew adamah and is best translated as “earthling.”
Best translated as Earthling? Really?
One of the delightful aspects of today’s Internet is the ability for someone to do research beyond Wikipedia. I have looked at over 60 translations of Genesis 1:26, and not one, translated Adam as Earthling, this includes the JPS Tanakh translation. What is the JPS Tanakh translation? It is the Jewish Publication Society translation and is universally recognized as the most accurate and authoritative English translation of the Hebrew Bible in the Jewish community. It is available in both English and Hebrew-English.
Look it up for yourselves; what Rabbi Rami suggests is rubbish.
If you truly love scripture and embrace it as the Word of God I would suggest some other sources to help you walk and navigate the struggles you and your daughter face. Read up on Preston Sprinkle, Andrew Walker, and Rosaria Butterfield, as well as books by Christopher Yuan, Nancy Pearcey, and Abigail Shrier. Finally, I have written a couple of posts addressing the Gender identity social contagion.
Indeed, “man” (“ish” in Hebrew) doesn’t appear in the Bible until after woman (“ishah”) is removed from adam’s side (not rib) in Genesis 2:24. Technically, woman is created before man in the Bible.
Second, notice the pronouns referring to adam in verse 27: him and them. According to ancient rabbinic commentators…
Read Genesis 1, you will find in Genesis 1:26 the first appearance of the word ‘man’ (Strongs h0120. אָדָם’ âḏâm) in scripture. Then again, in Genesis 1:27 and throughout Genesis 2. Then, in Genesis 2:23, we see the word ‘woman’ for the first time (h0802. אִשָּׁה’ iššâ; feminine; irregular plural, נָשִׁים’ ashiym; a woman)
I don’t see any reading of Genesis in which someone can conclude woman was made before man.
He says, “According to ancient rabbinic commentators…” What commentators? Ancient? As in thousands of years ago? I didn’t realize we had ancient commentators. He should name his sources. This is nothing more than appealing to authority. For example, I could say, “Multiple scientists support the flat-earth theory.” It holds no weight unless I name the multiple scientists who believe the Earth is flat and their reasons behind the claim.
Adam’s Other Half
…the singular pronoun him reveals that only one adam/earthling was created; the plural pronoun them reveals that this one adam was an androgyne: a being both female and male. From this, the rabbis spoke of six possible sexes: “ishah” (female),”” (male), ‘tumtum” (one who is neither female nor male), “androgyne” (one who is both female and male), ‘aylonit” (a person designated female at birth who becomes male later on), and “saris” (a person designated as male at birth who fails to develop as a man or who has his testicles removed, which is the closest they could imagine to a male becoming female). With this in mind, let’s look at the notion of “image and likeness.”
LGBT+ activists claim God made Adam both male and female and He took the female half out of his side to create Eve. This is commonly used in LGBT+ circles and progressive liberal Christians to justify all the genders that have been appearing in the past several years.
Genesis 1 gives the reader an overview of the creation event on day 6. Then, in Genesis 2, we read a more detailed account. Those in the LGBT+ circles claim the word tsela in Genesis 2:21 means half or nature. Again, do the research; the word tsela does not mean half or nature. It could mean a rib, a door, a side, a quarter, a floor or ceiling, a timber, or a plank.
There is not a single scripture reference that describes humans falling outside the category of binary male-female genders. Not one.
This attempt by Rabbi Rami and others who use scripture to support their gender-affirming care ideology is blatantly anachronistic. They start with a current worldview and impose those beliefs and assertions into an ancient text not intended to support those views; this is called ‘eisegesis’ and is a common error for those looking to find a way for scripture to defend their own ideas.
Jesus’ statement in Mark 10:6-9 does not state He made Adam male and female and then separated the female out of Adam. Also, in Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus quotes Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24 together. It says God made them male and female. It does not say God made him male and female. Them refers to both Adam and Eve unless you make an eisegesis error, which is evident in Rabbi Rami’s translation of these passages.
Transgendering is Maturing into the Likeness of God
In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make adam in our image, after our likeness.” In Genesis 1:27, however, only God’s image is mentioned. Why? God’s image is the original androgynous nature of an earthling at birth: adam as female and male. God’s likeness is how that androgynous earthing develops over time into one of the six sexes. When your child speaks about transitioning from female to male, think of this as the androgynous image of God maturing into the likeness of God as an “aylonit.” This is not a violation of God’s design but a natural part of it.
Lech L’Shalom
One of the six sexes? Rabbi Rami needs a basic biology class. Biological sex is either male or female. Maybe someone reading this is shocked because their gender studies at San Francisco State have stated otherwise.
Show me just one verse in scripture that states God has six sexes.
Characteristically, men have one X and one Y chromosome and females have two X chromosomes. The Y chromosome in males contains a gene called the SRY gene, which determines a host of biological male developments. This gene causes the development of a penis and testes, and consequently sperm. If the STR gene is not present, the embryo develops into a female body having a vagina, ovaries, and therefore eggs.
Gametes, not chromosomes, define sex. Gametes are our reproductive cells; large ones are called eggs, and many small ones are called sperm. There are NO intermediate types of gametes between eggs and sperm. Sex is binary, male or female. There is not a third gamete. Males produce sperm gametes, and females produce egg gametes. Sex is not on a range or scale of any type.
I would imagine any reading this post who is intolerant of opposing views, progressive in their Christian faith, or endorses LGBTQ+ agenda will have stopped reading in the above paragraph.
I understand gender expression is on a sliding scale, but that does not mean there are more than two sexes. Depending on the amount of testosterone delivered in the first trimester, you may find men and women who are atypical in their character traits, or feel female in a biological male body, or feel male in a biological female body. Just feeling something does not make it true.
Does that sound unloving? When should we sacrifice truth for love? We can all speak truth in love, unlike what some fool told the questioner above, that they have to choose between scripture (truth) and love (daughter). Step in Rabbi Rami who says you can have your cake and eat it too. What Rabbi Rami wrote sounds euphonious, but it is not love, not even close. 1 Corinthians 13:1
The definition of love begins with God; love is in His nature and part of His character, but love is not His only character trait. 1 Corinthians tells us what love is and what it isn’t. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth, but this is not what our culture teaches. Instead, we should affirm, support, encourage, and celebrate everyone in ‘their’ truth, even if it does not conform to reality.
It Is Not Love
Gender-affirming care is not love. Imagine for a moment a young woman who struggles with anorexia despite being tall and thin. She tells everyone she is fat and instructs everyone to call her ‘fat-cakes’. Should therapists respond by calling her fat and affirm she is fat? Can you imagine the American Psychological Association (APA) instructing doctors and therapists to respond by affirming she is fat and should do more to help her lose weight? Options for this anorexic woman could be some weight loss drugs such as Wegovy, Zepbound, or Saxenda. If the drugs are not sufficient, how about surgery? Physicians could suggest a gastric sleeve to remove a large part of her stomach, gastric banding to reduce the size of her stomach, or liposuction.
Pointing out the established biological science behind there being only two sexes does not make me a bigot or guilty of hate speech. Nor does it mean I should treat my gay or transgender neighbor with any less kindness or love than I would anyone else. You can love your neighbor without agreeing with them; scripture is clear on this, Mark 12:30-31.
When Rabbi Rami or others use the word of God to support unbiblical beliefs, it should be pointed out what rubbish it is. From the beginning, it was God’s design for them to be male and female.
What Idiot Told You That by James Glazier is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Sources:
The End of Gender – Dr. Debra Soh
The Deconstruction of Christianity – Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett
Irreversible Damage – Abigail Shrier
Spirituality and Health – My daughter wants to transition
Stand To Reason – Does the Bible limit gender to just male and female
Answers in Genesis – God Created Adam both genders?
Stand To Reason – What is a Man and What is a Woman
Got Questions – Male and Female He Created Them
Got Questions – God Male and Female