Medieval European Jewry was a very small society. Everyone is visible to rabbis etc. In such a situation it would be foolosh for a homosexually inclined person to try and find a partner in the community - especially as there was another, much easier option.
There was not much visible difference between a Jew and an ordinary European. So the homosexual could run away, either become a Christian or simply pose as one, and find a partner - possibly in a monastery!
So - a homosexual had a strong deterrent from activity in the Jewish community, and an easy way to leave and then engage in it. Ditto - almost no homosexuals!
(There was no "stand and fight" mentality back then. In a modern, or recent, US small conservative town, a gay can chose to come out and take the flak instead of the easy option of moving to a big city - simply because he would be, in his own view, standing up for his rights, a noble thing to do etc. but there was no such motive for a medieval Jew).
Medieval European Jewry was a very small society. Everyone is visible to rabbis etc. In such a situation it would be foolosh for a homosexually inclined person to try and find a partner in the community - especially as there was another, much easier option.
There was not much visible difference between a Jew and an ordinary European. So the homosexual could run away, either become a Christian or simply pose as one, and find a partner - possibly in a monastery!
So - a homosexual had a strong deterrent from activity in the Jewish community, and an easy way to leave and then engage in it. Ditto - almost no homosexuals!
(There was no "stand and fight" mentality back then. In a modern, or recent, US small conservative town, a gay can chose to come out and take the flak instead of the easy option of moving to a big city - simply because he would be, in his own view, standing up for his rights, a noble thing to do etc. but there was no such motive for a medieval Jew).
Reply
Leave a comment