Heavenly Sex: Sex in the Jewish Tradition

Dr. Ruth bridges the gap between sex and religion.

In this light-hearted, lively tour of sexuality within Jewish religion and culture, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Jonathan Mark team up to reveal how, contrary to popular wisdom, the Jewish tradition is much more progressive in many regards than one might think.

Applying Dr. Ruth's unique brand of couples therapy to such Biblical relationships as Abraham and Sarah, and Joseph and Potiphar's wife, the authors enlist Biblical lore to cover such topics as surrogacy, incest, and arranged marriages. They offer a clearer understanding of the intertwining relationships between sexuality, spirituality, and sexual roles through a look at the latter books of the Bible—The Song of Songs, Ruth, Proverbs, Psalms, and some of the bawdier tales of the Prophets. One chapter provides a provocative metaphorical perspective on the Sabbath as a weekly revival, highlighting not only its spiritual, but its marital and sexual aspects as well.

Focusing specifically on Orthodox forms of Judaism and offering Dr. Ruth's singular interpretations, the book answers such questions as: What night of the week is best for making love? How often should couples have sex? Can traditional Jewish notions of sex and sexuality be reconciled with contemporary beliefs? What roles can and do dreams and fantasy play?

Heavenly Sex familiarizes the reader with a generous and lusty religious tradition that has too often been lost within the rubric of a larger Christian culture with a completely different view of sexuality.