08-24-2012, 11:17 PM
The following answer to this question is from Rabbi Moshe Weiner's book "The Divine Code", Part 6, topic 4:11 -
If [a Gentile man] cohabits with an unmarried [Gentile] woman without [their] intention of marriage, whether or not the matter is known publicly, it does not render her married to him or give her a status of a "me’orasah" [Hebrew term for a betrothed woman], and it is mere licentiousness. Although such relations are not clearly forbidden for Gentiles, it is a repulsive act, even if done in a temporary fashion.[1]
From G-d’s words [Gen. 2:24], “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh,” it is the natural and appropriate way for a man to marry a woman and establish a family. One who deviates from this path is mistaken, and acts against G-d’s will in His creation of mankind and their character.
Furthermore, those who engage in promiscuous relations commit animalistic actions (and this is even worse than the animals, since an animal has no comprehension to understand any other way, unlike a human, to whom G-d has given a superior intellect), as this is the way of animals – that a male [animal] typically cohabits with any female [animal, of the same species] that appears ready before it. This is why all living creatures were created at the outset [on the 6th day of creation] as females and males, since this is fitting for their nature. In contrast, Adam the first man was created alone, and only after he searched and discovered that he needed a mate did G-d give him the first woman as his partner. This shows us that the correct way for a man is to look for a specific wife, and to build a life-partnership [i.e., a partner in living together] with her, instead of acting as an animal with casual sexual relationships.
[1] Ramban on the verse Gen. 2:24, “and cling to his wife,” implies that this verse excludes clinging in an animalistic way of meeting a woman in the street and engaging in licentious relations with her (whether or not she asks for any payment).
Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg comments:
(a) It is explained by Rambam (Sources of Sefer Ha’Mitzvot) that a reason for the verse (Leviticus 19:29), “Do not profane your daughter to prostitute her, so as not to defile the land and fill it with licentiousness,” is that a Jew should not come to unknowingly marry a woman who was conceived by his father [which for Jews would be a forbidden incestuous relationship]. But a Gentile, on the other hand, may marry his paternal half-sister [within the Torah Law for Gentiles], and therefore this reason cannot be even included within one of the other Noahide prohibitions.
(b) It is possible that it is only permitted for Gentiles in a temporary fashion, but not for a woman to practice prostitution on a regular basis [with or without any montary payment; e.g. if the unmarried woman regularly engages in the act for the sake of her physical pleasure, so that she takes her pleasure as her payment from the man, instead of taking any monetary payment].
In response, the author [Rabbi Weiner] cites Tractate Avodah Zara 36b: “Shem’s court prohibited prostitution.” The Talmud loc. cit. says that Shem’s decree was only for a woman who cohabited with an idolater [which is what Judah assumed Tamar had done, and therefore he incorrectly judged her], but [Shem's decree of punishment] did not apply to cohabitation with another observer of the Noahide Commandments [because that would not have the risk of leading the woman to take on the man's idolatry]. (See Tractate Sotah 10a, that before having the relations, Tamar told Judah, “I am a convert,” and Rashi explains there that this means, “I have abandoned idol worship.”)
If [a Gentile man] cohabits with an unmarried [Gentile] woman without [their] intention of marriage, whether or not the matter is known publicly, it does not render her married to him or give her a status of a "me’orasah" [Hebrew term for a betrothed woman], and it is mere licentiousness. Although such relations are not clearly forbidden for Gentiles, it is a repulsive act, even if done in a temporary fashion.[1]
From G-d’s words [Gen. 2:24], “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh,” it is the natural and appropriate way for a man to marry a woman and establish a family. One who deviates from this path is mistaken, and acts against G-d’s will in His creation of mankind and their character.
Furthermore, those who engage in promiscuous relations commit animalistic actions (and this is even worse than the animals, since an animal has no comprehension to understand any other way, unlike a human, to whom G-d has given a superior intellect), as this is the way of animals – that a male [animal] typically cohabits with any female [animal, of the same species] that appears ready before it. This is why all living creatures were created at the outset [on the 6th day of creation] as females and males, since this is fitting for their nature. In contrast, Adam the first man was created alone, and only after he searched and discovered that he needed a mate did G-d give him the first woman as his partner. This shows us that the correct way for a man is to look for a specific wife, and to build a life-partnership [i.e., a partner in living together] with her, instead of acting as an animal with casual sexual relationships.
[1] Ramban on the verse Gen. 2:24, “and cling to his wife,” implies that this verse excludes clinging in an animalistic way of meeting a woman in the street and engaging in licentious relations with her (whether or not she asks for any payment).
Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg comments:
(a) It is explained by Rambam (Sources of Sefer Ha’Mitzvot) that a reason for the verse (Leviticus 19:29), “Do not profane your daughter to prostitute her, so as not to defile the land and fill it with licentiousness,” is that a Jew should not come to unknowingly marry a woman who was conceived by his father [which for Jews would be a forbidden incestuous relationship]. But a Gentile, on the other hand, may marry his paternal half-sister [within the Torah Law for Gentiles], and therefore this reason cannot be even included within one of the other Noahide prohibitions.
(b) It is possible that it is only permitted for Gentiles in a temporary fashion, but not for a woman to practice prostitution on a regular basis [with or without any montary payment; e.g. if the unmarried woman regularly engages in the act for the sake of her physical pleasure, so that she takes her pleasure as her payment from the man, instead of taking any monetary payment].
In response, the author [Rabbi Weiner] cites Tractate Avodah Zara 36b: “Shem’s court prohibited prostitution.” The Talmud loc. cit. says that Shem’s decree was only for a woman who cohabited with an idolater [which is what Judah assumed Tamar had done, and therefore he incorrectly judged her], but [Shem's decree of punishment] did not apply to cohabitation with another observer of the Noahide Commandments [because that would not have the risk of leading the woman to take on the man's idolatry]. (See Tractate Sotah 10a, that before having the relations, Tamar told Judah, “I am a convert,” and Rashi explains there that this means, “I have abandoned idol worship.”)