[Avodah] Ma'aseh eretz Mitzrayim

[Zev Sero]

Micha Berger wrote:
> How is this defined? Rashi speaks of people marrying each other, but
> how does one define marriage without invoking the concepts of eirusin
> and niru'in? Are we talking about common law, just living together
> monogamously?

No, we're talking about marriage.  Elsewhere the gemara talks about
"writing a ketuba".  Of course goyim don't have a kosher ketuba with
the same provisions as ours do, but they have marriage ceremonies
and certificates, and they attach great value to these, and take
care to distinguish them from de facto relationships.  Just look at
all the ink that is being spilled nowadays over same-sex marriage in
the USA, and all the emotion that is poured out over it, on both
sides; why do you think they care?  Why is it that while a majority
of USAns support civil unions giving same-sex couples the same rights
as married mixed-sex ones, i.e. marriage in all but name, a vast
majority oppose marriage by name?  And why do the radical gay
activists insist that civil union is not enough, and they must davka
have it called marriage?  Obviously "shma milta hi".  And IMHO it's
precisely that "shma milta" that Chazal included under the rubric of
"maaseh eretz mitzrayim".


> What's the ma'aseh aveirah of KMEM aside from that of actual MZ or
> nashim hamesolelot?

I don't think actual MZ *is* included in "maaseh eretz mitzrayim".
It's not a parody or imitation of a normal relationship between
husband and wife, it doesn't pretend to be anything but what it is.
It's an avera, but it isn't this avera.

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas