What is Neuroqueer Torah?
by Mati L. Boulakia-Bortnick
Judaism is nothing if not a long and rich history of interpretive innovation, with each generation contributing new perspectives that deepen and expand our tradition for the better. For those of us who are neurodivergent and/or queer, this journey takes on a number of unique dimensions as we navigate a tradition that has often been shaped by neuronormative and heteronormative assumptions - assumptions that most often leave us on the margins.
Neuroqueer Torah builds on the work of pioneering Jewish thinkers who have used unique interpretive lenses to challenge, reimagine, and reshape Jewish texts and practice while remaining faithful to our tradition.
This lineage of reinterpretation, which is by no means exhaustive, but only from my own understanding, begins with Dr. Judith Plaskow. She was one of the first to apply a feminist lens to Jewish tradition and texts, reclaiming the Torah to reflect women's experiences and perspectives. Dr. Rabbi Daniel Boyarin furthered this work by introducing a gender theory lens, revealing the presence of non-binary and fluid gender expressions in rabbinic texts.
Rabbi Benay Lappe continued by developing her CRASH Theory, which offers a framework for understanding how Jewish tradition can adapt to changing realities by inviting those on the margins, especially queer folx, to reinterpret and reclaim rabbinic texts, which are not static but living documents, enriched by a plethora of voices and reinterpreted in order to build a more inclusive, relevant and just tradition.
Lappe's CRASH Theory posits that when the core narrative of a tradition "crashes" and no longer resonates with the lived realities of its people, it faces three options: to cling rigidly to the old narrative, to abandon the tradition altogether, or, most critically, to reinterpret and innovate. CRASH Theory emphasizes that it is often those on the margins - those who feel the dissonance most deeply - who have the clearest insight into how to reconstruct and revitalize the tradition. Rabbi Lappe reminds us that texts are not static, but living documents that can be enriched by a variety of voices and reinterpreted to build a more inclusive, relevant, and just tradition.
This line of interpretation also draws heavily on the Reconstructionist teachings of Rabbi Dr Mordecai Kaplan, who understood Judaism essentially as an ever-evolving religious civilization. Kaplan insisted that for Judaism and the Jewish People to thrive, they must adapt to the lived experiences of its adherents, framing reinterpretation not as a break with tradition but as a continuation of it.
Building on Kaplan's Reconstructionist ideals with a mystical bend by combining them with Hasidic thought, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi introduced the concept of Paradigm Shift, urging us to rethink Jewish life as new historical and spiritual realities emerge. His Psycho-Halakha, which prioritizes the personal and emotional needs of the individual within a halakhic framework, resonates deeply with the values of Neuroqueer Torah. Like Kaplan, Reb Zalman affirms that tradition is not an artifact of the past, but a living system designed to respond to the complexity of human experience.
Together, Kaplan and Reb Zalman offer a grounded vision of how reinterpretation is not only possible, but necessary to create a Judaism that is both radically inclusive and deeply connected to its roots. Their Torah has been the most influential on my general worldview in both my Jewish and disability community work and underpin everything in my understanding of Neuroqueer Jews’ place in the greater Jewish community.
Most recently, my friend and co-editor of our upcoming book, Neurodivergent Torah Volume 1, Dr. Rabbanit Liz Shayne has developed a neurodivergent lens to Torah learning, opening new pathways for autistic and other neurodivergent members of our community to find resonance and relevance within Jewish tradition and texts. For me, it’s been transofrmative.
Neuroqueer Torah stands on the foundation laid by these transformative approaches. By integrating Feminist Theory, Gender Theory, Queer Theory, CRASH Theory, and neurodivergent lenses, Neuroqueer Torah envisions a Judaism that fully embraces neurodivergent, disabled, and queer expressions of identity, and their intersections with each other specifically, enriching our understanding of Torah and Jewish life to be affirming to us and indeed all who have been left on the margins of Jewish life. It is a way for marginalized Jews to take back our tradition.
Just as these beloved teachers have reframed Torah to include those who are often marginalized, Neuroqueer Torah applies Neuroqueer Theory to Jewish texts and practice, bringing a new awareness to the adaptability and inclusivity inherent in Jewish tradition.
I'm not pretending that this has always been there, though I'm also not creating anything new. This is about using our contemporary lenses and understandings of the world to get new things out of our texts and tradition, to move them forward. It's not about apologetics, but about forging a new and radical way of community and Jewish life that is also radically traditional. Nor is it about assigning identities to characters (though that can be done) - it is about imagining pasts, presents, and futures through the lens of our experience in order to get more out of the depths of our tradition and texts.
Neuroqueer Theory comes from the work of Dr Nick Walker and is grounded in the idea of resisting both neuronormative and heteronormative expectations. In Neuroqueer Theory, neuroqueering is the act of embracing the authenticity of one's neurodivergent and queer identity, actively challenging and subverting societal norms that define "normal" or "acceptable". This unmasking and embracing of fluidity, whether in gender, behavior, or thought, becomes an act of self-liberation and an expression of one's truest self.
Key principles of Neuroqueer Theory include:
Unmasking and Authenticity: Neuroqueer Theory emphasizes unmasking, which Dr. Walker describes as the process of rejecting conformity and embracing one's natural expressions and mannerisms. This process emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, in which neurodivergent humans live authentically without conforming to socially constructed standards of normality.
Challenging Normative Boundaries: Neuroqueer Theory questions why society imposes strict definitions of "normal" for both neurocognitive "functioning" and gender expression. By challenging these norms, neuroqueering opens up space for fluid, dynamic expressions of identity.
Fluid and Evolving Identity: Neuroqueer Theory embraces the idea that identity is inherently fluid. Rather than fixed categories, neuroqueering sees identity as something that shifts over time, shaped by personal experiences and resistant to rigid societal expectations.
Neuroqueer Torah takes these principles of Neuroqueer Theory and applies them to Jewish texts, practice, tradition, and community. Just as Neuroqueering encourages individuals to live authentically outside of narrow definitions of “normality”, Neuroqueer Torah calls for a reinterpretation of Jewish texts and practices to honor the lived experiences of ALL people, not just those who fit into the mold of what is traditionally “acceptable” in the various Jewish communities around the world. Neuroqueer Torah embodies this innovation and challenges Jewish communities to create a space where neuroqueer lives and perspectives are seen as central to the vibrancy of Jewish life.
To explore Neuroqueer Torah in action, I turn to several key texts that reflect themes of transformation, unmasking, and identity fluidity and give them a Neuroqueer reading:
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel (Genesis 32:23-32): In this story, Jacob's encounter with the angel becomes a neuroqueer moment of transformation. A Neuroqueer Torah interpretation of Jacob's struggle can read it as a metaphor for the process of unmasking and embracing one's true self, even when it leaves visible marks and a permanent disability. Jacob's new name, Israel, and his limp symbolize the beauty and resilience of neuroqueer and disabled identity, inviting us to embrace the ways in which we are transformed by our encounters with the Divine and with ourselves, even when they are not widely appreciated. Jacob can only fulfill his destiny when embracing his neuroqueer self.
Moses’ Disability (Exodus 4:10-16): A Neuroqueer Torah reading of Moses' speech difference as a model of neurodivergent leadership and accommodation. The Divine's acceptance and support of Moses, rather than demanding change, affirms that neurodivergent expression is not only acceptable, but integral to Jewish tradition. Moses' story demonstrates that leadership and holiness are enhanced by our differences, challenging the notion that we must conform to a single standard of ability or communication or behavior.
The Androgynous in Mishna Bikkurim 4 : In the Mishnaic discussions of the androgynous, we see a precedent for the inclusion of gender fluidity in Jewish law. Neuroqueer Torah draws on Boyarin's work to reinterpret these passages as an early recognition of non-binary identity. Far from rejecting non-binary and trans identities, the Mishna acknowledges and appreciates the existence of genders outside of the binary. This interpretation urges Jewish communities to embrace gender diversity, creating a liberatory approach that resonates with both queer and neurodivergent perspectives.
Rabbi Meir in Talmud Bavli Brachot 10a: The Neuroqueer reading of this sugya. is a profound example of relational understanding and neurodivergent accommodation. Rather than chastising Rabbi Meir for his dysregulated state or dismissing his emotional turmoil, Bruriah meets him where he is, engaging him through his special interest—Torah. Bruriah invites Rabbi Meir into a text-based dialogue, she uses the shared language of Torah as a means to help him process his frustration and return to a more regulated state. Her approach is not corrective but compassionate, providing Rabbi Meir with a framework to navigate his emotions on his own terms. In doing so, Bruriah models a deeply neuroqueer practice of honoring individual needs and facilitating self-regulation through connection rather than critique. Her intervention exemplifies how inclusion and support can transform moments of dysregulation into sacred opportunities for growth and return to authenticity.
Neuroqueer Torah reframes Jewish tradition as a structure that values all identities while also centering queer and neurodivergent voices that are begging to come thru the text. It challenges us to see Torah and Judaism not as a static inheritance but as a vibrant, adaptable tradition that celebrates neurodivergent, disabled, and queer experiences. By embracing Neuroqueer Torah, we reclaim Judaism as a civilization that values each person's unique path and reclaim a Torah that resonates with the full spectrum of human existence, not simply those in positions of power and privelege.
Through Neuroqueer Torah, we participate in a Jewish life that is radical yet deeply rooted in tradition, honoring the divine in ourselves and others. This approach invites us to transform Jewish life into a sanctuary for authenticity, resilience, and growth, creating a Torah where all can thrive as their truest selves.
In conclusion, Neuroqueer Torah is an approach to Jewish texts, tradition, and community norms that centers the voices of those of us who have been left on the margins and/or forced onto them - especially neurodivergent and queer folx.
It challenges the neuronormative, heteronormative, patriarchal, conservative assumptions embedded in traditional interpretations and reclaims Torah and Jewish life as dynamic, vibrant, and deeply inclusive. Neuroqueer Torah doesn't treat tradition as a fixed heritage that has existed forever, but as a sacred tool for imagining pasts, presents, and futures in which all identities are affirmed.
Indeed, Neuroqueer Torah is what Torah has been all about since its inception. It's not about fitting in or apologizing - it's about unmasking, reclaiming, and re-creating a Judaism that is radically inclusive while remaining rooted in the richness of our tradition.
Neuroqueer Torah invites us to take the Torah we've been given and use it to build something sacred, something that makes room for all of us.
Mati is a disabled autistic rabbinical student, autism educator & spiritual director based in Paris. Learn more here.