The Sacred Waste of Vital Seed
The author explains that masturbation is condemned because it is a wasteful use of the divinely granted masculine power – the life seed. In his view, the loss of this seed (as in the case of Onan, who “poured [his seed] onto the ground” thereby incurring the wrath of God) is considered a sin that insults the Creator, since the seed is seen not merely as a biological substance, but as the bearer of the life-giving force endowed by Him. This point is emphasized in the following excerpt:"Scripture tells us that Onan (whose name became one of the terms for this vice) incurred God’s anger by pouring [his seed] onto the ground; furthermore, we read: 'The thing which he did was evil in the sight of the Lord; therefore He put him to death'" (source: link txt).The author’s understanding of divinity includes a distinction between the wasteful squandering of mature sexual power through uncontrolled masturbation and the acceptable, properly organized physical union. The possibility of touching a specific part of the body implies the existence of an established order and control, where contact is not intended to provoke an uncontrolled spill of seed, but occurs within the divinely ordained context of relationships. This distinction is demonstrated by a warning against immodest behavior:"Touching – a form of masturbation, when a young man allows himself immodest behavior with a maiden, remaining alone with her." (source: link txt)Thus, according to the author, God forbade the self-directed leakage of life force (masturbation), as this act is regarded as a waste of a holy gift, whereas a careful, regulated touch (as an element of healthy relationships) does not violate this divine order.