I am a teacher in a modern orthodox yeshiva day school. Two of my students wanted to know what the classification of the issur of masturbation is, and the punishment that the torah accords. Thank you.

Shalom U'verachah, The Shulchan Aruch writes that masturbation is one of the most serious of trangressions and some aliken it to murder as it is wasting life. Even masturbation without ejaculation is prohibited and is called adultery with one's hands, but ejaculation is even worse. Kol Tuv