WOMEN IN THE BIBLICAL TRADITION
Keywords:
Women, Bible, Creation, Pentatuech, Marriage, Man, Paradise, Rabbinic Tradition, JesusAbstract
The opening chapters of the Jewish Bible offer key views on the relationship between man and woman. They appear as stories of creation. focusing on the condition of human existence. and as such they provide the necessary paradigms of Biblical thought. In turn they generate particular laws of the Pentateuchal codes that affect human behavior. These laws govern Jewish covenantal life and give rise to rabbinic value-judgments and legal formulations. In the rabbinic view. there exists an effective association between the narrative of the Pentateuch and its laws. The narrative represents the "Haggadah" and the laws the "Halakhah".' The former is beyond the hermeneutical measure of the latter. For the «Helakheh" is structured and determined legalistically. whereas the "Haggadah" generates theological and ethical reflection. In Biblical stories the ideal type or concept is located and through a dynamic application of the Biblical laws the norm is established. Accordingly. an examination ofthe key paradigmatic stories will shed light on how the rabbis essentially viewed women in their religion. It will also provide a particular insight into Jesus' teachings and his ministry affecting woman.
References
Encyclopedia Judelce and to G. Vermes, "Bible and Midrash", in the Cambridge History of the Bible (ed. P. Ackroyd and C. Evans) vol. I.
Nahum M. Sarna, Understanding Genesis (New York: Schocken, 1970), p. 60 and refer M. Greenberg's translation of Religion of Israel by Y. Kaufman, Chicago; University of Chicago, 1960, ch.4.
Frankfort, Before Philosophy (Baltimore, 1981) and refer to M. Eliade, Cosmos and History (New York: Harper and Row, 1952).
Sefer Hahinnukh ed. H. Chevel (Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook, 1986), p.55 and refer to G. Appel, A Philosophy of Mizvot (New York: Ktav, 1975. ch. 2).
A. Neher, The Prophetic Existence (london: Yoseloff, 1969, part 3,2).
On woman in Judaism. refer to Susannah Heschel, On Being a Jewish Feminist; A Reader (New York: Schocken, 1983).
Menachem M. Brayer, The Jewish Woman in Rabbinic Tradition (New York: Ktav, 1986).
Babylonian Talmud Yebamoth 63a; Bereshith Rabba, Ch. 17 and Pirkei de R. Eliezer, 12.
History of Jewish Education by Nathan Drezin (Qaltimor.: Johna Hopkins, 1940. ch.? ).
Tosefta Berakhoth 6, 18 ed. Lieberman (New York: Bloch. 1957). I. p, 38.
Daily Prayer Book ed. Hertz. p, 20, 21 and see note in- l, Abrahams, Companion to the Daily Prayer Book (New York: Hermon Press. 1960), p. 17.
M. Brayer, The Jewish Women, Halakhic Status. vol. 2, 8.
Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels (New York: Random, 1979).
M. W. Meyer, "Making Mary male: the categories 'male' .end 'female' in the Gospel of Thomas". New Testament Studies 31 (1985) p. 554-570.
