Images of Women

1. Women as Temptresses (Gen 3)

- The story of the fall of humankind in Genesis 3 records that Eve, the wife of Adam and the first
woman on earth, is the temptress and originator of evil in the world.
- Eve is viewed as the one who brings sin into the world, but Adam, who is equally guilty of
disobeying the command which he receives directly from God, is never blamed for the fall of
humankind and subsequent evils in the world.
-Eve is the source of all evils, the originator of sin in the world. This negative understanding of
the woman, particularly Eve, is presented in the words of some prominent male scholars.
-The presentation of Eve as temptress reflects the anti-female bias of Israelite men, including the
Old Testament writers

2. Women as harlots
– a negative sexist language portrays women as ‘harlots’ or ‘concubines’ Proverbs 1-9.
-Gomer the wife of Hosea is described as a harlot Hosea 1-3
- R.L Huni states that, the Hebrew terms for harlotry (zenuth) and harlot (zonah) only refer to
females. There is no male term for harlot in Hebrew.
- This shows the negative male attitude towards female sexuality. “Harlotry” cannot be played by
women alone without men, but men are never described as harlots. Women alone cannot commit
adultery without men.
- Hosea a man of God married Gomer a harlot but he is presented in a positive sense unlike
Gomer (Hosea 1-3).

3. The Uncleanliness of Motherhood and Menstrual taboo

- the disqualification of female persons from sacred activities at cultic centers stamps women as
a separate and cultically inferior entity. women’s regular menstrual periods are regarded as
`unclean’ rather than a blessing.
-Their `unclean period’ lasts for seven days and everything they touch becomes unclean; women
remain ‘unclean’ until they are purified (Lev 12:2, Lev 12:5, Lev.15:19ff

4. Bareness as a curse –
Even when a woman is unfortunate to become barren, she is considered as cursed by God. Sarah
one of the great matriarch was barren such that she was scorned by her maidservant Gen 11:30,
Isaac had to intercede for Rebekah for the Lord to remove the curse of barrenness Gen 25:21.
Gen. 29:31 - 30:24 among the wives of Jacob, Rachel the sister to Leah was also barren. See the
story of Hannah and Peninnah 1 Samuel 1-

5. Women as second thought

The creation story of Genesis presents women as the second thought. Man was created first and
woman was created later almost as an afterthought (Genesis2:21-22)
- This has led to the chauvinist charge that men have priority over women.
- This sets the ground for inequality between men and women in society
- Women are filled with a sense of inferiority one that hinders them to aspire exalted roles,
because of the idea that men are divine since they are created first.

6. Members of the Covenant.

There is no question that women played a less conspicuous role than men in the worship of the
covenant community of Israel. Not only could women not receive the sign of the covenant,
circumcision, but they also could not function as leaders of the household in most cultic acts.
-This fact has led some like L. Koehler to conclude that the old covenant discriminated against
women: “It is a covenant with those who are competent to enter into such a thing; that is to say
with men; they represent the people . . . woman has no place in this revelation, therefore she is a
constant danger to the worship of Yahweh.

The status of a dependent woman

- Divorce cases – the Jewish man has all the leverage to divorce a woman. The Mishnaic law
gives the wife no corresponding power to divorce her husband (a severe disadvantage that
wreaks social havoc for Jewish women to this day).
- The levirate widow, who figures as chattel in the automatic inheritance of her sexual function
by her late husband's brother, has no option unless this man chooses to release her.
- Property inheritance laws - Women generally did not own property except in the rare case of
inheriting land from a father who didn't bear sons. Even "in such cases, women would be
required to remarry within the tribe so as not to reduce its land holdings.
- Public prayer meetings - According to John Bowker (theologian), traditionally, Jewish "men
and women pray separately. This goes back to ancient times when women could go only as far as
the second court of the Temple."[4] The reason for this is so that the men do not gaze at the
women (which in itself can be a sin) and get distracted from their prayers. –
 Women in the Talmud - the Talmud also has many negative things to say about women.
Various rabbis at various times describe women as lazy, jealous, vain and gluttonous, prone to
gossip and particularly prone to the occult and witchcraft. Men are repeatedly advised against
associating with women, although this is usually because of man's lust as it is because of any
shortcoming in women. It is worth noting that the Talmud also has negative things to say about
men, frequently describing men as particularly prone to lust and forbidden sexual desires.

Positive attitudes towards women in Judaism

- One scholar notes that, the role of women in traditional Judaism has been grossly
misrepresented and misunderstood. The position of women is not nearly as lowly as many
modern people think.
- However, despite low status of a woman as a sexual chattel, a Jewish woman has far higher
status in all other aspects of Mishnaic private law. Thus, a wife participates in a reciprocal
arrangement of matrimonial entitlements and obligations, performing specified household chores
and producing a requisite amount of cloth in return for maintenance at a prescribed standard that
befits her social class.
The catalogue of spouses' conjugal rights and duties treats intercourse as primarily the wife's
right and the husband's duty.
- Property transfer
- Another interesting rule preserves the wife's title to property she brings to the marriage and
even her power of sale (though this require her husband’s consent, because of his legal right to
the earnings of her property). Likewise, a husband cannot sell his wife's property without her
consent. - A wife can appoint agents to transact her business and can act as her husband's agent
to sell his goods. - She even possesses a right of action against the husband, for she can petition
the court to compel a divorce for specified infringements of her rights. True, the husband alone
can execute the divorce; but the court will endorse draconian measures to secure his compliance.
- Women depended on men economically - men had specific obligations they were required to
perform for their wives. These included the provision of clothing, food, and sexual relations to
their wives. –
Outstanding roles of women in the bible - the Old Testament presents quite a number of stories
of women who stand as role models for the rest of women in society. The Matriarchs such as
Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, Miriam the prophetess, Deborah the Judge, Huldah the
prophetess, Abigail, who married David, Rahab, and Esther. In the Biblical account, these
women did not meet with opposition for their positions and public presence.
- According to traditional Judaism, women are endowed with a greater degree of intellect and
reasoning ability (intuition, understanding, intelligence) than men. The rabbis inferred this from
the fact that woman was "built" (Gen. 2:22) rather than "formed" (Gen. 2:7). It has been said that
the matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah) were superior to the patriarchs (Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob) in prophesy. - Women did not participate in the idolatry regarding the Golden
Calf during the Exodus period.
. Role and Status of Miriam
Miriam means ‘prophetess’ or ‘lady’; the name points to Miriam as the sister of the tribal leader.
Miriam saved her brother Moses, Exodus 2:1-10. This well-known story shows that the survival
of the leader of the Exodus, Moses, depended on the courage and ingenuity of one young
woman, his sister Miriam. The song of Miriam, Exodus 15:20-21 is one of the oldest poetic
songs in the Old Testament. It is an example of a literary material devoted to celebrating military
victories with triumphal poems. Miriam’s death, Numbers 20:1-2. Miriam died in a waterless
place in the wilderness, but God subsequently caused water to appear there.
. Deborah
- Deborah means a ‘bee’ in Hebrew. It may also mean ‘spirited or fiery woman’. When attacked,
as her story illustrates, she could sting like a bee. Deborah, a judge of Israel, summoned Barak
(Judges 4:1-11, 5:1-18). When war and oppression come, Deborah acted as a leader of the
people. She chose the ablest military general and told him what he must do. Deborah is the only
woman judge mentioned in the Book of Judges. The people of her time had no difficulty in
accepting her as a judge. The Song of Deborah (Judges 5) sums up all her victory as the judge of
Israel at that time. Deborah stands out from them for her wisdom, courage and faith in God in
comparison to other male judges.
. Esther
- Esther’s Jewish name is derived from the name of a tree ‘myrtle’ whose leaves only release
some fragrance when they are crushed. It was only when her people were in danger that her true
heroism was unleashed. The story of Esther can be summed up with the following: Vashti was
banished, and Esther became Queen (Esther 1 & 2). Queen Vashti refused to obey the orders of
her husband King Ahasuerus, so he divorced her and sought a new queen. This new queen was to
be the most beautiful woman in the land. A young Jewish girl, Esther, was chosen. Her uncle,
Mordecai, overheard a plot against the king, and warned him through Esther. Esther saved
Mordecai from Haman (Esther 3-8:14). Mordecai offended a high court official, who decided to
kill not only Mordecai but all the Jews in the Persian Empire. Esther pleaded with the king at two
banquets she gave. Mordecai was saved from death, and Haman was punished. Esther saved the
Jewish people of Persia (Esther 8:15-Esther 10).
. Public religious roles
- Women also had a role in ritual life. Women (as well as men) were required to make a
pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem once a year (men each of the three main festivals if they
could) and offer the Passover sacrifice. They would also do so on special occasions in their lives
such as giving a todah ("thanksgiving") offering after childbirth. Hence, they participated in
many of the major public religious roles that non-Levitical men could, though less often and on a
somewhat smaller.
 respect given to parents in the law
- The Ten Commandments require respect for both mother and father. Note that the father comes
first in Ex. 20:12, but the mother comes first in Lev. 19:3, and many traditional sources point out
that this reversal is intended to show that both parents are equally entitled to honor and
reverence.
6. Jewish rabbis and status of their wives
- Many rabbis over the centuries have been known to consult their wives on matters of Jewish
law relating to the woman's role, such as laws of kashrut and women's cycles. The wife of a rabbi
is referred to as a rebbetzin, practically a title of her own, which should give some idea of her
significance in Jewish life.

The Proverbs model woman

- Women had the right to buy, sell, and own property, and make their own contracts, rights
which women in Western countries (including America) did not have until about 100 years ago.
In fact, Proverbs 31:10-31, which is read at Jewish weddings, speaks repeatedly of business
acumen (skill or ability) as a trait to be prized in women (v. 11, 13, 16, and 18 especially)
Women education
- Women are discouraged from pursuing higher education or religious pursuits, but this seems to
be primarily because women who engage in such pursuits might neglect their primary duties as
wives and mothers. The rabbis are not concerned that women are not spiritual enough; rather,
they are concerned that women might become too spiritually devoted.
The autonomous woman's legal status and level of personhood differs from that of the
dependent woman in that she controls every aspect of anything she finds, unlike the minor
daughter or wife, who must turn it over to father or husband. While a minor daughter's earnings
accrue to her father and those of a wife to her, an adult daughter may keep whatever she makes.
- The autonomous woman can buy and sell without an obstacle, for no man has a claim on her
property. - Her vows are not subject to revocation (reversal) by any man. She can bring suit for
damages or for the return of her marriage portion upon widowhood or, for the right to sell part of
her marriage portion still in the hands of her husband's heirs, or for maintenance pending
collection of her settlement.
- Despite the rule that women are incompetent as witnesses, the autonomous woman can even
testify to her right to the bride-price of virgins when arranging her marriage or when recovering
her marriage settlement on termination of the marriage. - A woman is deemed as competent as a
man to swear certain business-related oaths.
 - The most significant power of the autonomous woman is her control over her sexual
reproductive function, which belongs to no man and hence is hers to bestow. This control
enables her to negotiate (either personally or through her selected agent) with the suitor of her
choice.
- For the same reason, the Mishnah points out that a jealous husband cannot complain of his
wife's sexual conduct before betrothal or after divorce, since this gives him no grounds for
putting her to the ordeal nor can he restrict the future sexual relations of his divorcee.
- As for the autonomous woman, on whom no man has a legal claim, nothing can ever justify
treating her as a legal chattel so long as she chooses to remain unattached.
- However, despite the above freedoms enjoyed by the autonomous woman in the private areas.,
the Rules governing women in public domain are patriarchal in nature.
- The Mishnah systematically exclude women from the intellectual and spiritual forums of
Mishnaic culture. Women are exempted from the recitation of specified prayers and the
disqualification of women from leadership roles by applying a rule that persons not bound by a
particular law cannot validly perform it on behalf of persons who are so obligated. - Further
prohibitions against women, include 1. objections to women's studying Torah at all and by male
fears of female sexuality both as a cause of cultic pollution and as a distraction from men's
serious business of serving God, 2. women are ultimately barred from leadership roles in
synagogue, study house and courthouse, 3. the Mishnah even prohibits the formation of women's
fellowship, thereby preventing women from engaging together in Torah study. These laws
deprive women of the most intellectually and spiritually rewarding practices of traditional
Judaism. –
Marriage and sexual rights - Women have the right to be consulted with regard to their
marriage. Marital sex is regarded as the woman's right, and not the man's. Men do not have the
right to beat or mistreat their wives.
- Rape cases - In cases of rape, in Judaism a woman is generally presumed not to have consented
to the intercourse, even if she enjoyed it, even if she consented after the sexual act began and
declined a rescue! Traditional Judaism recognizes that forced sexual relations within the context
of marriage are rape and are not permitted.
- In traditional Judaism, the primary role of a woman is as wife and mother, keeper of the
household. However, Judaism has great respect for the importance of that role and the spiritual
influence that the woman has over her family. The Talmud says that when a pious man marries a
wicked woman, the man becomes wicked, but when a wicked man marries a pious woman, the
man becomes pious.
- Women and positive commandments - Women are exempted from all positive commandments
("thou shalts" as opposed to "thou shalt nots") that are time-related (that is, commandments that
must be performed at a specific time of the day or year), because the woman's duties as wife and
mother are so important that they cannot be postponed to fulfil a commandment. For e.g. a
woman cannot be expected to just drop a crying baby when the time comes to perform a
commandment.

Study questions
1. Discuss the influence of Jewish women in decision making (25)
2. To what extent did women in Judaism oppress their counterparts? How is this
applicable to your society (25)