Quote:
“Jewish communities in Europe were less secure and often persecuted by Christians who regarded Jews as Christ-killing spawn of the Devil, and their religion as obsolete since the coming of Christ” (Anderson and Young 48).
Question:
In regards to the two differing stories about the creation of Eve, it is stated that: “Rabbinic commentators, uncomfortable with two contradictory accounts of creation, fashioned a Midrash that made it possible to read the two stories as one continuous text” (Anderson and Young 55). It is also stated by Modern Jewish Feminists: “Rejecting the patriarchal name of the Midrash, women are rewriting the story to include the powerful idea of sisterhood and friendship between Lilith and Eve” (Anderson and Young
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It is also important to point out that when a group, such as Modern Jewish Feminists don’t align with the Midrash, they can decide to write their own version. So, how do these texts written by Rabbi and others get taken seriously if they did not live during that time, and can essentially alter the story to promote their beliefs?
Reflection:
While reading the text by Anderson and Young, one topic struck me harder about Judaism than any other religion thus far. The chapter on Judaism focused partially on Jewish feminists and how texts, and history interprets women’s roles in the religion. At first, it was suggested that Judaism had many options of female role models. However, in regards to women’s roles in the synagogue it is stated that: “Jewish textual sources say little or nothing about women’s roles in the synagogue, some greek and latin inscriptions include reference to women bearing titles such as “head”, “leader”, “elder”, and “mother of the synagogue” (Anderson and Young 48). Although it was clear that men and women were separate in the synagogue, reforms were made during the
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Although there are two textual versions of how Eve was created that have been condensed into one Midrash, the two versions give different ideals for women. To start off, one version states that men and women are created as equals from the same earth. The second version on the other hand, states that Eve was created and formed out of one of Adam’s rib, and therefor was created by man. Being that these two versions contradict quite strongly, a Midrash was created to allow for one solid base of the contextual history of the creation of Eve. Although this suggests that women have been treated with prejudice since the creation of the first women, it does not stop there. This prejudice of women starting with Eve can be foreshadowed onto the idea of women throughout biblical texts and as a God or Goddess figure. For example: “Images of God that predominate in the scriptures and other Jewish texts are those of Father and King” (Anderson and Young 57). Although some imagery of a Female God exists, it primarily is in the form of patriarchal contests. Over and over in biblical text, it is stated that God is a father figure, and there are blessings “of God as Lord and King of the earth” (Anderson and Young 57). This repetitiveness and lack of feminine ideals gives a dominating effect about male influence from the sacred text.
Women did not have say on administrative level but on domestic level they had a great influence. Women were treated differently from men and also had different roles. However, Jesus treated men and women the same, and talked to foreign women. Nowadays, women still have great importance in the family domain. Women, now have a say on both level, however there is still a lot to be improved especially when it comes to equality.
Women have always played a major role in the practice of Judaism. They have many responsibilities and obligations to fulfill due to of their faith. Yet, they also must raise their families and often work to provide for their family. Overtime, Jewish women have become an example of women’s ability to live very demanding lives and still sustain her religious devotion. Jewish women have had to overcome numerous obstacles in incorporating the changes inherent with ever-evolving life with their static religious duties. Thus was the case for any Jew who chose to move away from their community and start a new life. Many pioneers found it hard to remain practicing Jews when there were no other Jewish people around them. Some observances became difficult to exercise given the surrounding and Jews would sometimes have to compromise their traditions with physical practicality. This led to great personal struggle for women who had always felt that the family’s religious sanctity was her responsibility. But these fascinatingly resourceful and dedicated women found ways to overcome the hindrances that their new home provided and still plant the seeds that would grow into a rich and strong Jewish community regardless of where they lived.
Women were just there to serve their husbands in anyway the men wanted. The first example was in the second creation story God only created man and then realized he needed a helper and then he created a woman with a rib from the man (2). It is saying that women were only really created to help and support men, also its implying that the man helped make the women so he gets control over her. In Genesis 3:16 God says to eve, “your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you,” she ate from the tree so he is punishing her (3). Women were just objects for the men to control, but then in the first creation story God created men and women equally (1). He created them together and to worship the land and populate it. So the two creation stories contradict each other because one the women are equal and in the other story they are completely separate. It gives two different outlooks on the way women were portrayed, but throughout the story they are portrayed more like the second creation story than the
The stories about women in the bible illustrate the importance of their role and contribution to society. Women were slaves, concubines, and child bearers; they were also wives, matriarchs, and prophets. Although, some women had less important titles than others each served a purpose. Even if the Bible does not explain God’s relationship with women as with Moses and other prophets, it illustrates the love and dedication women had for Him. The scriptures describe brave, nurturing, and God fearing women whose decisions impacted the existence of the Israelites.
Jews have been persecuted throughout all of history. A deep seated hatred has existed in many nations against them. Throughout history Jews could not find a resting place for long before they are thrown out of over 80 countries including England, France, Austria and Germany (Ungurean, 2015). Deicide is one of the reasons why Jews are hated. It is said that Jews are the responsible party for the killing of Jesus. The gospels describe Jews delivering Jesus to Roman authorities while demanding that he be crucified and his blood be on their children (Schiffman, n.d.). As a result Jews are held accountable for the death of Jesus and they are hated by many.
Meyers, Carol. "The Genesis Paradigms for Female Roles, Part I: Genesis 2-3 and Part II: Genesis 3:16" in Discovering Eve: Ancient Israelite Women in Context. Oxford University Press, 1988, pp. 72-121.
It is mentioned that the bishops tell the common folk that “the Jews have stolen your religion and yet the Jews live with you in your own land.” As a result, these words create violence as the common folk “rush out together in search of Jews, and when they find one they kill him.” The killings and violence committed during this time was also predominately recognized as acts of vengeance for many bishops and other Christians deem “the Jews as Christ-killers.” Again, this idea supports the notion that Jews created mischief and thus, the cruelty directed to them is understandable and
Although, this statement is accurate at times people sometimes do not realize that men and woman are treated as equals in certain situations. In the Genesis story by Phyllis Trible, She discusses how people often view the story of Adam and Eve as male supremacy and female subordination but she explains how that statement is false and that both Adam and Eve are treated as equals (Trible,141). Throughout, the article Trible provides the readers with examples and statement to how Adam and Eve share equal equality. An example of equality between the two sexes is when God creates Eve out of Adams' rib, “This, at last, is bone of bone and flesh of my flesh, She shall be called ‘ishshah because she was taken out of ‘ish” ( Trible,142). God created the woman out of the man's rib rather than his feet or head because she wanted them to be in equal carrell with each other. The rib symbolizes them being side by side in a partnership rather than one being more advantaged than the other. Also, but the man and woman owe both there lives solely to God, although, the female was made from a man the reasoning she was created in the first place was due to God (Trible,142). Therefore, both sexes were created equally out of raw materials there were no differences in how they were brought into the world (Trible,142). Another example used in the
Starting with Trible’s first focus of “the inferiority, subordination and abuse of women in ancient Israel” describes the role women are placed in (Trible). This role would be putting women behind men. An example from
Feminism as we know it began in the mid 1960's as the Women's Liberation Movement. Among its chief tenants is the idea of women's empowerment, the idea that women are capable of doing and should be allowed to do anything men can do. Feminists believe that neither sex is naturally superior. They stand behind the idea that women are inherently just as strong and intelligent as the so-called stronger sex. Many writers have taken up the cause of feminism in their work. One of the most well known writers to deal with feminist themes is Margaret Atwood. Her work is clearly influenced by the movement and many literary critics, as well as Atwood herself, have identified her as a feminist writer. However, one of Atwood's most successful books, The Handmaid's Tale, stands in stark contrast to the ideas of feminism. In fact, the female characters in the novel are portrayed in such a way that they directly conflict with the idea of women's empowerment.
Despite the patriarchal society from the biblical days, God is taught as being just as much a Mother as God is a Father (102). The willful ignorance of religious scholars of the time just show that they were making a conscious effort of trying to keep women from retaining any power that they had. This relegation of religious roles in an effort to keep Men in power is a poor example of how Christianity is a religion which promotes for the love and care of all people, no matter their status. The interpretation of God from these times clash severely with my notions of what is now considered to be an all-loving entity. Women of these times were obviously not equal to their male counterparts. In modern days however, women are thought of as equals in society. The problem is that they are still not being treated as equals in a religious aspect as well as many other aspects.
A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain is survey medieval Spain, where Christians, Jews, and Muslims once lived side by side and the Muslims were in charge. The book tries to lead the reader to the conclusion that there is indeed a historical precedent for the three major religions establishing a beneficially symbiotic relationship which may be an enduring lesson for coexistence. The author, Chris Lowney, is an ex-Jesuit and holds degrees in medieval history and philosophy.
Throughout my reading of Moby Dick and Ahab's Wife, I was disturbed by the fact that the most tempting way to situate the two novels in a relationship was to categorize them as "male" and "female." Moby Dick was, of course, the man's story and Ahab's Wife was its womanly counterpart. This comparison makes sense when you consider the gender of the authors, Melville and Naslund, the gender of their respective narrators, Ishmael and Una, and the experiences portrayed throughout the texts. Many readers argue, "There are no female characters in Moby Dick- how could it be anything but a man's story?" In that context, it is easy to position Ahab's Wife at the opposite end of the literary spectrum because the novel is told solely from a feminine perspective. Viewing the texts in this way indicates that our conceptions of gender have not changed much since the days of Adam and Eve. In that story the man, Adam, came first and provided the foundation for humankind. Eve was an afterthought, borne from a single rib. The rib that became Una can be found in Moby Dick- a single reference to Ahab's spouse back in Nantucket. Adam and Eve represent a clear division between male and female that established the gender binary we now impose on these two texts.
Interpretations of the Bible are influential to our society because in the United States, approximately eighty-three percent of the population is Christian, according to a poll performed by ABC News. Perhaps the Bible is written with women subservient to men because the very story of creation is written as such. Genesis serves as the foundation of not only our universe, but also the religious text. In the biblical story of creation, Adam came first, then came the animals, and then last of all came Eve, putting the origin of women last. Then, it is Eve who is vulnerable enough for evil to deceive her into taking the apple and she who persuades Adam to follow her example. This sets up a basis that women are inherently weak and sinful for the rest of the faith to be built upon. (Stanton)
The books of the Old Testament, and variations, are recognized by the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. Each paint women as the temptress responsible for the mistakes of men. Women were the cause of the first punishment given to mankind. Eve persuaded Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, from the tree of knowledge. For this act, inspired by woman, mankind was forever punished and expelled from paradise.