36. Women in Ancient Israel (Jewish History Lab)

Brief discussion of some of the challenges involved in studying women in ancient Israel.
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[@alanharvey7841]

Thank you so much for taking a leadership role in honoring the experiences of women in ancient and modern Judaism.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Well, let's see how well I can manage the challenge. But thanks!

[@yourthought2333]

My wife will LOVE this! 😀

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Great

[@inatwho]

If I remember correctly, Zulaikha is mentioned by name in the book "The Midrash Says". Therefore, there must be a Rabbinic source for her name. That's how her name likely entered into Islamic lore. If you are interested in pursuing the original Rabbinic source, usually the book has relevant footnotes. Unfortunately, I do not have the book on hand. But hopefully I provided you with a great lead which you can take further if you want.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

That is certainly interesting.

[@charliebrownie4158]

That book in the picture I've got that book it really helped with learning about what to say and when.

[@historicalminds6812]

Very interesting video, thank you for this.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@maxsmart99]

Always amazing!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you!

[@pebear]

So in my house we are at parity. There are 4 in my family My Wife and Daughter and my self and my Male Black Lab Dog. So that is 2 and 2...... If the Dog Dies we would have to go out and get another male dog or we won't be at parity....

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Only if parity the desired condition.

[@dovylichter]

Thank you so much for your amazing teachings. Which specific prayers composed for women’s experiences are you referring to at around 18:45?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Chava Weissler has written on this topic.

[@freyatilly]

Also please read: Aliza Lavie "Jewish Woman's Prayer Book". Debra Kay "Seyder Tkhines" Dinah Berland "Hours of Devotion". Enya Tamara Keshet, "In her voice". There is also: Ohel Sarah Women's Siddur. Many books on Jewishness by women such as "Jewish Women Speak about Jewish Matters". Hope this is helpful.

[@gregcollins7602]

Very interesting. Looking forward to the next one.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@AbrahamsBridges]

Hi I’ve just jumped on. I’m new to Torah. Are there written instructions for women to wear head coverings?

[@menachemsalomon]

There is a strong implication that a married woman covered her hair, from Numbers 5:18 (dealing with a woman who has been credibly accused of infidelity).

[@AbrahamsBridges]

@@menachemsalomon thank you! Are there written instructions for the kippah?

[@menachemsalomon]

@@AbrahamsBridges No, I believe the kippah - or, more generally, the idea that men do not go around with a bare head - is a customary practice with a long tradition, but it is not biblically mandated. How long a tradition? Dr. Abramson could have details, but I believe depictions of Jews from Roman and pre-Roman (Greek? Persian?) times always show a covered head. There are few Jewish self-depictions, as Jews (or Israelites, or Judahites, or Judeans) left few artistic depictions of people or animals at all.

[@zafirjoe18]

64And Rebecca lifted her eyes, and saw Isaac, and she let herself down from the camel. 65And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself. (Genesis24:65) It’s not considered a biblical mandate but Rabbinic and considered obligatory because of what’s called דת יהודית. See mishna Ketubot7:6

[@menachemsalomon]

@@zafirjoe18 To be fair, that's a veil, a face covering rather than a hair covering. _Ufara es rosh ha'isha_ is stronger as written support, although, technically, it's still an allusion, so it's classified as _das Yehudis_ rather than _das Torah._ (The story of On's wife is in the Midrash, and while acceptable to me, the question was about written support, not תשבע"פ.)

[@matthewsainsbury1801]

thanks henry ill be glad to hear your next lecture on the more prominate women in antiquity,iknow that some cultures where a bit strict on women and some cultures in the levant and the near est gave women great authority hatshepsut ruled egypt for 22 years independantly,the kingdom of cush just south women shared their power alongside with men they where known as kandake the newtestament calls them candace which means queen mothers ,isaih,mentions the cushites in its chapters during the assyrian siege trying to help jerusalem form seneacherib,

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Hope you enjoyed the video

[@batshevajengoldman6260]

Hello Dr Abramson! In a tour of Machon HaMikdash we were told that women were allowed past the Ezras Nashim into the Ezrat Yisrael, and that the Ezras Nashim was separated in times of celebration (simchas Beis haShoeva), but was mostly mixed with men and women. I looked up more info on the OU website www.ou.org/torah/files/Halachic-and-Hashkafic-Issues-in-Contemporary-Society-OU-Israel-Center-Shiur-98-Mechitza-Part-1.pdf B] THE EZRAT NASHIM IN THE BEIT HAMIKDASH The Second Beit Hamikdash was built as a series of courtyards with increasing sanctity as one approached the Kodesh Kedoshim. Non-Jews were allowed as far as the ‘cheil’. Then there were three inner courtyards - the Ezrat Nashim, Ezrat Yisrael and Ezrat Cohanim - before the Temple building. The Ezrat Nashim was a large square courtyard at the east side of the Temple complex. Although it was called the Women’s Courtyard, this may be something of a misnomer since, for most of the time, it may have been a mixed area containing men and women together . Women were certainly allowed to walk beyond the Ezrat Nashim into the Ezrat Yisrael and even further into the Ezrat Cohanim if they needed to go there for halachic purposes. Footnote: 9. It appears that women were allowed into the Ezrat Yisrael whenever they liked (as long as they were appropriately tahor) - see Melechet Shlomo on the Mishna ibid. See also Rambam Hilchot Beit Habechira 7:18 and the commentary Sha’ar HaMelech, for a discussion of whether, and when, women were allowed beyond the Ezrat Nashim. Although women did not do semicha on animals in the Mikdash, they did from time to time need to perform tenufah. Women were also allowed to do shechita in the Mikdash and these activities could take them into the Ezrat Cohanim.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Interesting material!

[@zafirjoe18]

As far as I understand the ancient synagogues, didn’t have a womans gallery as we know it, until late in the time of the Rishonim . The Alt Neu shul in Prague , the oldest shul in Europe was built without an ezrat nashim , only later was a room added to the main sanctuary and Windows opened to conect them . Also the famous Shul called the Rashi shul in Worms , built in the early eleventh century was built without a woman’s section only in the 13th century was a woman’s section added. Woman usually didn’t attend services as it was considered a mans duty .and when they needed to bentch Hagomel they would come to shul , or they would come see the Torah being raised at hagbah they would stand at the entrance or the back of the shul. Later when woman became more involved in the services, woman galleries were introduced.

[@zafirjoe18]

I heard from elderly Jews , In the olden days when there was an urgent Yeshua needed . The women would sometimes take charge, send the men out of shul, the Rabanit would open the holy ark and demand in their merits a redemption with the women wailing after her . This was known in Yiddish as איינרייסן. I can’t find a citation, if anyone reading this post can guide me further in this ,I would be greatfull .

[@erldagerl9826]

HI Batsheva! Nice to see you here!

[@zafirjoe18]

It seems that in biblical times the distinction between the sexes were less stressed as you find so many blurred words written in masculine and read feminine. The female pronoun Hi(היא) is spelled in the five books of the Torah with masculine Vav(הוא)everywhere (except 11times).

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Interesting

[@zafirjoe18]

Henry Abramson I read this in context of proving the antiquity of the Torah in contrast of the other books of the bible , can’t remember where..

[@menachemsalomon]

When you get to the more modern period, the _Tzena Ur'ena_ and the _Korban Mincha Siddur_ cannot be ignored, nor the more general _al titosh toras imecha._ I'll trust you to it.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Planned for late Fall 2021

[@Retarmy1]

Interesting because I never thought about how the different genders can treat religion I'm catholic and when I wait in line for confession I always see more men in line

[@virginiahansen320]

The funny thing is that the "Bechdel Test" is just a joke from a comic strip. But now people are acting like it's a real thing because the whole world has become a joke.

[@channahcastelobranco]

😊😍

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks

[@michellelansky4490]

That's such an unequivocal comparison.....even the magazines that don't print women's faces (and I'm sure MANY of them don't WANT to be displayed) are largely edited by and written by women.......they have completely equal or even superior participation......it is only through the modern lens that to be effective, successful, and talented you have to be SEEN.

[@mikeklein9923]

Where R U going with Passover ? Don't recall Momma eating bread

[@1BestCookie]

He said negotive commandments restricted by time are also a requirement for women. There are also some positive commandments that woman have taken upon themselves and are now required even though they weren't originally required.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Me neither

[@DeborahCaldwell77]

Hmmm mmm seems the same

[@user-cg3nx7dl6w]

Thank you for this. This is fascinating!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!