0.7 2.3 jewish law and tradition

By definition, the patriarchal order that characterized Old Testament Judaism limited women's role and rights extensively. A woman was subject to her father until she came under the dominion of her husband, or, in the event of his death, her husband's brother or her eldest son. A man could divorce his wife, but a woman could not give up her husband (Deut. 24:1-4). "The most typical Hebrew word for wife (ishshah) meant 'woman belonging to a man,' while one word for husband (baal) meant 'owner of property.' William E. Hull, "Woman in Her Place: Biblical Perspectives," Review and Expositor, 72 (1975), 9. The Law of Moses stipulated that women were unclean by virtue of their physiological functions (menstruation and childbirth) and provided for ritualistic isolation and purification after both (Lev. 12; 15:19-33). Following the birth of a male child, the purification period lasted thirty-three days; in the event of a female child, it was extended to sixty-six days.

The sacred and secular aspects of Hebrew life were so intertwined, it is not surprising that the subordination that prevailed in domestic arrangements was also present in religious activities. There was no office of priestess; women were not even allowed in the inner court of the Temple. "In the synagogues which replaced the Temple worship in the dispersion of the Jews, the women were not only separated from the men but were required to sit behind screens if they attended at all." Harkness, p. 157. If a woman took a religious vow or obligation, it could be annulled by her husband or her father (Num. 30:3-16). Probably most important, rabbinic Judaism did not allow women to study the Torah, or the Law. "Salvation itself depended on knowledge of obedience to the Law. To exempt woman from this responsibility meant not only that the rabbis had a limited social outlook on woman's relation to man, but more important, that they had not dealt adequately with the ultimate question of her relation to God." Hull, p. 11. Although most of her religious service was performed as a spectator, a woman was allowed to partake of sacrificial meals and to participate in festivals, such as choral processionals and cultic dances. And despite the restrictions, a rare woman did rise to a position of military or spiritual leadership, as in the cases of Deborah, Miriam, and Esther.

Without doubt, the role of mother justified a woman's existence and gave her what status she had under Judaic law. Strict laws concerning chastity protected females from some kinds of sexual exploitation and were indicative of the high social value placed on family life. The honoring of mother, as well as father, was one of the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:12). Well-known Old Testament love stories like that of Jacob and Rachel indicated that in single instances--like those of individual queens or prophetesses--an extraordinary regard for womanhood triumphed. Yet even the paean to "the virtuous woman" found in Proverbs 31:10-31 is a tribute accorded her for working tirelessly at domestic and commercial tasks for the comfort and honor of her husband. His is the position of honor among the elders at the city gates. Hers is a life of service.