Dear Friends,
Who gets to participate in the celebrations of Jewish life – all the family, or only the males?
There has been a continuing discussion and debate in Jewish life about institutional sexism in the Torah. While there are worthy explanations in the Talmud, indicating, in short, that women were exempted from certain obligations by dint of biology, birthing and nursing infants, we still find verses which make us scratch our heads. Here are a couple, in today’s Torah portion.
The text addresses the pilgrimage festivals, when, Torah teaches, three times a year, all Israelites were to come to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices, essentially paying their religious taxes. Text reads, “You shall rejoice in your festival, with your son and daughter, your male and female slave…” (Deut. 16:14) Then, there follows, “Three times a year – on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the Feast of Weeks, and on the Feast of Booths – all your males shall appear before your God…” (Deut. 16:16)
So, which is it – everyone of both genders, or only the males – were commanded to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and to rejoice?
A commentary in the Talmud tries to parse this text. It indicates that while all persons, men and women, were commanded to go and celebrate, only the men were commanded to go and sacrifice. Hmmm…? I could accept the argument, and I could accept that it is worthy that men and women were both to celebrate, as celebration is a lofty and worthy intent. Yet, exempting women from “appearing before your God…” is troubling to me. If a women was able to go to Jerusalem to celebrate, she must not be encumbered by childbirth, nor too burdened by nursing. Thus, the Talmudic argument, while theoretically sound, doesn’t square with real life practice. It is institutional sexism.
My thought is that we still need a wider conversation on gender equality and expectations. As I write this, just this week Senator Kamala Harris was selected to be Vice President Joe Biden’s choice as Vice Presidential running mate for the Democratic ticket this fall. Yes, Senator Harris makes history as a person of color on the ticket, and as only the third woman selected to a presidential ticket. But, indeed,
in America’s 244 years, that only three women have been so nominated reminds us that institutional sexism is not only 300 years old, but is all too present.
It is time that men and women not only could celebrate, but can appear before their God, and before their nation… equally.
Shabbat Shalom,
AuRabbi Douglas Kohn
Who gets to participate in the celebrations of Jewish life – all the family, or only the males?
There has been a continuing discussion and debate in Jewish life about institutional sexism in the Torah. While there are worthy explanations in the Talmud, indicating, in short, that women were exempted from certain obligations by dint of biology, birthing and nursing infants, we still find verses which make us scratch our heads. Here are a couple, in today’s Torah portion.
The text addresses the pilgrimage festivals, when, Torah teaches, three times a year, all Israelites were to come to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices, essentially paying their religious taxes. Text reads, “You shall rejoice in your festival, with your son and daughter, your male and female slave…” (Deut. 16:14) Then, there follows, “Three times a year – on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the Feast of Weeks, and on the Feast of Booths – all your males shall appear before your God…” (Deut. 16:16)
So, which is it – everyone of both genders, or only the males – were commanded to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and to rejoice?
A commentary in the Talmud tries to parse this text. It indicates that while all persons, men and women, were commanded to go and celebrate, only the men were commanded to go and sacrifice. Hmmm…? I could accept the argument, and I could accept that it is worthy that men and women were both to celebrate, as celebration is a lofty and worthy intent. Yet, exempting women from “appearing before your God…” is troubling to me. If a women was able to go to Jerusalem to celebrate, she must not be encumbered by childbirth, nor too burdened by nursing. Thus, the Talmudic argument, while theoretically sound, doesn’t square with real life practice. It is institutional sexism.
My thought is that we still need a wider conversation on gender equality and expectations. As I write this, just this week Senator Kamala Harris was selected to be Vice President Joe Biden’s choice as Vice Presidential running mate for the Democratic ticket this fall. Yes, Senator Harris makes history as a person of color on the ticket, and as only the third woman selected to a presidential ticket. But, indeed,
in America’s 244 years, that only three women have been so nominated reminds us that institutional sexism is not only 300 years old, but is all too present.
It is time that men and women not only could celebrate, but can appear before their God, and before their nation… equally.
Shabbat Shalom,
AuRabbi Douglas Kohn
