Seek Her Out

by Goldstein, Elyse M.

• ISBN13: 9780807408179
• ISBN10: 0807408174
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Urj Pr

Summary

In this unique work, Rabbi Elyse M. Goldstein addresses the issue of women in Judaism. While it began as a struggle to be equal with men religiously, the feminist movement within Judaism has evolved in recent years. Seek Her Out: A Textual Approach to the Study of Women and Judaism embraces the idea that, as women become equal partners in the Jewish community, there is a need to look at Judaism specifically as women. This book focuses on three main topics of interest: the study of Torah, the observance of halachah, and the language of theology. How does the portrayal of women in the Torah affect our view of a woman's place in Judaism? What is a woman's role in the synagogue and traditional rituals? How should we speak about Divinity and what is the value of using egalitarian language? Texts from the Torah, Talmud, and Codes dealing with the issue are presented in Hebrew and English for study. A list of questions at the end of each section helps to examine the issues further, encourages discussion, and allows individuals to come to their own conclusions. Seek He

Author Biography

Rabbi Elyse M. Goldstein is Director and Rosh Yeshiva of Kolel: The Adult Centre for Liberal Jewish Learning in Toronto. A graduate of HUC-JIR, she is the author of ReVisions: Seeing Torah through a Feminist Lens and editor of The Women's Torah Commentary

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	1	(6)
PART ONE: WOMEN AND TORAH
Feminist Analysis and Torah Study	7	(8)
``Womanhood'' in the Tanach: Persons or Property?	15	(9)
Eishet Chayil: ``A Woman of Valor'' as Paradigm	24	(9)
PART TWO: WOMEN AND HALACHAH
Time-Bound Mitzvot	33	(9)
Blood and Water: The Menstrual and Mikveh Laws	42	(10)
Rosh Chodesh	52	(9)
PART THREE: WOMEN AND RITUAL
Inventive or Imitative?	61	(8)
Is Biology Spiritual Destiny?	69	(7)
Women and the Synagogue	76	(11)
PART FOUR: WOMEN AND THEOLOGY
God Language and Theological Issues	87	(6)
The Shechinah	93	(7)
The Question of Changing Liturgy	100	(9)
PART FIVE: WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP
A Brief History of Women in the Rabbinate	109	(7)
Where Do We Go from Here? Men, Sexuality, and Integration	116	(10)
Notes	126	(2)
Bibliography	128