Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

[ xxii ] Woman is described in the B ible story of the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve, as a ‘helpmeet opposite’ man. This seems to summarize her role in J udaism , where public religion, e.g. S ynagogue worship, the office of R abbi and T orah study, is essentially a male preserve [69: 205; 70: 133]. Woman's role is primarily as a wife and mother, who is not bound to keep all the commandments as the male is [14 vol. 16: 623]. R eform judaism has given women a more public role. [5; 11; 21; 27; 37: xxi–xxvi ] ... log in or subscribe to read full text