چکیده:
This paper briefly examines two approaches to the position of women in Judaism. One is from an orthodox perspective, represented by Chana Weisberg, and the other is a non-orthodox and feminist approach, represented by Judith Plaskow. By examining these two approaches, we expect to contribute to a better understanding of the diverse views of women in contemporary Judaism. Plaskow criticizes the different positions for men and women in Judaism and views them as signs of a woman’s otherness that has resulted from a patriarchal approach on the part of those who authored the scriptures. For Plaskow, the different positions of men and women can only mean a woman’s inferiority. Weisberg on the other hand, acknowledges the different positions of men and women, but argues that these differences are indicators of a woman’s superiority. Nevertheless, it is fair to state that their preoccupation with either the absolute rejection or acceptance of different positions for men and women has deterred them from addressing the fundamental and undeniable issue of the existence of gender differences. In addition, they have not addressed the possibility of these gender differences as a part of the philosophy behind the different positions of men and women in Judaism.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Plaskow criticizes the different positions for men and women in Judaism and views them as signs of a woman‘s otherness that has resulted from a patriarchal approach on the part of those who authored the scriptures.
Weisberg on the other hand, acknowledges the different positions of men and women, but argues that these differences are indicators of a woman‘s superiority.
: Jewish Orthodox feminism, Jewish non-orthodox feminism,gender differences, women‘s otherness, Plaskow, Weisberg Introduction Like many other traditions and religions today, Judaism faces crucial and essential questions about the position of women in its tradition.
1. Woman in the Torah in Weisberg’s View With a midrashic4 approach, Weisberg portrays women as having a very high position in Jewish thought, to the extent that some women are able to accomplish tasks that men of a high stature would not have been able to accomplish without their assistance.
In other words, similar to Weisberg, Plaskow believes that there were women who played historical roles in Jewish history.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that both Weisberg and Plaskow have failed to address possible underlying objectives based on which Judaism has placed men and women in different ritual, legal and communal positions.
Regardless of a woman‘s superior or inferior position in Judaism, who is to blame for her otherness, and how a woman‘s assumed superiority in the spiritual and human realm mirrors itself in the real lives of Jewish women, both Plaskow and Weisberg have overlooked an essential question on gender differences.