Of Bread and Raisin Cakes

Women of the Bible,
Women bakers6
Image credit

“A handful of the choice flour and oil of the meal offering shall be taken from it … and this choice portion shall be turned into smoke on the altar as a pleasing odor to the Lord.” Leviticus 6:8-9 (JPS translation)

In ancient Israel bread baking was predominately a woman’s activity. Within the household economy, women performed all the tasks of bread making from grain to final product. Since bread consumption provided the highest calorie content of the ancient Israelite diet and therefore was the most important food staple, the role of the baker was held in high esteem and wielded economic power. Continue reading Of Bread and Raisin Cakes →

Elisheba: Partaker of Sacrifice, Maker of Sacrifice

Women of the Bible,

Elisheba

 

In the beginning of Leviticus, God tells Moses to speak to all the Israelite people and instruct each person in the laws of ritual sacrifice. Lev. 1:5 specifically uses the gender neutral nepes (person) when discussing those responsible for slaughtering the sacrificial animals. “Traditional translations … obscure the fact that both women and men are given instructions about offerings to YHWH.” (Meyers, p.203). Let’s explore how Elisheba, Aaron’s wife and the sister-in-law of Moses, participated in the rites of ancient Israel.

The limited knowledge we have of Elisheba provides us with a glimpse into the world of priest’s wives in the Bible. She came from a prominent family; her brother Naashon was a prince of the tribe of Judah (Ex. 6:23). By marrying Aaron she united the tribe of Judah with the tribe of Levi. Through her sons Eleazar and Ithamar she became the ancestress of the entire Levitical priesthood. While the Temple stood the the wives and mothers of High Priests were particularly wealthy and socially influential. “Females in high Priestly families [held] a special status in Temple society and the power to determine Temple procedures and even regulations.” (Safrai, pp.259-60) Continue reading Elisheba: Partaker of Sacrifice, Maker of Sacrifice →

Women at the Entrance to the Tent of Meeting

Women of the Bible, , ,

Women at door of tent1

Image credit

“He made the laver of copper and its stand of copper, from the mirrors of women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” Exodus 38:8 (JPS translation)

Ah yes, the “women who performed tasks.” Who might they be and what tasks might they have performed? Many commentators have argued that the women performed menial tasks at the Tent of Meeting, that they were merely cleaning servants. However, the technical Hebrew word used for “tasks” has a military connotation in contrast to more general terms for “work” and “service.” The same word is used when discussing the tasks the Levite priests perform. Continue reading Women at the Entrance to the Tent of Meeting →

The Indomitable Vashti

Women of the Bible

Vashti2

Image credit

“Queen Vashti gave a banquet for women, in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he ordered … the seven eunuchs in attendance on King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing a royal diadem, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials; for she was a beautiful woman. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the by the eunuchs. The king was greatly incensed, and his fury burned within him.” Esther 1:9-12 (new JPS translation)

For feminists, Queen Vashti is a heroine because she did not allow herself to be displayed like an object of art, or worse, as a play toy before King Ahasuerus and his drinking buddies. Until very recently commentators depicted Vashti in a negative light for her defiance. In contrast, the author of the story makes a farce of the king’s reaction to Vashti’s refusal. Guided by his advisors, King Ahasuerus turns her simple act into a threat against the entire Persian empire and passes a law that women must be ruled by men. Continue reading The Indomitable Vashti →

Women Who Made Veils for the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem

Women of the Bible, , ,

women weavers1

Image credit

“And all the skilled women spun with their own hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen. And all the women who excelled in the skill spun the goat’s hair.” Ex. 35:25-26

After leaving Egypt, God directed Moses to prepare a portable sanctuary, a tabernacle. This became a sacred place where the wandering Hebrew people could commune with God. We learn in Exodus that skilled women prepared the woven materials needed for the tabernacle. Later these highly trained weaving women worked within the temple compound. In Hebrew, the word used for “skilled” is related to the word “wisdom.” Culturally, the Hebrews saw the technical abilities of artisans as a form of profound understanding. Thus we find that women’s traditional work of weaving was highly prized not just for the domestic and economic benefits but for religious and spiritual reasons as well. “When textiles were needed for ritual purposes, as in the case in the tabernacle texts, women’s skills in preparing fabrics and converting them to specific forms situates them in positions of social or religious prominence; it gives them a public role that has been little noticed” (Carol Meyers). Continue reading Women Who Made Veils for the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem →

Announcement and Welcome

Women of the Bible

Dear Friends, I’m happy to announce the completion of my novel, Judith: Wise Woman of Bethulia, the launch of my website and my weekly newsletter about women of the bible. It’s been a long time in the making. Now you can see what I’ve been doing while hunched over my computer the last 4 years!

I invite you to visit my website where you can find out more about my novel and myself. There you will discover all sorts of goodies– an excerpt from the novel, a brief synopsis, bibliography, chronology, maps and more.

As I mentioned, I am also launching a weekly newsletter about women of the bible. My intention is to bring to light little known information and observations about these important female figures and their activities. I want to introduce you to biblical women who are right in plain sight but still invisible to us. I will be following the schedule of selections from the first five books of the bible, the Torah portions read by Jews from around the world each week. Even if you are not Jewish or religious, you will gain insights into one of the world’s greatest pieces of literature. See below for an example of my Biblical Women Week by Week newsletter.

You can visit my website at www.old.robincohn.net

Warmly,
Robin Cohn