Women In Jewish Religion

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Monica Gonzalez Religious Studies Professor: Matthew Bingley Women & Tradition Throughout the history of religion, women always carried some kind of role in the tradition of that religion, whether restrictive or liberal. In many of the religions practiced today, women had somewhat of a restricted role, since many religions are seen still today as patriarchal. In monotheistic tradition, whether it be Judaism, Christianity, or Islamic, women were looked at as heroines in some cases, leaders in some scriptures, and intellectuals. However, women were also under restrictive rules, seen as inferior to men in these traditions, even when they are to be seen as equal to men. Before Jewish tradition though, when polytheistic religions were more…show more content…
In Jewish tradition, women were celebrated, glorified. According to Ellwood, women in Hebrew Scriptures, or the Old Testament, were seen as, “charismatic luminaries, heroines, intellectuals, devoted wives and daughters-in-law, and leaders.” Though there were many prominent figures in the Jewish tradition, such as Sarah, who was Abraham’s wife and gave birth to Isaac, and Moses’ mother and sister who saved Moses from the Hebrew male executions in Egypt, women still had many restrictions pressed upon them. Mainly, the role of the woman in Judaism was to be the wife and mother in the household while men created the rules and for them to follow. Fertility was the most important attribute of a woman to have, especially to bring sons to the family (Ellwood, 264). In the Book of Genesis, Abraham’s wife was blessed by the Lord to have a son when she has never bore a child before and when her and Abraham were too…show more content…
Around the time Jesus Christ rose from the dead, they were many great heroines in Christian scriptures, such as Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary. There were women who had followed Jesus, and these women were seen as significant figures in the movement. Many of them were seen as leaders in the movement of Christianity as well and there were some apostles, mentioned by Paul in the New Testament, who were women (Ellwood, 324). Christianity spanned accepted everyone, no matter their gender, their race, and their social status. However, scholars noted that there are many inconsistencies concerning this, seeing that though the Bible did say this, women were still treated as inferior to men, and that women were limited to the home. They still were seen as a means to produce children, more of an object for sexuality, and be silent while serving her husband (Ellwood 325). Some Christians even blamed women for “the sin of humanity that necessitated the death of the savior,” and they were referred to as “the devil’s gateway.” Celibacy soon became a choice of women because it soon became more holy than marrying someone (Ellwood 325). Because of these views of women, they became the popular blame for many problems, villages and towns were suspicious of women. This was seen in the Witch Trials of Salem, and these women were a woman who sinned or stepped out of their place t hat was put upon them. This could span from being too vocal,
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