Time and Life Cycle in Talmud and Midrash: Socio-Anthropological Perspectives (Judaism and Jewish Life)

Tllill IUOI LIn: ,yo r .. TIlUlIlllIUOI MmlUlSll SOCIO·ANTHilOPOLOGICAL . PBIlSPBCTIVBS

RuIIIII

Tim~

and Life Cyd~ in Talmud and Midrash

JUDAISM AND

JEWISH LI FE

Eehol....... -h i.toric.1 .nd non-denlop"",nt.!. N"Yerthel"", the "'S'" g"'" m",h weight to remembra",e, TIwy formro .Ie,,'i.h coll""ti,-e memory wh ic h;' mythological rather th.n hi.torical, Wh.t i... membered i. not .. actly ",h.t h.ppened in the real world. Chapter thr"" on I>rilh mi ..h i. on the drawing dmm of the pr< prepoc~ "'.. poib\e, '[he rabb" devi,..,.j • radical .urgical in1lOYation thai th,..."...! th" c""";ng of

tl>< community border. The rabbi.camouflagd tl>< change by . t1riootingpuiah to tl>< Torah commandemrnt. Chapt" four on value of pidyon "',.hon in • way t hot did not rep,... nt .n < Jeprived ,t.l"" of women .. refkct...J in th""" rit.., In • p.t ri.rch. 1 .nd pat,ilineal society . woman. onc~ marri<J. chongoo her f.t hd. lineage identity to her huob,u,J', . Her children belong " d u.i,,"ly to h" hu.hand·. lin..I," of birth< for girl •. P.radoxic.!ly• .he i, very . I",.ted during her wed ding .nd m.rri.ge proce";on. m.hup i. applied, ,h. i, Jre>5ed 'pecially• .dorned with j.,,'elry and carried in. p.lanquin along the bridal proce .. i"". All the", .r< not for her own .. h • • ince lhey ,ymbolize her f.ther·, lin ..ge .t.nding t hat usn the b,ide ... n icon. (The re.der will finJ in th i' chart" repetit ion. of ",me ide •• he ",.d .!",ady in chapt,,~, It i> due to the f.cl th.t they",.", origin.lly published .. ""parOled artid .. ). Chapter .i,"'On the >age, conception of body .nd >oul,· Jemon.trat .. tl>< conneclion bet",.. n social struclure .n d co.mology. In the ge neratio"" of the early T.nn.itic sehol .... "'. find t hot the rabbi. m.i nt. inecl a moni.tic view of tl>< body·soul relat ion,hip. After the turmoil and >ouI rel.tion,hip. They ",er< con.idered .. two differen, entitie~ Chapter "'Yen add ..", the ~u .. tion of how the ooundari .. bet",«n life . nd d.. th.r< reflected in the tre.tmenl of 'he dead body. According to t he rabbi' o,i.nt.tion d.ath i. determ inecl at tl>< moment of rhy>iologicol Jeath

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,ta,"""

.nd d)'ing i. nol . limin.1 . t. t•. 11>< category go"'" (d)'ing) .. me.ningful in ,phy>iologic.1 .nd nol .ociologi >< rw to blur the liminal .tage .nd tl>< . harp""" of tl>< tran.ition from life to death, tl>< prin<mic .ymbol> of opposed m .. nings of continuity and separation, Ch.pter eight on birkat a,'dim (The "81."ing of the ~!ourner» Ji>cu .... one of t he .ncient T.lmudic proctic .. of condolen« , ",h ich gmdually di..ppeareJ from jewish lif• . The Sag.. int rod=d bl."ing' fOf the mourn." .nd the d,inking of ten cup> of wine in the hou", of mourning du ring the mourn",,' me.l Th. P'P'" explain, th.t tl>< 1= of the custom> h.ppeneJ b.au~ el.borate mourni ng rit.. "'ith 'p on .och of t he d.y. of mourning. ' ''lui... . n .ppropriate >cial ",tting, Su< inter.. t .nd encourageme nt of D,. Simch. fi"'b.ne of Touro Colleg< .nd th.nk h im for hi ••uppo,t in producing th is book, U,. fi.hb.ne wa. the m.jor organizing force behi nd tl>< C.n.d.-I""l Conf...,n«. on the Soci.1 Sci.ntin, Study of judai.m, The .. conf.renc .. led to the production of. number of ",riou. p're" on the .ubjed, includi ng >om. of the materi.1 p",.. nted he"" I gmtefully " 'now!eJge the following publication. in which t h.. .... y. ,pre· reJ : Ch.pter one, "The Sociology .nd Anthropology of T.lmudic lexts," in: Avi Ra>'it zki and Avino.1m ROLnek (.ds. ). Halach •• nd M,lanaladra , An inlmj;>.rt Jlaum&>rl,n (ed .. ). >00... the lud .. n o.,,,,rt >croll •• the 1>00.. by Philo. the Go.pel •• the ",riling. of lewi.h . nd Gentile hi.torian>. .nd more, With in th is YO.t collection .. hoi" wish ing to re",,,ch • .poecific topic mu.t to.", out bit> of material and lay them .ide by .ide.•• in • jig.. w puzzle thereby fashioning. th.. i. th.t i. m .. nt to put some order into the", ....,rc..... it distinguish", bri"',,,n • • rly aDd late, identifies different ,·e ",jon •• and the lik•. n-.. .tudy of the soure .. with ..ientific toolo rais .. the qu • • tion of tho US< of methodological in.trument. th.t are inv., ive of the Rabbinic holilli< .nd aggadic liter.tu re, .nd ..,.,k '0 interpret text. "'ithout utilizing the internal h.lakhic .ppar.tu •. n-.. use of "tra-hal.khic tool, in textual re .. areh i. not new, for example ",hol= h.v•• pplied philolosical- hi.torical tool. to eHm i ne language, , .. "ion, .nd hi.torical background, The", .re po'iti"i.tic tool. used fo r an inquiry into the o"ert textual .trat um. Philolosical methodology .uggest> • c.utiou, approach to the " ,ure... hery SOUrce i•• u.poecl until 011 it. appiJu.. h,," ""en remm·ed. Ph ilology i. co ... >0)' it might repre"",!. £lieLer Samson Ro""nth.1 dir«teJ ph ilological-h i.torical interpretation "to the , .. "ion, the I.ngu.ge, . n d t he literar y and re.li.tic hi.to<J m .. nly by focr>b N.hum f.f"',m. s." s....m.n. 1..1_ 11>< ".J;n8 P"'I"""nI' of ,hi • •< SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

Th i. modem .ppro.. h beg.>n to change with Ihe , pre.d of the ro.tmodern perception tn.t b not .. t;'fi~ with th is approach, ",h ich relat .. to the question> of '",hat," .nd """'" to .n.",.. ~ution. of '",hy" and 'what for; allowing for. more inlerpreti,·. method Th i. appro'}ch ""' progre .. ively .c«pted by the ochobrly world, .nd i. expre .. eJ in lewi,), .tudi.. in uni,..,,,it i... nd oth...c.demic in.titution~' Thi. methodolEY incorromte> •• ynchronic appro>eh to tn. soureO<W 5on. fl;"" GoW",",o, .n< dilemma of how 10 conne< fac t> by mea n. of .,hame problem. It i. c urrent ly . (Cepled th., an,wers to Ihe >arne problem can be given from differe nl perspectives. " Consequently, jU< p."digm . on ",hich ,....,ch i. b.sed and Ihe met hodologi from. theorelia[ .Ir uclu" th., moy be v.lid.,.d or dism i.sed." IV• • [re. d y menlioned t hai fo r « ~ ""'n _ ZVi . ;>004, 6_7,

...,hod,

'''''Kx», ...

,ho, .

'old. ' ' OJ_ ""< r< t.. t>. Thi, devie< i. the th eory in the ... «.rcher·,

s... ,_!-. So_Y. 1'>%_ s." """" .... h. ,W;S; """"" ... 1971, """",wt, '''''''_ " "'..,..". ,'In;, """""""'y '''''''3 ,I>< rU>l " uJi,~ Th< 1011owing "" """,10" of "LWl." of It.bb;n i< Ii",.,"" th" ' mplor "",;,( " i<m.. ry of the link. betw,""n 'he c.tego"''' •• nd prm'ides t he frame within ",hich to ftt t he puzzle pifi: .. ,

Theory as a De"ice A critical r.. d ingof a text mu.t be both .ynchron ien'" th.t the tu' .. re.d in conn«!ion "'ith ne .. by ted. "" well •• in connection with text. with . imil.. ,ubi, A re.d ing i • • )nchronic •• 1", in the >en.. th.! .nth ropologic.l interpret.tio n comp.re. the phe""men. to . imil.. phenom~. in .imil.. ly .tructured cuiture. " .. n whe .. the .. i. no temror.t or geographic that influence the h.!akhah. The t rad itional commentary pre""n!> ch.ng< a, ""noni nnoYat i..; • shift . o r the d iscover), of the exi"ent in the ",urce .. " We mw;t now .n.".. r the met hodologic.! qU"Iion, what i. the ",ur« of the ",,,,...,he,, confidence that he indeed expl.un. ", h. t he pr .. umes to expl.in? In other woro., wh.t i. the ,..tidity of the explan.t ion, that is. are the ",Urce. collected by the re ... rcher .ctually consi.te nt "' i!h the theory!

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1>low, . n.l '" tOkly '" f", ""n",,",.,( r Ih«ondilion, of con,lrue( valid ily. According 10 C ronbac h and Meehl." "con.lrucl validily" i.the potenl i.l for uplanalion inh... nt in the lhe",lkol .true(u ... T hi' pol. nt ial u i.ts ",·hen the .mpirica l data thaI were collecled ·beh..·. . . .nticip"t.d by lhe th.oretical ,tmcture that lhey are .uf'll""al.of 0 re",arch, II>< "' .... rcher" invoh 'ement doe. m>lend with Ihe mal~rial before him. hi> inl'. rd igiou. worklvi ew., co>JTloiogie>, and oo" .. "", 1 b.oed on Claude Levi-Strau ..', .tructural p.radigm that point at the compo.itwnal power of a model, fmding. e~ be ordered and int .. pret.J by mean. of the modd. According to th is paradigm. the text'. meaning i. deri"ed from social .tructure, and the interpreter mu.t therefo .. find the modd mo.t proximate to the .truetu... The .bility to arrin at .uch • modd i> d'l"'ndent on the degree of identity bet"".n the r.... rcher'. t hought .tructu.. and the thought .trocture of the " .. to" of the text, or of it> ..ad'r> •• in« they all ore conditioned by th.t >arne .trocture. levi-Strau. . . rgu .. that t he .truetu..1 methodology prm'id... n "obje, , 'h; , _ _ ""'km ... ,hrorology "d', ·;J.,j into''''' main "",urn ".1 moo < SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

. nthrorological lnowl«lg< by .ugg«ting ,hat i" ",ure. i. not ""'W ," lity bu, I< hola, l~ .nific IlOO'M, a"rticl and h gm.nu of dern coU«tt.m ch.ng" .t . .. Ie f.. t« th.n th,t of the .ymbolk .pt.m. lh,t i •• ~,tz .....-u thai • Jimen.ion of J i.chronk anal)~i> mu.t b. indudeJ in diocu .. ing >ocirt. of the .true'ure ch.nge on. by one! Thil method'. primary t""j i. the mode~ or Weber', "iJeol t )'P"," by mean. of ",hich ,,'e compo>< • theoreticol ron,t ruc" ",h .... comronent •• r< t.k~n from with in the >ociolhi.torical re.lity, while the typ< it",lf i. not the octuol re.lit y, Mor~'.. r, the ideol typ noI d''''',,", ..proto< hi"_.J ""'""y, but '" ....J 'yp< 01. rommun;,y with ito "",oJ in""u''''''' Ik ron~'"'t«l ,h;. 'lP< frum 'h< «.J;'y, bu, 'h< rommu"it, d.p;< hi~_oJ «.Jrll- I, an, oo~·",. b< romp"".] to on,

",.1'..",....

rommunr')';" \1\, hi"_.J ".Jity. s.. .1", K,t.. '''''3.

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,Iw, 'PP, '971; "rth. ''In 'S_"'; koch, " "'" Tum.r. '%7_ E.g., """ph T''''''pt minority' and ""s ",t .I.ter age for both •• nd )'ft other sehol." gi,'e an early age for 0"'" >ex. All lhe .. ,iew •• re ,ub.tanli.lIy b.oed on Ihe .. me >oure ... A> j noted above. in t hi' orhde j will "'" ",t fort h the "ariou. opinion. and oourc ... whkh 1 p", .. nted.t length in my book.... but rather the sociologicol .nd . nlhropologicol p.ttern of m.rriage age. whic h I will u"" to explain the .ign ifica nce of the oource> ",lot ing to th i' question. I will do 00 by conneeting m.rri.ge .ge with the ,oeioeconomic and f.mily .truclure>, '" i•• ccepted in ,,'hich a 'pou", in . tfUetuml an.l)"i,." Thi' pattern .bo expI.in' the i. «juently. the .ge of marriage diff.", in varioWl social .tructur... The Biblical fam ily,,'" u.ually one of herder>. Of of independent former> or .h.recropper>. lhe f.mily in lhe s..ge" >ou re to '!7kultu,,1 d.y labore,." or " .... trociit ionol urb.n family. Bre.kdown by ",dal d ... m ight ex pl.in d iffe"nc.. in m.rri.g.. b~.g< .nd the age gap between bride .od groom, n... "mmet Iheory" of Ieetion i. a oociologicol th..,ry t hat .xpl.in, the way of choosing 0 'I"'u .. in a gi,'en society . nd lhe diff.renc .. in the 'g;n, , .. 7,

On '"" ronna' .... brt_n ,I>
< SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

worth, pr..t ige, a nd rower, and Ihe ..-omen, the alu .. of beauty, sexu.1 aUmcti,,,ne .. , .nd dome.ti< .kill •. These resourc .. cha ng< with .g~: Ihe man'•• ""'" incre... a. hi. economic , tanding becom.. more " tabli.oo,t ,,'hile th"", of the ",oman decreaoe .. .he becomes worn with 'geoo., due to Ihe inability of the form economy to .uf'lX"1. .11 the marri~ ",n' in the paren'. family. Sons .nd d.ughtm who did not inherit had to "'"" their parent. home once they bec.me .dult, .nd fin d their li,,,lihood .. w.ge earne" or .. craft.men in the city or ,;liage, Young reorle ","orkeJ until. relotively .d.. nc~.g< in order to .m"", the mea", to .. tabli>h • f.mily, The Iote marri.g< age re.u1teJ in, smoll number of tork.1 pt'fiod>. and sim ilarly in the Lond 0([".1.

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PART ONE. lot"""",, ....

Groom. coukl marry at the .ge of 18-20 (or older) "'ith. )'QUng girl, tw.lY< )'ur> old, who h.d "rucheJ puberty." Thi, p"U.rn could hOl'e exbted in • later rerioo.., well, in tbe L.nd of hra rermiUing. After the Creat re",sh Revolt (iO eE) .nd p«i.lly .fter the B.ar Kokhb. revolt (132-13' eEl. th. numbe" of independent farm." w.ned, wit h. corr .. ponding increa« in day-laborer farming f.milie>, or tho .. of urban labore" .nd craft.m.n. In th.. e families, the coupt. h.d to .tand on it. own «onomic.lly, without th. option of r.li.nce upon the p"renti m .. n., so Marriag .. were therefore po.tponeJ until the bride .nd groom were older. Som. men m.rrieJ .... n to".-ard. the age of thirt)" and women remained unm.rried eYirginit y, In romequ.nce, tho .. who were cap.>ble of doing 50 ,,'ould marry off their daugh .. " "dose to their reaching puberty: Marri.g.. at.n .:trlp ge were mordrequent in B.bylon ia. beeau« of the economic .tructure th.t f"i lit.teJ t he «;,ten« of hou«hoId> "'ith ext.nded famili .. th.t could aboorb )'o ung f.mili ... " The ""tu.1 .ge.t m.rriage differeJ between men and women, in oerordane< with cia... nd the rerioo of .. oond mino rity, in which her fat her rould betroth her "' ithout her con«nt," If her father had d ied, .nd her brother> or mother betrothed her. then ,he could refu .. ,uch. m.tch. Th. rerioo from birth to

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On ,I>< «onomK .i,"''''''' in ,I>< .. «n'un.~ >« "',.... , , .... , Ru",n, ',"" ~L_"j , n< ..JJ.,;.",.,d I"m' = In .he nn. Il< «..! ocl ,,~uired the girl and bet rotheJ her.'" Why d.... this gender di.linction exi.t! The difference betw.en the boy', po>ition .nd th.t of lhe girl apparently e n.ued from the f.ct that t he girl rem.in. dependent "..,n .. an .Ju II. She therefore i> P'" rceiveJ •• pa .. i",," anJ i. cap.ble onl), of. negati,.. :>ct, th.t of ",fu..1to Ihe p ropo...J m.tch ",hen ,he i. a minor," but not. po.itive me .. u", .uch •• accepting the betrothol." According to our .Iructurol .ppm.. h, this i, ~u ite unJe"tanJ.bk ,,'en if ohe ,",'ere to be t.ken in morriage while.n adult , ..... till would 001 be inJep"'nJe nt >ciallyanJ legolly, for.he would be .ub ... ,vient to her hu.bond (a> ",e ohall .. e below, concern ing t he .Iotu. of the ""amh) .nd could not determine her fate. COJU con .. nt,

Thr Statu, ()f N"h...,h" l he .tructur.ll .pproach ""e h,a,.. .., forlh enoble. y, to clorify on .ddition.! qu",tion for whkh ",holOfly ",..arch h •• )'el to provide 0 . . ti,factory on.",er, Why wa, the 'r«ial ,t.tu. of naa,oh fa period of .ix month. from the age of t",ek . ),,,a,, and one Ja),), betw.en "minor anJ ....J ult," ",t.bli>hed for girl., but not fo, bo)"'?'" I ""ill add. ,ymbolic interp",tation to a , jmcl ural .pproach.

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s..obh;n U , S\>c; RJ Y"....< _ BT s..nt.< kgol d;,';",b"" bd w", n • trl. ..... " (k mok m;no< ,J ..I of ,I>< Robb;"" ,hI< ;n ,I>< Land of tuxt mol i" Roby_ km" "", fu< tl>< f,olK, ""I . ...,,;00>1)'. tl>< " 'p"bil"y of '"P'''' '~ ng t1o< cOO.. "I" w,1!ud, " "" Ml",I, mol "'l!,d mOHr'" J'O'll'B "S' {...... d< _1ii+i ",,,a.,,". \,,,,,,", A. < SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

The", puz.zling >ourr.. , 04'0 romantic n.'u .... att ..t to th~ po.. ibility of the f re< cooice of. 'pouse, ,. ithout .up'rvi.ion .nd without n""ding the """ice. of • m.tchm""r. Thi. event w.. in contra.t to the normati", world "fthe R.bbi •• "'00 in.i>tro on ><J"'rntion between the sexes .nd on m.rri.ge. ammgro by .n intermroiory. M.ny ",hoi"" rai~ v"""us hypothesn, which we connot expand upon he,~.". I im.gine th.t the R.bbi> ... lated to the>. cd~bration ••• • «,emen iai r"Pre",nt.tion. which ..btro that "onee." in the di.t."t past, men came to choo.e wi,.... If . uch donee f.. hvai. occurred, the)' We he, l>eing .. len, fo, rhe i, not l>et,,,,h«i withou, l>e, f"h1< t he long -duration anaiyticol method of Br.udef' to diocu" the ch.nge thai took pu« in lhe method. of e([..:ting "trothai, from the 1. gihmacy of hetrothal by e ng.ging in >< of money for th is purpo~. The Imn betroth. the wif. in th< "urin ceremony. Th. h. L:,u, ic

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>« ,1>< "k""'" 01,>< ........: ""I>n, )""': 1:01 "'" paourn. d i>cu .. th ree mode. of eff.di ng betroth ol: ><xuol rel.ti"n~ • writ, and mOlley," The queotiOIl th. t ari.., •• fte ra .tudy of the :IOU" es i. whether the .. • re th"", .ltem.tive method. th.t were in practice in different time>, '" different .itu.t ion~ or were th ... th "",method. employed contem"",. neouoJy "ver the cou= "f. cert.in pt'riod, .nd at some ""int in time the monetory p.yme nt g.ined exciu,ivityf' >ociologico.l logic would dict.te th.t if there ",'ere three betroth.1method., there would 01", h".. be.,n th ree com"""nding d i,'e"" sociol .)'.tem., If not. only •• ingle m.thod ",,,uld ha,.. ,ufficed, just ... there i. only a'ingle method fo r divorc<JUrc .. ind icate th.t they did not think of the .. three betrothal method ••• • Item.t .. t h.t were in pmctice at the .. me time:' W. m.y ""50nobly ... ume that eoch method corresponded to • different .y>tem of "",i.1 organizat ion. Thi> con be unde"tood if we ex.mine • long-term h i.torical pro« ... II<xual relation. h •• meani ng in .n .griculturol "",iety, t hat i> booed on line.ge .nd the extended f.mily. with each .uch unit being a cor""r>tion wit h political .nd «onomic in!ere.ts. Th. coupli, St ret urn the hride-pric., or to gil'e in exorne other wman from hi> f.mily,~ Within .uch • socia! .trLKhlre, di»greements .re settled within the frame",,,,k of the line'ge, in the pre>< SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

In tmditioml >ci.t~. th.t ... not com~ of ind'1'mdent farme" or herd .... but of urb>n d,..el1.", sh ... crop!"' ....gricultural 1.00,..,,,. and .rti...... m.rriage con abo he an agreement between indi" idu.I •• and not only between lineag... M.rriage agrNmenu, howe,..,r•• re w;ually d","n up he'", .. n t he couple'. parent.. 0, between cu.""liaru. In the~ >cietin, .mong famili.. that ar~ not ext.nded corporativ< bmili ... an :>a no mor~ than . tffhn ic.l.ymbohc m~.n>, Nonethele... mon.tuy het, oIh.l, lih hetmt h.1with . "',it. r~u i,~. wit""... , to con fi,m t he .ct on the p ublic'. hehalf, .ince hetrot hal i. not • ""Iely pri"ate matter; it ;. of great in«re.t to the public, which dem.nd • • upervision in this .. alm, 'Ibi. ovmight is nff~""y, for example, to prevent inc.,t uou •• nd other forb idden unions, ""d o!h~r negati,'e phenomena. The witn....", who r<pr... nt the public, gi'''' the h:.Jilli< .nd ethical .anction to marriage. A wom.n m.y he betrothed with mon~ or. w,i t by .n ' g""t and wit ....... , without the groom heing present. Among the th ird generation ofSab)'lon i.n AmOT.im W~ fi nd the view that, at times, the p, octke or publi< opinion 0.. th. witnes",. th.t an . better to d ",ell a. t",o th.n to dwell '" 0 widow:'" Following thi>. >orne I{j,j,OIIim ImeJieval Jewish .uthorit"") ruleJ that cLl>tom c.n ""rY< ... "itn .... fo r ",.mpl., in a place ",here the c u,tom Wll> to ",nd , i,umot (pre",n!» to the bride, and tho man ", nt her the.. gift., it i. pr .. umed thot there Wll> on oct of betroth.l. for "we bear witne th.t h. betrothed her," thr.., mod .. of betroth. l therefore corrpond to th .... diffe "nt form, of >ci.1 org.nizalion. Th. indWlion of. new mode dOKau .. of it. flexibility. A> time !"'ogr....d. betrothal by ",xu,1 int.reour.. "'"' prohibited. .nd cam. to be regardeJ as. li«ntioWl oct." it mighl >«m par.d",ic.1 Ih.t betroth.! by ",x""l inlereour'" wu legitim ized 'peoe;'ty in which the coupl. wer. under o .trict ,urervi>ory .y.t.m th.t d id not allow for the free choic< of oni. 'pou.." It .hould be understood. ho"""er, t hat .ffecti," .up d id nol work ou!>ide the homo; and in.n urbon roc;.ty. only in "decent" re.id.ntial quarter>, for only the ",e.lthy cu k! im!",i>on their daughter> al home, In sm.lI f""" •• in conlrut, women h.d to do their .h.", of work in the hou> couklllOl be completo. A ca>< .uch., "but if the man com .. "pon the betrolheJ girl in the field'" ",1.teJ to t he ~'''-)'day ",alit)', .i n« women worked in lhe field" SI""ping in the field, .. in the c."" of Ruth .nd 110..." could not b. pre .. nteJ, which .. plain. the at mosphere in lhe Song of Songs." In lhe po>l -Biblicol agricultural >< SocioIor;r on.! Andu"' .... fofT.......... T""

,,'.y

therdo r~

come.., no ,urpri> >on, and daught.". Thu" d.ught"" could be .upervi>ide the home in the urban middle d .. ", em'ironment, in ",h ich ",omen did not work out>ide t he hom., and .mong the doughter> of the rich, ",hether in the cityor in t he village, In, however, a rural environment in wh ic h women ",ork~ out>ide the home •• uch ,upervi,ion w.. not "'y, The Amorum .ttempt~ to inaHdate ,",xu.l-r,".t ion. betrothal. and tl>i"" . but it .. em, from the n.rr.tive. in the T.lmud that aU.,t to complaint> by hu.bond. th.t tl>< thwry of f.mily , t rueture en.bleJ u. to qu .. tion. tho"" at tim .. ev.ded ",hoI.,,,, Why w .. 'he category of "naarah" . ddeJ. but not the corre'ronding m.1e ""aar? Why wao • m.tehm.k.ing 'pp"ratu, put into oper.tion. with f"", choice not pying •• ingle thw.-y .trengthen. the 'con,truet val idity· of the explan.tion, In this I'ie,"' theory and ",al ity h'l'e. redprocal rel.tion feeding back into one .nother to g.ner ... underst.nding,

m

PilAT Twll

TIME

CHAPTn

2. THE CLOTHING OF THE PRIMORDIAL ADAM AS A SnlBOl OF APOCALYPTIC TIME IN THE MIDRASHIC SOURCES

Th~ Perc~plion of Time in t h~ Bib le and

in the Rabbinic Sources One rebt .. to exi,t.nlio! rulity thrugh the .,n>e. th,t on" , cu lture .uppli ... ' Th. culture of .. ch ""'kty. in turn. indude< t he w.y it relat .. to tim •• nd. u. result. to hi.tory.' Time as a phy.icol qua ntit y ",ould 'pre"' to be a n.utral concept. but it. m ••• uremen' i. arbitra ry. Ti me i. « rta inly not neutral in .ny cu ltuTO. It ... um .. various qu .liti... depending on the .ymbolic m .. ning that Ptoriogr.phy in the Bible. but not hi. tory for ito own .......·Th. Bibl. pre",nt. a view of Divine Providence in hi.tory. 0" '0, Uok i>« DOugW ("'J).

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in t h.m 0 collecli," m.mory, which lran.mil> o.ingl. incont.. l.ble m....g •. The rabbinic lilemtu .. i. differenl from lh. Bible in t h.t, ",hil. il do offer >orne ,,'idenee of hi,loric.1 " .. nt. (... lle .. d legend. in t he l:"lmud .nd Midra.h, SM< Tonh on M,"m' ,"" ai, I.. "tum '"""",, uf Am.okk. ,o. w, 01. .\\in..m, I.. s..bb.J.h, . nd to. ""r «. f", , ... mpi< OOOl, ~', u""' r

(19", 1to) ,

a..p." ,. Th< """",do.! AJ.m .. .

Symbol of Apxaln"" T,.., •.

It i. not h ;"tory, ••• hi>torian ",con.truc!> it, th.t sh'p h i.tor y. th e historical .tory d Ol",lo!" in • prog", .. ive mu •• l line from post to future. eyen t hough indi"idu.1 < righteou, ne.." I), . n op of t he commun ity can understand, Th. Import.n« of the p< roIlm< from Il.olbwoy ,I>< p< pi"'''''. A m"", 1). A th,nlo!,!,"""", .. "",JonS 10 whom boOh «. "' of the rilu.l lhat ili'r< .nd tron.m il the memory. Th. change in Ih.lrealm.nt of time from Ih. vi.w oflhe biblical lilerolure .nd Ih.1 of the r.bbinic lil ... lure "'M .I .. n.ilion from. colhti ... hi.loric.] memory 10 acoll«li ... ohi.loric.] memory. 1'he rociet y', boun d.ri.. corr.. pond 10 lh. ch.ng. in life ex""riencr of indh'iciual and .odely. Acociety the obligation. of individu.l. to the .odely i. ,,oci.ty 0\1" individu.l • .,e al", minim.1. Thi. i, cha,.cteri.tic of modern democratic .odely, for ex.mpl •. The mo.t prominent f.cto, in .uch •• oci.1 .tructUr< i, the aulonomy of the in dividual. Th. indi"idu.]', ",I!hood d .... not derend upon the community. and hi. min d i. fre •. Ther< are no forbidden thought. in thi' "",iety. The next i. the ob.dienl >ociet y. in wh ich the o bligalion. of the m.mb." toward t he oociety'. imtit ution •• rr w.. k, ""hil. the ,urervi.ion by lhe imtitution. of the ",d.ty', m.mb." i. m."im.1. Thi. i, char.cteri.tic of f.ud. l >ociety, fo, eump!.. in th.t individual. in .uch • ",ciety ore powerl. . . . nd d.f.n..,l..... in the f.ce of tho .. with power. Th. third i. lhe h ierarchic.l ,ociely, in "h ich the oblig.tiom of the Individual. to lhe .oci.ty arr con,icierable, and lhe .od.ty'. direction and control o,-er it. memb." i. maximal. The individu.1 know, hi, or her ploe< in the group, a pl." ,ubject to elite who .. authority;' exougIo> ('97>; 1911" (t"2,

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ratioo exi.t. bet""en the ind ividual ",If and the rolledi"., in the other thru tyre' the individu.l is subordinale 10 the colht i"". The wmmunity i. the source of .uthorily .nd rewards, 'me priv.te opinion> of indi> idu.I •• re liable to ' prear as .eriou. violat ion. and a. potential he retical. Such heret ical thought , jf it becomes public, co n bring about punishment, or. • yen when private, can re,ult in . 1"", of re",aH)' in the world to Come ("one who den i.. Ihe reviv.1 of t he dead h., no plac< in the world to come")." In a hierarchic.1 societ y or a fr.ctio nal society, the ",If-identity of th e re"on .Iem. only from hi. or her being part of. society character ized by of the Tomh, .nd after,,'ard. their interpret.tion by t he Sag... h.red. society wilh dear c.t.gori .. of beh"'ior. II .upplied it> membe" with . uniform worldvie ... . nd behavior p.attern" After the 10.. of political indef'< ndence, the S.ge., through their 'pirit u.l.uthority, .till had th e po .... r 10 world," A poIl itiY< appred.tion of life in this world. with a concom it.nt dear .y.tem of pre
Cl., .... m.mroJ< offK ... ofBibiK.l ""' .... y, >« KnOOI An . ,,,",,,, M;ohnili in >:iJd.u,i. " " ,~ " If. ""n p'Orm. """ >ingk
Url>o< lulob" (A"'khdl. J.._1< wOOd tho, ~ ootal~· soo.!-' TI>< roochWon of 'h< Tolm ud " ,ho, .,1>_.

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beh.vior." Thi. . .bins Ih, ..i.l,n« of Midrashim .rguing Ih.1 Ihe Palri.rch., .nd ,,'en the . nleJiluvi.n. orue",eJ .lIlhe 'lorah. Sh,m, .on of Noah, Ihm .I".dy h.d.n academy called "Iho lIelh Midr",h ("ho we of .Iudy) of Shorn .nd Eb","" 'l'h. Sage> Ihu •• nnulled all hi.tor ic.1 d"",loprn.nt, bee.u", the Torah "'. . . vulobl. to .11 eyen before ib promulg.tion .t Sin.i. Th.1 thought p."ern h., operated throughout I,,,, i.h hi.tory ever .ince, hen gre.t tragedi .. ",ere un.ble to ch.nge thi> thought p.ttern. h"ything has become. function of Goo'. gr'ce, ,,'en the mo.t terrible ,,,,nb. No room exi,b, therefore, fo r polilic.1 or .ny other interpret.tion,

Clothing as

R,p"5tnt Jtiy~ of a

Perceplion

ofTim~

In this eo.mologic.1fr.mewor'.f< t,,'o b.. ic ax"" in tim •• nd 'p.ce: a ,,,,rtic.1 .. i. t hat ronn of t he oIh" >< pri.. l. and the reot of Ii>< n.tion 01>0 t.ke "i.ible form in the di.tinct i,', garm.nt. of t he former, Cloth ing Ihu. serve to pr"'fI'e the boundari... mong per>on. of d iff"enl .I.tu... ,

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11_11), s... oJ", ""oIw (191S) , c.. ..,', ""IW}, 610,"_ 1'h< !'onf.. "", .to., """,,,',J ,J-.< of st.'rn • ...3 E",,On ' "' , .hu ,01 • ...3 oori.d "lI",t","", of doIh'ns, ... ' Krod>," .nd Ihe pri.,l. had 10 dofflhem befo .. le .. ing Ihere, Thi. clothing u>umeJ 'pedal .ttributes of it> o"'n, independe nt of it> ",-.arer, Wearing ",gal dolhing .dd •• ulhoril)" .nd • dim.n.ion of Ihe ",gal" l he Bibk .100 'Ir~ lhe tra",fer of Aaron"l""ietly g. rmerrn, 10 h i. >On Eka...,-," Th. ", are also garment> unique 10 propheu, .uch •• s"mue!'•• pecial co.t"

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A. in, . ""'pping "",,><mun, 1%2, T K. ' ,'7, f' ..... >« Huon I '%1, , .... ) Thi. i. "p«;al~ ' rue of,h, gonnm' of, .. king (·Wh iCh 'h, king """,' _Ulh &I) ~-t."h 1> ;mpo<w"" .nd 1""'''. Nurn 1"'''_13. , s.m ,,,,7, ,",t to b< mimculo", e .. en in EIi.hi. h.nd •. In Ih. Mid,.,hic ,",orld of the Sage u. group, Thi. g.>rment thu •• ct. in both tem""ral .nd .pat ial dimen.ion •. It conn«!> p.. t .nd future, '" repre .. nting O5OCiety ",hooe world" iew i. limin.1. one which ;, betw .. n two world., .nd whose co>moiogy relal .... tory that one Con only decode by unde"ting th.t it ..",till.. the Iimin.1 , itu.lion, with the g.>rment ... n "pre.. ion of th;, view. 10 b< the exclu.ive In the world of tlie s"S"" this holy g.>rment prop< ,,,.,," oll",,,,.,, ' "'n, ,., II" by ,,,"kl (,. ' " "_ i, h,,.,,... """",,, of,", lr.n~'ional !!'''''" .... brt..-an ,I>< T""",,"m and th< Amori'm , 001 " " mo< rukJ ou'" (Ex, HN "I ud '"' ",,'" "'" ... ,«1 '" rn'gorically. , h"rould no< h,Y< ""'" .. Od, Th', ,,,,,,,," u, .h .. ,I>< holy on< ",ok, ul P")'''''. Th" " ... ",,", ul K. Yoh."." imph" ,hot ., not 'my P'"'''''' who pn)"'d "'''ppN h'm"Lf, Out only 'M ,"" "'. ,;.., .I", on hlu-l"h ( m). T 1', 2,," (ul> tl>< ministering angel., II'MI i, the "a!On ~ (II i• .. lhe .."",)'With two (.. ing'l) h. co'~red hi. flOC. and with two hi> 1,< "P""')'" to. . group of p«>f'k ... ho "od)' ,he Tonh, d. KDIod1< j,. ,.;1 d,,,!! rum hOm ""' of,",,,: R,g< ,... Jo,;"" 1''''''''''''"' """'" tho ....oJ of "'" ~."" i, ;u- 'k. Thm, too. «plain>' in ~m'Io,!abboth N. Y.h ..,jott "" 1I..:i woulJ ,ok .lw.in of"'" ""I< ~uuhl ""do M. fo« , hooJ. ond f«', aIkr _ ... """"" ""'I' h,mod( in • fring«! robe, mJ ..... "mbW on Io ,Iou..n",t, ' 7b, "k .. r..- 'PMot

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I.nding before God Vier. nol un"'lu ivocoJ." Thu. B'J' 5Mbrul lOa read" Ra,~

bar Ray Huna put on "oding> and pra)'. J. ..)ing, -rr.F''' to m«1 yror God, 0 Im.r M (Amo.! 4:11), Rava "mm...! hi> cloak. (lasred hi. hand> and pra)'«I. sa)'ing: -Thi> i, IiIOrlanc•• reJucing o"" .. lf to the leY.1 of ...Ia",. Thi. humbling pootu,., howe"er. i> balanc«l by the d . m.nt of intimacy projected by the ",earing of ",.,)'day cloth ... Th. ot h., f>O"ib ility .tr<Me! th. id •• of the cloth ing ... barri., bet ween the human being and God, In this in.t.nce. the g.,menl of pmyer mu.t be • do .. ly ,uper"i.. J. en'UTing th.t e"ery . 'f>«t of hum.n corf>Oreolity, pMticubrly tho •• osp"ct> of. ",mo.l n.ture. rem.in conc..I«I.

Clot hing as Connecting Ihe Pasllo the FUTUre Up to now, discu .. ion ha. center.d uf>On the ".rtical Jimenoion. th.1 d olhing .ignin.s. Aloo important. ho"e"." i. the horizont.l d imen.ion that the holy garment .ign in ... According to the th .. i., one who w..... holy garm.nt> in Ih. world of the Sag• • doe< not thereby me",ly conneh.n ("omi1i"") It. Yud.n (fi r" half ofth. fourth cenluryC~:) .ummarized

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II,,,,, u.. "" .. on. n"mb",o( pl..... "" It..roIor wh;t" ""i: " ',,","til di.m"",oIlr "I'f""'I< ,.,... in O:..l """"d. A "m;l.,dif! In •• hort ",nt,nce: "If. pr ment p.",eJ in an ind irect line . nd with vario"" ch.ng.. th rough time, Whe n the M... i.h com .. he ,,;11 be we. ring •• imil.r garment." Agg.dic t"t. describe the g.rment of Ad.m not ... function.1 garme nt , but ... mj1hic.1on •. Ae< 1""""' .,( 1, .... t." s.. .loo, K,...... ( ' ''''' ,111 : 111), "ho .t .,,~ "1"" "''''';''8 of(h .. ""Y t.. ,ho( ' "" pruph" Kkn,;t" d him .. lf .... th o3l.,(I".. l" I, ..... 1him exh ibit onl)'. f.w .1Iu,ion. 10 this idea. The .. indud. jeru •• lem T.'!:urn 10 C.n 48:21, 'egarding I.cob'. bl."ing to jO>'ph, th.t ",.d,

_'.r>,

"I h... gi,'.n you.n aJditionaI porlion 01''' )'OU' brother~ which 1 too. from tll< Emorit" ~' ith my ,word.nd bow,""1 hi,.. given )'OU an additio,..! portion ",.. ,)'OOr broth",": the garm tborn a nd the g.rment of the p,imordial Adam,'" While it i. ro",ibl. th.t R. y,hu d.h kn.w the t,.dition. th.t Ad.m'. garment ",.ched ),,00, this text < garmen' which ,n. holy 0"", Ill.... d be he, mad. for AJ.m." hi. ~if. ~'., wi,h ,hem in the Ar~ .oo ~'hon of Noah took it . 00 beq",,,,hed it to Nimrod, ... wh.n h< woukl w...- it :Ill th< nd ,"'iid .nim:ll • .00 ill to. bird. would .nd f:lll down befor. him, thinking that ,hi. w.. l>< ucfif.... un,il 'h, t,ib< of Levi th< fi"tborn of,he World..oo ",-hen h. off."" h;, ..,fif... , (.,,1 h, PU' on th< g"""nl0,....l nn. "'-... J< ohOllkl tl>< .. garm.o t ~"lS it ,Ut." · R ond I>< 1>1. .... him.-

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Whil. no .i ngl. texl explicitly oay "" the l ... dition .. em. 10 haw I><en th.t lh. holy &-Ir menl went fr om )"ob 10 loseph, 10 the Iomdit.. ",ho left I'-Sypl, ood " .. nluoUy 10 II>< pri .. l. of Ih. lribe of Levi." Finally on ••• l., wh.l h'pp"'neJ 10 th.l r<morb ble sarmenl! V..ill. d~­ R.. K.h.n. , d""c~. from tho , ..".., in h.i.h 61: 10 ("A •• groom put> on • di.1d.m"), lh.l God "'ill d" .. lh. M~.. i.h in lh. garm.nl ",hich

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1"",,"_ Grn.,;.(""bo~« 'h" '0. J;KItWoo in ~. llo '9._b. On • ~ rn .,", dncr;pt .... ol (t.. f"'~ng ol . n unJ"",",..!;"!! of inl,-' .. I><m"bIt, 00l "nIJ"I! (I>< hoty &"""'" to 1!.h<m_.hrough whom " .... p.....t on to.t.. ['riot>. s.< 01", 1Wh< M... i.lh, "BI« tl>< hour in which ,h. M.. ,i.oh ".as c,",,,«1 .. , b. 10·1; I, which .. y. of God, ·You .re doth.d in honor and maj.. ty,· Th. Mid,.. h ,urmi,., from thi' th.t the M,.. iah', doth ing wiU com. from God', wardrobe colleclion,"

Conclusion; The Apocalyptic Garm.nt O n. might.,k .t th i' point, ifth. ro" of th. mythic garm,nt i. to annul th. the di.tinction bet w.. n I"',t .nd fu t ure tim., why do Mid,..hic text> not not. tMt the .. m. garm,nt th:tt pa .. eJ th rough th, g,neration. throughout hi.tory wi" belong to the M, .. iah! It would app"or th.t the .nlW" to this relat" to the .p«iol di. lectic of the mythic gorm,nt. O n the on. hond, it i. th, >am. garm.nt t h.t bridges oil of th. g.n,,.tion,, wh ich by it, ,'ery ex i.t.ne. deni.. ch.ng•. O n th. ot h« h.nd, th, Midr.,h im do n ot .top.t .0 .impl •• >i<w, but rel.t" th. garm,nt'. ,'ariou •• dv.ntu re,. It Ihu, com" to th. "'il Nimrod on. in.n un"rupulou, f.. h ion, from him. E.au ,t.. l. it. onl)" to Joo.. it through the ""trkury' of Jacob .nd hi> mothe" R.l>< .torting pooint ,.... Ad.m, Theend thuo rel.l .. to thebeginning: the r itu.1 purily of the .\!e.. iah'. garment corre<ponJ. to that of Ad.m',.

PIIRlT THA[[

BIRTH AND l'I lARRIAGE

A STUDY OF CHANGE IN CUSTOM

CHAPTn 3. BRIT MILAH:

In traddion.J jewi.h > d.termine the .ffLli,tion of m.1eo to the congregation of brad, birth to • j.wi.h mother. and cirrumci,ion. ,,·h ich i. a Torah oblig.t ion.' The .. set perm.nent and unoquivoc.J bounm 10 lhe memher>hip r,roup of thej.wish per~. A m.le ",ho w •• not born to a je,,·i.h mother m.y jin lewi'" oo he i. "like, ne",born child;' ,,·hich meon. lit ..ally th.t he i. to he reganleJ .. on. ",ho w.. born • jew.' A male who w•• born to .I.wish mother but w.. not ,ircumci..J. whether hee.u .. of circum.t.ne.. beyond conlrol (.",h .. iUne... or other condition. tho< pre· "enteJ h i. cirrumci.ioo) or,... r.. ult of deliberate p,rent.J choic • . i. con· .id.reJ jewi.h but i. precludeJ from observing a ."",U numher of comm,nd· ment .. ' Th i•• ymbolically plo.c .. him in • marginal poo the lot of on< ",ho w.., bom circumc i..J (i.e. without. formin). in which case the hal.khic question i. whether he i. to he rq;arded "".n arrl (uncirrumci>ed) •• inee the forerun lorJah) " ... not

"'I'P""""

' rb" "",ooch "'.. by.h< 50 th.t ,,'ery male can Ioc.te him .. lf ""it hin the boundari .. of th... norm •. 11>< qu .. tion f.cing u. in thi ..... y ;, ho"" 'he To!rn udk "'ge> related to a ",ashukh. a man ""ho rnY'ically di.gui... hi. drcumci';"".' 11>< practice of mrsh ikhal Dr/ail-t he dra"-i ng dow n of the fore.ki n (in Engli.h, decircumd.ion or epi>p..m)-w"" knov,," be\,,-.. n the o«ond century BCE .nd the .«ond century CE. By .Iretching " .. tigi.l r the p roc(16), I, IT Y,nmO< &6. 7J, " T Y-.mol ..... b. >ioo no longer a f"".ible undert.king fo r Hellenizing Je",',' and the "'rom of p rnent-day fore.kin ,esto",,, .uWOrt the infe"nce th.t the Rabbi. h.W:hic intervention effecti,'ely "'rv~ their 1,..,..]. After a .-.d ical cirrumci.ion that remove> the maximum outer run . nd roll. back completely the inner membrane. the .tretching of a .ufficient amount of ski n from the .h.ft of the penis to cre.te a """do-fore>kin would take )'' '''. occoruing to r'1"'rts from for.. kin , ..tor.t ion groups •• nd the n.w covering might not "main in place without conti nued .t, o. •• mong theleruh commun ity. Ja""n the H igh Vriest turned Jeru.olem into. Gre.k /,hment of a gymna.ium in wh ich youth. oppea",d nud•. The cirrumci>«i who wi.hed to particirat. in the g.me> and were •• hamed of th. ir circumci,ion. drew do",'n

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( , j%~ IhLIpIlbCom .nd deri,ion. ]-'or e"mple. ..",ra! generatiom I.ter. M"t.ili. (4O-JO-I eE) ridiculed jewish cirrumci.ion in genera~" .nd in p.rticul .. th.t . th lele who.., reni•• he.th !fibula) fell when he"-,,, on the .port.groWld. reve.ling to ,he .urpri.. of hi> companion. hi. circumci.ion. Even ,hi• • ,hlet" c ~ frienJ. ,,'ho hathed with him in the nude did not ~"'" th.t he was ci rcumci..ro. bec.~ he con,t.ntly ,,-ore the penis ,he.th th.t ",•• .lIes...! '0 protect a man', yok. by .hieWing h im from .. mol cont.ct." Th i. epiooJe pI.inly re,...I. how .mha",.. 'i ng it w•• lo be circumcioed. to the exten"h.1 .uch • f.ct w.. con«01...! ",'en from those do ... t to the .,hlet., " In Ih. "'~ of the H•• moo .. n rebellion .gain>! Antioch ... Epiph.",,~ the mon=h impO'«l dec~ .gain.1 the inh.bit""t> of Jude. ODd. ""cord ing to J=phw,"put P",""UR upon Ih. I..... to violate lhe cod. of thrir country by leaving their infant> uncircumci..J and sacri f,cing ."'i.... upon ,he oItar,· " An)'one Ir.II>gr=iog the", decr... ,"'as pun ish...!. and)ruephu> even claimed that "they put to de.th the ,,"omen ,,-ho had circumci>eJ thrir child",n. hanging the """"oorn babies around their nerh; and Ihey also pul to de.th their famili.. '" well ., those who had circumcised thelfL'" Remark.obly. we 00 oot hear of i",t.nc .. of the dr.wing do,,-n of the f"",illn ... r"u1t of the .. decIffS again ' t circumci.ion but only of ... imilationi.t> ,"'ho did '" of their ",",'n volition poor 10 the anti·circumci.ion «lie!>." lllU.~ Ihe author of the book of /UM.,.". composed during the e.,ly H•• m""""" period. p..Jict. God. ",...th upon 'he fe..-. bec.u.. >Om< h.1'< refused to ci rcurnci>e their >OIl~ .dding: "they have mad. them ..h·.. Ii... t i>< G. ntile
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' . Win",,"u«. in I. It . Chub"""h l..il. 110< O/d T"o.mm' P> th.1 il wa. ,,-.U known in the cullur,,) contexl of the audience, No .. planation w'" ".."JeJ, fo.- e..m,.e. Ihe II.1bykxlian T.lmud, reporling Ihe .Iocy of on individuol who hod inlercour>< wilh Ihe daughl forMn "'.. drawn dov.TI. " Voriow midmshim menlion rrork who .... held in low r<prd by II-.< Rabbi" Ihe drawing OO;,TI of Ihe foreskin i> mentioneJ among lheir negalh-. . tt,i bule>, and lhe reoder, comprel-.ion Wll> I>ken fo< granteJ. R. judan b. M""l"'rl' (. ><eond-!;eJ? ul him 001 ..... to ",mo,'elh< maoo of ciITumci.ion.''' The """ ",urce m.y oIlud. to dedITumd.ion .mong ju.t .uch con,·... " 10 Chri.lianily. R. Eleu.r h.- Mod'i pronou nc.. in II-.< Mi.hnoh: "He who profane> Ih•• oc",d Ihing... nd he who despi"'" the festiv.l., and I-.< who ,h.rnes hi> fellow in public, .nd he who viol.le. lhe cO\'en.nl of ou, falher Abr.Mm (""ace be upon him ). and I-.< who inte rpret> Ihe Touh nol .ccording 10 II-.< h.l.khoh I... J h. h •• no portion in Ihe ,,'orld-Io-come."" ·Vio).,l.. Ih. cO\-.n. nl of ou r fall-.< fomLn of ,I>< .....Ud olk, ,,,,", Jnlh. '" Ih"lh< On< ~. ,", dr;nk, ,-"",,10 "" ... , rl>< On< wOO ,I>< S. ..... rh. and ,Iu: On< "raWn Jo~-. .

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PART n.REF., "uth .00 M,,"~

h.-Moo.i'. dictum •• d ir the ,ucce"ful applicanl. ",e", immediately ide ntifi.bI. •• jew. be< of circumcision. They (herefore had • powerful ineent i,.. to .ngage in d«irc umd.ion (0 pre",rv< (I>< one "violating the covenant" in the oourc .. i. joined together wit h t he on. ·who prof.n., the .. cWv po«I, Itludah aIo""exempled th~m, but the text >«'III' to imply th.t wer~ it not for the deat h pen.lty he too would ha", ' «lu i,..!. ",,,,hukh to unde.,;o. !ion but had not .-.qui.-.J t h< phyUc'! , eve.-..I of ci,cumc;,ion, Po"ibly th< .t.tem~nt "11wy .>aid, Many unde' .... nt ci rrumd.ion i nth. tim. of BM KOR.'., had chi Wren, .nd d id not die" t< .... , 'l'h"" wm many J .. ~· n down on,un'" ,"" , )T ,'"om'" "", M

BT y.,..""", 72L

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PART n'REF.. "uth .00 M,,"~

or "r~mm..'" The ma,hukhim might h.ve been in cluded in this group, but the Amoraim do ""t relat. to thi> T,um.i.i< midr.m, perhap> bec.... t bey rejeded the id ••• ho •• 00.. ",ho hod coo..n decircumci>ion de•• !o be regarded •• peopl. "in ",hom lbe commandmenl of circumci.ion ,..•• fulfi lled, .wn f.,.-. momenl~ Aillhe ",mc..... ,';e,,·eJ above ... ume lhal lhe dr.",ing do",,, of the for..kin to di.gui« circumci,ion i.'echnk.uy f'OIIsibie. lndeM, lhe 1'on"",'ic midra>h j u.t ciled con.ide", "ponlont'OuHN:,,,,ering of lhe glaru 10 be po .. ible. The" are olher "hoe> ofillat view. For example, in Ih. Amoroic disc"""'n in Ih. Voolini.n T.lmud. ".., fmd "Eilher h. d ... ,,· down hi> f""''''in. or il ,..", dra",n down by il.dr." But •• tudy of lhe Talmudic 5OurCO. ,ugg"'" Ih.t .ft.. the Ilabbi. indud..! proah in the.d of drcumci>ion lhe drawing do",,, of tt.. f",kin ..... no longer fe.,ibl •. Accord ingly, .... m.y conclud. lhol 100.. ". ho .ngogffi in d«ircumc i.ion did", in the period bero", lhe g< ""rnliz..! .doption of pt'ri;'h. rvt generation,of Arnor.>im, p=;ibly al,., from fint-h.nd ImOVl'I..!g.,.nd not only on Ihe N.i> of wh.t t hey h. d h.. rd. M Shabb.aI (19:1) repon~ "On. moy drrumci«, .nd Ie.. (the membrane!, .nd .uck",.nd pul on ilabondage.nd cumin .· According!o Ihi. m ishn.h. circumci.ion.nd pt'rim' are both p.1rt of. singl. proe ..... in which lhe c irc UfTlci""r exd",",o me Or all of lhe f"",.J.d.n and immedi.tely afterwards perform> pro;,}" lhat i>, he.pI its Ih. Ihin I.)'" of mucooo.l membrane th.1 i. under lhe f"",.J.d.n >nd rolls il do",nward, Ihu. fully uncovering the head of lhe peni •. In thi> method, circumci.ion and pt'ria" are c"",ider..! 10 be •• ingle act " The cutling of the f",..kin wa> um.lIy done wilh • Imif. m ",e", in.tiluted h .. not be.n del.rmined. A r«pon5 . nJ uni,'er..Jly proclired, it i. unlikely th.t the >ource. would h.... "l.ted to it ... "'parat. function t h.at might be omilled We con infer, therefore, th.t p"i~h was an inno .. tion irutituled owr the cour", of time, mOllt likely in re'pon", to the d .. wing down of the foreskin th.t ",a. known from the time of the Helleni,ts .nd wa, .till practiced during the lime of the Hadrianic persecution •. '!be R.bbi, ",nsed the need to reinforce their new ordin.nce both ,",'ilh w.rni ng' .nd by emphnizing lhe import.nce of /,
5hobb.oI " " , '7., ,., .1"" Y",un,' '06. &I, IT Nro.o-im , ,14. """ G" " .lop'" .1>I'll> accomp.n >ed by the prohibil ion .g.in.t leaving tzil"in (.hred, of formin), thus emph •• izing Ihe K.bbi. in tent 10 force the removal of •• much t;".u. os po>.ible, both for .. k.in .nd muco>.II;",u., so •• to p... clud. the . t ... tch ing of ,·..tigi.1 t;"ue in a proce" of decircumci.ion. In lhe word . of lhe Mi.hnah: "['he", .lu ed .... nder the circumd.ion im"lid lfor if they .re not ... moved. Ihe inf.nt i. not conridered circumdsed l: the flesh th.t Co",,, mOlit of the alam/r" (Sh.bb.at 1906). In .uch .n iru;t.nce, there i:I .till .u(fident : ~T Shabbo, !J7b: BT \">ID>ol'7b,) 'b .

ChopIn J. Rnt ,,"",", A

e their son .. a practi« they .trictly OO .. r", to 'he p",,,,n\. " The hi.toric.l "'port•• ugg.. t that the Samaritan pr.ctic .. pre.,,,,'ed .,,1)' element. of the circumci,wn rit •. Pmah. ho",eyer. i, absh """",

PART n'REF.. "uth .00 M,,"~

",.Ier (d,: M Sh.bb.al 19;3), Hi, molher, or .noIh~r wom.n, hold. Ihe baby during th~ ceremony," The circumci>in i. prbah ," During the r~dl.t in of th is hym n, the pr;", t (or someone el"" in lhe ab",nce of. pri .. t ",ho i> cop.ble of circumc;" ing) circumci ... tl.. infant. TI.. pri~.t •• k> the ch ild', fath .. the n.me of th~ infan l, ",hich he tl..n loudly announc ... Refr"hme ni> ore ••",.. d to Ih~ pr... nt ofter the circumci.ion, The S.marit.n. empha.ize th.t their circumc;"ion ~ not include pt"riah, nor did il in the po.t. J.rub b. A.ron, • Sam.riton High Vri",t .t th.begin ning of the tw.. elite m.y circumc i", .Cuth< ""d .....1 p< "';,h ,I>< J< f",,,um,"'.!'" ~ ~'1>< t>nm "ct" 1;k.1>< So"",,, ... 'f'I""O'h, do not 0110..- 1or""1 IhObili< n.l """'. In 100" ",",m ,I>< ...a..k i. gKutiono • • nd foUowing the proc.., of ... imil.t ion in the Helleni.tic citi .. where there ",'ere m.ny i""tan«, of I."" .ng.ging in de their method of interpreting the halillah during a time of cbange. In order to unde"t.oo the interpretj". proc.... we mwt d i",us. the .nthropological question of the rel.tion,hip betw..,n !ext .nd context, I",,'i.h society i, b=J on the written t.. t. considered ",cred aOO unch:rnging. The cont.. t. th. social reality, ho",,,,.. r, is likely to ch.ng< ••• ""ult of political :rnJ «onomic shift •. Tn., text, which accomp.>ni"" th. society and oerv ... >ourco f", it> valu . . . nd oorm~ mu.t undergo .n int''P'"eth.. pro< ... in order to corntitute • sourc. of . uthority under n.",' cond itioru .. w.U, CLo.oical .nthropologi.1. ,uch .. ROO..rt>n-Smith :rnd Boa." who invrnig;JteJ .... ieti ...

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,;.., l> from an utemol th=cticol pph i.tic.ted ond '>Tillen cuiture, ben"", this ,,"ould ignore the hi.torical dimen,ion of the text .nd Ihe cw tom. and the mntribution th.t could be mode by • di.chronic appf",ch 10 the interpret.tion , Goldberg mai ntain. lhal ,,'e mwt .1>0 Ii.len to tn. interpret.tion givtudy ",.. r the CO""" ofh i.tofY in order 10 underStand tn. interaction betw.. n tn. "'fillen interpret.""n ~ forth by the reti«. In tn. fmol analysi~ Ioy.lt y to tn. text", p occurred. Thi. problem.tic noture of the connection bet""""n the holakh.h and tn. ...lily",,,,, noted by J.cob Katz in h i. di> wu fou nd to introdu« ch.ng< .. , .. I pro,".,,_ s.", '_!-' Coopon.t the .ppropri.te time .nd . 1. price wh ich ",ould not rep",.. nt an economic burden.

In. numher of place>, tho Torah comma",!. th.t lhe f,,,'oom he ... deemed, Co., th.l hi, inherent .. nctific.tion ... fi"toorn .on be removN by rNem ptioo from .kohen (b.. [3;1; Ex. 13,11-1 4: />;um. 18;"-J6).' bul the Torah < bRul "";";od kohm we", to be p... sent or ",hether it ..-.. to be 0 public « ... mon)·; wheth" the ... were 'pon with them, but for tho .. living far .woy il wu diffic ult to t.ke.n inf,nt ",ho wo. nol much mo ... than a month old on • long journey.' It apr"" th.t the redemption day", .. . 1.0 not 0 fix.d one, . nd it wa> p"".ibk, to r.d .. m oni. fin toom any time from when he wa •• month old .nd the ... ft" ("Hi. ,ede mption from • month ok! )'o u shall ,ed«m," t-;um. IS: 16),' just Ii.. other ,ede mption, which do not h.. e • rued lim • . Regardi ng the S.cond Temple em, we KnO'" of the co,.. nant in Nehemiah 10:37. ",he.. we read the foU""'ing undert.king: "The firstoorn of our son • • nd cattle, •• it .t.t.. in the 'lbmh, .nd the firsloorn of our herd. and Ooc'" to bring to t he howe of o"rGod, to the kohanim who se,y< in the house of our

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PART n'REF.. "uth .00 M,,"~

God"ln other word.. tho .. pre""nt undert""k 10 red..,m tl>< firotborn 50n wu brought 10 the Temple, II 'prear. th,t th.t "'". only ro»ibk in a community wh ich !i,'e d do~ to the TempI., ,",eh •• the Jewish community.t the time of N.hemi.h , Other ~rle < , .. , .., in Neh, 12:4~ ("And.t th.t tim. som. were appointed "" .. tl>< ch.mbe .. for th< trea.u .... , for t he offering .. fOf the fir>t fruil>, .nd for t he t itl>< field. of t n. cit;'. tl>< rortio"" of tl>< lb",h for the pr .... I> .nd LoU'el.tion {rom G",d, '0 ,kbr ,'" m' .... " .,"'"

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s«ond T.mpl., il wu .Ire.dy obvious Ih.1 Ih~ money for Ihe piJyon /u,'brl dot'S ""I h.ve Ihe whe",,,,ilh.llo do ooth. Ih.1 Ikmila w.. no ionger of .ny prlleh {""Iborn of your 5On. and you shall not ... My f.c< .mplyhmdM" (b:. J~ : lO). According 10 II.. lileral me.ning, Oil< should co .... lo II.. Temple along ", ilh II.. f."loom .nd Ihe "",Ianot. 00111.. ,'e"" i. inl.rpreIM .. follow" " 'You .h.U rMIom io "'l' pbc< .. h",h" ",oh," 50. ,,100 .,,,IJoiI,. "'_Ba!+l Y"lomoul, ",.,,".' o_Mon will then red ""m him",lf when he to a ble to.

If i. doubtful th.t .uch. qution would h.... been a rud h.d the .mount of money been but .ymbolic. Here we hear of a .itu.t ion, which m.y be no more th.n theoretic.l, where a ",ond generation .. ill .1", ,uffer «onomic hard.h ip. The very di>cu»ion, ",en if it but h)'pothetic.1. indic.t. . . n ..... eneo. of «olKlmic di,tre», We not.d u rlier th.t the ,'er.., "His r.demption from a month old you .MU red«m" (Num, 18:16) teach .. WI th.t the redemption i> only to t.ke pl.ce .fter Ihirty day. h..'e paM..!, .nd i> not to take pl .. e earlier." bec."",,:Kcording to t he definit ion of R. Shimon ben Garn.li.J- · \\·OO'-.. r h••• urvivon i. ind.,.,J ",deemed unle .. tn. f.ther ,tat..!.t the time, "my >on i> rede<m..! from now" .nd tn. kol,," did not US< tn. money before the ,,"

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on I>l of t he pidyon ha'l... n u compared to the wag.. of • day-laborer. w. con..., that this w... not in,ign ificant economic burden, " .. n for tho .. who ",i.heJ with .1l their he.,t> to fulfill the commandment, I he f.c t i, th ,t vario,," "gulation . haY. been found which .. n'eJ to circum,'ent the provi,ion. of the law, or th.t the .. oJ v.lu. of the ,mount n.. ded for the rNemption not preserveJ. In term. of metho