Women Who Went Before Suffering Witches to Live: Jewish Women and the Legacies of Religious Law
Dec 6, 2022
In a captivating discussion, Dr. Elizabeth Shanks Alexander, a Professor at the University of Virginia specializing in rabbinic literature, dives into the intricate relationship between Jewish women and religious law. She explores whether women can keep track of their own menstrual cycles within outlined laws, revealing how ancient rabbis viewed witchcraft and its implications for women's roles. The conversation also highlights the challenges women faced in navigating a male-dominated system, shedding light on the legacy of those deemed witches and their overlooked stories.
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Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Intro
00:00 • 2min
The Evolution of Women's Legal Status in Ancient Judaism
01:44 • 23min
Menstruation and Ritual Purity in Ancient Judaism
24:48 • 11min
Gendered Language and Witchcraft in Rabbinic Texts
35:59 • 11min
Reconstructing Women's Lives in Rabbinic Texts
46:35 • 8min
The Rigged Trials of History: Witchcraft and Female Oppression
54:52 • 1min
Honoring the Forgotten: Women's Legacies as Witches
56:20 • 3min
