The Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions

by Elyse Goldstein (Editor)

Overview

Women rabbis are changing the face of Judaism. Discover how their interpretations of the Torah can enrich your perspective. "Rich and engaging…makes available to a wide readership the collective wisdom of women who have changed the face of Judaism." —Judith Plaskow, author, Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective; Professor of Religious Studies, Manhattan College Here, for the first time, women's unique experiences and perspectives are applied to the entire Five Books of Moses, offering all of us the first comprehensive commentary by women. In this groundbreaking book, more than 50 women rabbis come together to offer us inspiring insights on the Torah, in a week-by-week format. Included are commentaries by the first women ever ordained in the Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative movements, and by many other women across these denominations who serve in the rabbinate in a variety of ways. This rich resource offers new perspectives to inspire all of us to gain deeper meaning from the Torah and a heightened appreciation of Judaism. A major contribution to modern biblical commentary. The gift of choice for every young woman’s bat mitzvah, and for anyone wanting a new, exciting view of Torah. Contributing Rabbis: Rebecca T. Alpert • Lia Bass • Miriam Carey Berkowitz • Elizabeth Bolton • Analia Bortz • Sharon Brous • Judith Gary Brown • Nina Beth Cardin • Diane Aronson Cohen • Sandra J. Cohen • Cynthia A. Culpeper • Lucy H.F. Dinner • Lisa A. Edwards • Amy Eilberg • Sue Levi Elwell • Rachel Esserman • Helaine Ettinger • Susan Fendrick • Lori Forman • Dayle A. Friedman • Elyse D. Frishman • Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer • Shoshana Gelfand • Laura Geller • Elyse M. Goldstein • Julie K. Gordon • Claire Magidovitch Green • Rosette Barron Haim • Jill Hammer • Karyn D. Kedar • Sarra Levine • Valerie Lieber • Ellen Lippmann • Sheryl Nosan • Stacy K. Offner • Sara Paasche-Orlow • Barbara Rosman Penzner • Hara E. Person • Audrey S. Pollack • Sally J. Priesand • Geela-Rayzel Raphael • Laura M. Rappaport • Debra Judith Robbins • Rochelle Robins • Gila Colman Ruskin • Sandy Eisenberg Sasso • Ilene Schneider • Rona Shapiro • Michal Shekel • Beth J. Singer • Sharon L. Sobel • Ruth H. Sohn • Julie Ringold Spitzer z”l • Shira Stern • Pamela Wax • Nancy Wechsler-Azen • Nancy H. Wiener • Elana Zaiman

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580230766
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	03/01/2000
Pages:	496
Product dimensions:	2.36(w) x 3.54(h) x 1.52(d)

About the Author

Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, one of the leading rabbis of a new generation, is director of Kolel: The Adult Center for Liberal Jewish Learning, a full-time progressive adult Jewish learning center. Goldstein lectures frequently throughout North America. She is also editor of The Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions; and The Women's Haftarah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Haftarah Portions, the 5 Megillot and Special Shabbatot; and author of the award-winning New Jewish Feminism: Probing the Past, Forging the Future and ReVisions: Seeing Torah through a Feminist Lens (all Jewish Lights).

Rabbi Elyse Goldstein is available to speak on the following topics:

• Women and Judaism
• Reform Judaism
• Jewish Parenting
• General Judaica

Table of Contents

	Index by Author	13
	Foreword: The Different Voice of Jewish Women	15
	Acknowledgments	23
	Introduction	25
	What You Need to Know to Use This Book	36
	Rabbinic Commentators and Midrashic Collections Noted in This Book	41
	Bereshit/Genesis
	Bereshit (1:1-6:8): The Untold Story of Eve	47
	Noach (6:9-11:32): Mrs. Noah	53
	Lech Lecha (12:1-17:27): What's in a Name?	57
	Vayera (18:1-22:24): Positive Pillars	63
	Chaye Sarah (23:1-25:18): Woman's Life, Woman's Truth	70
	Toldot (25:19-28:9): Rebecca's Birth Stories	75
	Vayetze (28:10-32:3): Wrestling on the Other Side of the River	79
	Vayishlach (32:4-36:43): No Means No	85
	Vayeshev (37:1-40:23): Power, Sex, and Deception	89
	Miketz (41:1-44:17): In Search of Dreamers	99
	Vayigash (44:18-47:27): Daddy's Girl	106
	Vayechi (47:28-50:26): Serach Bat Asher--the Woman Who Enabled the Exodus	112
	Shmot/Exodus
	Shmot (1:1-6:1): Rediscovering Tziporah	121
	Va-era (6:2-9:35): The Many Names of God	127
	Bo (10:1-13:16): Power and Liberation	133
	Beshalach (13:17-17:16): Miriam's Song, Miriam's Silence	138
	Yitro (18:1-20:26): We All Stood at Sinai	143
	Mishpatim (21:1-24:18): What Must We Do?	148
	Terumah (25:1-27:19): Community as Sacred Space	154
	Tetzaveh (27:20-30:10): Finding Our Home in the Temple and the Temple in Our Homes	160
	Ki Tissa (30:11-34:35): The Women Didn't Build the Golden Calf--or Did They?	164
	Vayakhel (35:1-38:20): Of Women and Mirrors	172
	Pekudei (38:21-40:38): The Birthing of the Mishkan (Tabernacle)	179
	Vayikra/Leviticus
	Vayikra (1:1-5:26): The Book of Relationship	185
	Tzav (6:1-8:36): Message and Messenger	191
	Shemini (9:1-11:47): Kashrut, Food, and Women	196
	Tazria (12:1-13:59): Our Children/God's Children	202
	Metzorah (14:1-15:33): Reclaiming the Torah of Our Lives	211
	Acharei Mot (16:1-18:30): After a Death ... Then What?	218
	Kedoshim (19:1-20:27): Who Shall Be Holy?	225
	Emor (21:1-24:23): Elitism in the Levitical Priesthood	231
	Behar (25:1-26:2): Proclaiming Liberty throughout the Land	238
	Bechukotai (26:3-27:34): Mir Zaynen Do--We Are Here	246
	Bamidbar/Numbers
	Bamidbar (1:1-4:20): Beyond Pidyon Ha-ben: Blessings for Giving Life	255
	Naso (4:21-7:89): Inscribing Jealousy on the Bodies of Women	261
	Beha'alotecha (8:1-12:16): The Silencing of Miriam	270
	Shelach-Lecha (13:1-15:41): The Grasshoppers and the Giants	279
	Korach (16:1-18:32): Authority, Status, Power	286
	Chukkat (19:1-22:1): Blood and Water, Death and Life	294
	Balak (22:2-25:9): The End of Abuse	301
	Pinchas (25:10-30:1): Daughters and Inheritance Law	307
	Matot (30:2-32:42): Women Speak Louder Than Words	315
	Masa'ei (33:1-36:13): Boundaries and Limits	321
	Devarim/Deuteronomy
	Devarim (1:1-3:22): Essence and Transcendence	331
	Va'etchanan (3:23-7:11): "A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey": Sexualizing the Land	338
	Ekev (7:12-11:25): Circumcision, Womb, and Spiritual Intimacy	345
	Re'eh (11:26-16:17): A Time to Tear Down, a Time to Build Up	351
	Shoftim (16:18-21:9): Principles for Feminist Approaches to Torah	358
	Ki Tetzey (21:10-25:19): The Accused Woman	364
	Ki Tavo (26:1-29:8): The Basket Ceremony of Gratitude and Hope	371
	Nitzavim (29:9-30:20): Women and the Covenant	377
	Vayelech (31:1-30): Guardians of the Tradition	384
	Ha'azinu (32:1-52): Understanding the Anger	390
	V'zot Habrachah (33:1-34:12): The Loss of Moses	397
	Epilogue: Looking Backward and Ahead	405
	Notes	410
	Glossary	428
	Bibliography and Suggested Further Reading	434
	About the Contributors	440
	About Jewish Lights	481