Question: My Grandmother used to tell me how devout her mother in Europe was, frequently praying to the Almighty in Yiddish, in connection with major events in her life, in addition to the usual synagogue prayers. Although my synagogue's prayerbook includes a selection of blessings for specific occassions, I somehow feel this is not what my Grandmother was telling me about. How can I find out more information (in English) about those prayers?
Answer: Your great-grandmother may have been reciting tekhines, Yiddish supplicatory prayers, very personal and intimate prayers, often written by women, and certainly meant for women. Tekhines were an important part of Jewish women's spiritual lives in central and Eastern Europe from the 17th to the 20th century; they were published both in small booklets and as apppendices to prayerbooks (notably the Korban Minchah Siddur).
These prayers were typically composed for women's life-cycle events, holidays, sabbath and other special situations, such as: various situations during pregnancy, childbirth and nursing; on the occasion of a son's circumcision or bar mitzvah; when one's child is ill; or when one's husband is traveling. Tekhines "offered women a direct pipeline to God. The tone of tehines is conversational, addressing God respectfully but as a Yiddish-speaking friend or neighbor who will listen in time of need" (Berger, 1992)
In the last 20 years there has been renewed interest in tekhines in the scholarly community, and many tekines have been reprinted and translated into English collections along with historical background and analysis. Below is a listing of some of these editions; also listed are scholarly articles about the genre of tekhinos.
Interestingly, in 2005 ArtScroll published Ashkenazi and Sephardi siddur editions for women: Ohel Sarah Women's siddur. These are full daily, sabbath and festival prayerbooks, each with the same appendix of "Additional Prayers and Supplications." According to the publisher, these siddurim are meant to be "a Korban Minchah [siddur] for today" p. xix.
Resources in English for the Study of Tekhines:
Berger, Shulamith Z. "Tehines: A Brief Survey of Women's Prayers" Daughters of the King (1992) 73-83
Breger, Jennifer "Women's Devotional Literature: an Essay in Jewish Bibliography" Jewish Book Annual vol 52 (1994-1995) p73-98.
Cardin, Rabbi Nina Beth, ed. and tr. Out of the Depths I call to You: A Book of Prayers for the Married Jewish Woman. (1992)
Kay, Devra, translator, editor and commentator. Seyder Tkhines: The Forgotten Book of Common Prayer for Jewish Women. (2004)
Kay, Devra "An Alternative Prayer Canon for Women: the Yiddish 'Seyder Tkhines' " Zur Geschichte der jüdischen Frau in Deutschland (1993) 49-96
Klirs, Tracy Guren, compiler and commentator. The Merit of Our Mothers: A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women's Prayers. (1992)
Salmon-Mack, Tami. [On] Devra Kay, "Seyder Tkhines; the Forgotten Book of Common Prayer for Jewish Women" Nashim 12 (2006) p. 289-294.
Scherr, Robert S. "Voices from the Balcony" Conservative Judaism 54:3 (2002) p. 89-94
Tarnor, Norman, translator and commentator. A Book of Jewish Women's Prayers (1995)
Weinberger, Rabbi Dovid, compiler and annotator. Ohel Sarah Women's Siddur. With Special Prayers, Laws and Customs for Women. (2005)
Weissler, Chava. Traditional Yiddish Literature: A Source for the Study of Women's Religious Lives. (Jacob Pat Memorial Lecture, 1987)
Weissler, Chava. " 'Tkhines' for the Sabbath Before the New Moon." Jewish Studies at the Turn of the Twentieth Century II (1999) 406-412
Weissler, Chava. "Women's Studies and Women's Prayers: Reconstructing the Religious History of Ashkenazic Women" Jewish Social Studies, New Series 1:2 (1995) p. 28-47
Weissler, Chava "The 'Tkhines' and Women’s Prayer" CCAR Journal 40,4 (1993) 75-88
Weissler, Chava. " 'Mizvot' Built into the Body: 'Tkhines' for 'Niddah', Pregnancy, and Childbirth" People of the Body (1992) 101-115
Weissler, Chava. Prayers in Yiddish and the Religious World of Ashkenazic Women" Jewish Women in Historical Perspective (1991) 159-181
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia
Question: Our family has an illustrated encyclopedia, the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. I seldom see references to this set and I wonder if it is of any use today.
Answer: The articles in the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia are not as scholarly as those in the Jewish Encyclopedia (originally published 1901-1906) or as those in the Encyclopedia Judaica (originally published in 1972, and now available in an updated second edition--2007--in printed format and electronically to JTS faculty, students and other subscribers). The intended readers of the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia were laymen.
Important goals of its editors were to combat antisemitism and to improve Jewish-Gentile relations, and therefore its articles emphasized interfaith relations. In fact, the main editor, Isaac Landman, had organized an interfaith group, the Permanent Commission on Better Understanding between Christians and Jews, as a result of his awareness of the vulnerability of Eastern European Jewry at the close of World War I.
As a result of this perspective, the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia provides an important window into American Jewish life in the 1930's and the beginning of World World II. In addition, it provides information on events and people who were of importance at the time, but whose significance was eclipsed in later decades. It would of particular use to a student of American Jewish history, or of political and social aspects of the American Jewish community.
Although publication of this encyclopedia was completed in 1944, its text was completed approximately two years earlier. Therefore the articles describe only the beginnings of the destruction of European Jewry. The juxtapostion of its emphasis on American Jewry with the facts of World War II which were ocurring as the printing presses were rolling, is disturbing.
More information about this enyclopedia, and other Jewish encyclopedias, is available in Shimeon Brisman's A History and Guide to Judaic Encyclopedias and Lexicons (1987). The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (10 volumes, New York, 1939-1944) is available in the Encyclopedia Room of the Reference Collection, DS102.8 .U5 in The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Answer: The articles in the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia are not as scholarly as those in the Jewish Encyclopedia (originally published 1901-1906) or as those in the Encyclopedia Judaica (originally published in 1972, and now available in an updated second edition--2007--in printed format and electronically to JTS faculty, students and other subscribers). The intended readers of the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia were laymen.
Important goals of its editors were to combat antisemitism and to improve Jewish-Gentile relations, and therefore its articles emphasized interfaith relations. In fact, the main editor, Isaac Landman, had organized an interfaith group, the Permanent Commission on Better Understanding between Christians and Jews, as a result of his awareness of the vulnerability of Eastern European Jewry at the close of World War I.
As a result of this perspective, the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia provides an important window into American Jewish life in the 1930's and the beginning of World World II. In addition, it provides information on events and people who were of importance at the time, but whose significance was eclipsed in later decades. It would of particular use to a student of American Jewish history, or of political and social aspects of the American Jewish community.
Although publication of this encyclopedia was completed in 1944, its text was completed approximately two years earlier. Therefore the articles describe only the beginnings of the destruction of European Jewry. The juxtapostion of its emphasis on American Jewry with the facts of World War II which were ocurring as the printing presses were rolling, is disturbing.
More information about this enyclopedia, and other Jewish encyclopedias, is available in Shimeon Brisman's A History and Guide to Judaic Encyclopedias and Lexicons (1987). The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (10 volumes, New York, 1939-1944) is available in the Encyclopedia Room of the Reference Collection, DS102.8 .U5 in The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Educational Materials Related to the Haftarot
Question:
Would you suggest educational materials related to the Haftarot?
Answer:
Here is a list of some educational materials related to the Haftarot:
- Chiel, Arthur A. Guide to Sidrot and Haftarot [New York : Ktav Pub. House, 1971]
- Cogan, Lainie Blum. Teaching Haftarah : background, insights and strategies [Denver : A.R.E. Publishing, 2002]
- Fishbane, Michael. Haftarot : the traditional Hebrew text with the new JPS translation[Philadelphia : The Jewish Publication Society, 2002] – with commentary by Michael Fishbane
- Goldstein, Elyse. The women's haftarah commentary : new insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly haftarah portions, the 5 megillot & special Shabbatot [Woodstock, Vt. : Jewish Lights Publishing, c2004]
- Hirsch, Samson Raphael. Hirsch commentary on the Torah [Brooklyn, N.Y. : Judaica Press, [2005], c1966] - 6 vol., including one on Haftarot
- Lieber, Laura Suzanne. Study guide to the JPS Bible commentary : Haftarot [Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society, 2002]
- Rosenberg, Stephen (Stephen G.). The Haphtara cycle : a handbook to the Jewish year [Northvale, NJ : Jason Aronson, 2000]
- Scharfstein, Sol. [Sefer hafṭarot] = The book of Haftarot for Shabbat, festivals and fast days : an easy-to-read translation with commentary [Jersey City, NJ : Ktav Pub. House, 2007]
- Weissman, Moshe. Sefer hafṭarot = The Midrash says on the weekly haftaros [Brooklyn, N.Y. : Benei Yakov Publications, c1993-]
Would you suggest educational materials related to the Haftarot?
Answer:
Here is a list of some educational materials related to the Haftarot:
- Chiel, Arthur A. Guide to Sidrot and Haftarot [New York : Ktav Pub. House, 1971]
- Cogan, Lainie Blum. Teaching Haftarah : background, insights and strategies [Denver : A.R.E. Publishing, 2002]
- Fishbane, Michael. Haftarot : the traditional Hebrew text with the new JPS translation[Philadelphia : The Jewish Publication Society, 2002] – with commentary by Michael Fishbane
- Goldstein, Elyse. The women's haftarah commentary : new insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly haftarah portions, the 5 megillot & special Shabbatot [Woodstock, Vt. : Jewish Lights Publishing, c2004]
- Hirsch, Samson Raphael. Hirsch commentary on the Torah [Brooklyn, N.Y. : Judaica Press, [2005], c1966] - 6 vol., including one on Haftarot
- Lieber, Laura Suzanne. Study guide to the JPS Bible commentary : Haftarot [Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society, 2002]
- Rosenberg, Stephen (Stephen G.). The Haphtara cycle : a handbook to the Jewish year [Northvale, NJ : Jason Aronson, 2000]
- Scharfstein, Sol. [Sefer hafṭarot] = The book of Haftarot for Shabbat, festivals and fast days : an easy-to-read translation with commentary [Jersey City, NJ : Ktav Pub. House, 2007]
- Weissman, Moshe. Sefer hafṭarot = The Midrash says on the weekly haftaros [Brooklyn, N.Y. : Benei Yakov Publications, c1993-]
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Terminology: Ashkenazic or Ashkenazi; Sephardic or Sephardi
Question: In an essay I am writing, I am describing the handwriting of medieval Hebrew manuscripts from Spain. Should I use the descriptive term Sephardic or Sephardi? Likewise, in describing manuscripts from Germany would the appropriate term be Ashkenazi or Ashkenazic?
Answer: All four terms are used in scholarly books and journals when referring to Hebrew manuscripts.
The Oxford English Dictionary (online version accessed 22 February 2011) includes entries for both Ashkenazic and Sephardic, both as adjectives. There is an entry for Sephardi, but it is defined primarily as a noun, “A Spanish or Portuguese Jew” . There is no entry for Ashkenazi, although ironically OED uses this term in its definitions and etymologies of other entries!
Other English-language dictionaries include entries for all four terms.
The 2011 JTS Style Guide, issued by the JTS Communications Department, lists Ashkenazi and Sephardi in its section on transliterated words.
In short, if your editor requires all your terminology to be in the English language, I suggest you use Ashkenazic and Sephardic which have been fully incorporated into the English language as adjectives. Alternatively, if you have the option of using transliterated Hebrew words, you may prefer to use the terms Ashkenazi and Sephardi.
Answer: All four terms are used in scholarly books and journals when referring to Hebrew manuscripts.
The Oxford English Dictionary (online version accessed 22 February 2011) includes entries for both Ashkenazic and Sephardic, both as adjectives. There is an entry for Sephardi, but it is defined primarily as a noun, “A Spanish or Portuguese Jew” . There is no entry for Ashkenazi, although ironically OED uses this term in its definitions and etymologies of other entries!
Other English-language dictionaries include entries for all four terms.
The 2011 JTS Style Guide, issued by the JTS Communications Department, lists Ashkenazi and Sephardi in its section on transliterated words.
In short, if your editor requires all your terminology to be in the English language, I suggest you use Ashkenazic and Sephardic which have been fully incorporated into the English language as adjectives. Alternatively, if you have the option of using transliterated Hebrew words, you may prefer to use the terms Ashkenazi and Sephardi.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Finding Book Reviews in Digitized Journals
Question: How can I find English & Hebrew book reviews of specific scholarly books published in the last few decades?
Answer: Use the following article databases to locate book reviews:
RAMBI:
1. Use BASIC SEARCH, SUBJECT STARTING WITH...
2. Type the name of the author [of the book to be reviewed], last name first, in the SEARCH FOR box. The results list will specify the title of the book reviewed, followed by (Review) or (ביקורת).
Although the results list may list both English and Hebrew reviews, to be absolutely sure you retrieve all the reviews search twice: once spelling the author's name in English, and a second time spelling the author's name in Hebrew.
ATLA/ATLAS Religion Database:
1. Use ADVANCED SEARCH
2. Type the author's last name in the first text box [author of the book to be reviewed]
3. Type the first few words of the title in the second text box
PROJECT MUSE:
1. Choose BROWSE JOURNALS tab
2. Choose BROWSE SUBJECT HEADINGS FOR ARTICLES from left-hand margin of screen
3. Type the author's last name, comma, first name in the text box [author of the book to be reviewed]
The results list will specify the author & titles of each book reviewed, followed by the number of reviews.
INDEX to JEWISH PERIODICALS:
1. Type short title of the book in the text box
JSTOR:
1. Use ADVANCED SEARCH (Mouse over search option to reveal Advanced Search)
2. In the text box, type: rt: "short title of the book whose review you want"
Be sure to include the colon after rt, and put the title in quotes.
3. If you retrieve reviews of various books with the same title, you can also type, in the next text box:
ra: last name of author of book whose reviews you want.
For example, if you want reviews of Moshe Idel's book Kabbalah: New Perspectives, in the first text box type:
rt: "Kabbalah New Perspectives"
In the second text box type:
ra: Idel
Answer: Use the following article databases to locate book reviews:
RAMBI:
1. Use BASIC SEARCH, SUBJECT STARTING WITH...
2. Type the name of the author [of the book to be reviewed], last name first, in the SEARCH FOR box. The results list will specify the title of the book reviewed, followed by (Review) or (ביקורת).
Although the results list may list both English and Hebrew reviews, to be absolutely sure you retrieve all the reviews search twice: once spelling the author's name in English, and a second time spelling the author's name in Hebrew.
ATLA/ATLAS Religion Database:
1. Use ADVANCED SEARCH
2. Type the author's last name in the first text box [author of the book to be reviewed]
3. Type the first few words of the title in the second text box
PROJECT MUSE:
1. Choose BROWSE JOURNALS tab
2. Choose BROWSE SUBJECT HEADINGS FOR ARTICLES from left-hand margin of screen
3. Type the author's last name, comma, first name in the text box [author of the book to be reviewed]
The results list will specify the author & titles of each book reviewed, followed by the number of reviews.
INDEX to JEWISH PERIODICALS:
1. Type short title of the book in the text box
JSTOR:
1. Use ADVANCED SEARCH (Mouse over search option to reveal Advanced Search)
2. In the text box, type: rt: "short title of the book whose review you want"
Be sure to include the colon after rt, and put the title in quotes.
3. If you retrieve reviews of various books with the same title, you can also type, in the next text box:
ra: last name of author of book whose reviews you want.
For example, if you want reviews of Moshe Idel's book Kabbalah: New Perspectives, in the first text box type:
rt: "Kabbalah New Perspectives"
In the second text box type:
ra: Idel
Click on the image below to enlarge it
Please access these subscription databases from our Online Resources pages (when on campus) or via Remote Access when off campus, using your JTS email ID and password. Rambi is freely available to all, courtesy of the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Academic Blogs on Jewish Studies
Recently, an article by Heidi Lerner, entitled: “Online Resources for Talmud Research, Study, and Teaching”, was published in: AJS Perspectives : The Magazine of the Association for Jewish Studies [Fall 2010 – p.46-47]. The following blogs that deal with Jewish Studies from an academic perspective were recommended:
- http://academictalmud.blogspot.com/
- http://menachemmendel.net/blog/
- http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/
To this list, I would add the following blog:
- http://www.seforim.blogspot.com/
Can any readers suggest (in the comments section) other academic Jewish Studies blogs that may be of interest?
- http://academictalmud.blogspot.com/
- http://menachemmendel.net/blog/
- http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/
To this list, I would add the following blog:
- http://www.seforim.blogspot.com/
Can any readers suggest (in the comments section) other academic Jewish Studies blogs that may be of interest?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Cross-dressing
Question:
I am interested in learning what traditional Judaism has to say about the following Biblical verse: "A woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto the LORD thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5 - translation: Jewish Publication Society, 1917). Would you give me a basic overview of the subject and recommend some sources that discuss this matter?
Answer:
Deuteronomy 22:5 and the laws derived from it, are discussed (among other places), in the following rabbinic works:
- Sifre, Devarim, piska 226
- Talmud Bavli, Nazir 58b-59a
- RaMBaM's Mishneh Torah, Sefer Mada, Hilkhot Avodah Zarah, chpt. 12, halakhot 9-10
- Sefer ha-Hinukh, mitzvah 542 and 543
- Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh Deah, chpt. 182
For a short, historically oriented, overview, in English of the topic, see Louis M. Epstein’s Sex Laws and Customs in Judaism [New York : Bloch, 1948 – p.64-67].
According to Jewish law, it is forbidden for a male to wear a “female-type” garment or for a female to wear a “male-type” garment. Furthermore, it is generally forbidden for males to engage in certain female practices - such as shaving the armpits or dyeing the hair, or for a female to engage in certain male practices - such as bearing weapons. This is a very general overview of the laws involved. There is much discussion in rabbinic texts regarding (among other things):
- which practices are forbidden from the Torah and which are forbidden by rabbinic decree;
- whether the intent of the person doing the act makes a difference in the law (e.g. is it permissible for a woman to put on a man’s garment to protect her from the rain);
- to what extent the customs of a particular place effect what is considered a male or female garment or act;
- if there is any reason to permit the temporary cross-dressing often done on Purim.
The modern work, Sefer Kedushat Yisrael, by Rabbi Itamar ben Aharon Mahfud [Ashdod : Itamar Mahfud ; Yavneh : ʻAmutat "Binah la-shavim", 765 (2005) – chpt. 6], has an extensive discussion (with many citations) of the issues. All queries related to actual practice should, of course, be directed to a competent Rabbinic authority.
I am interested in learning what traditional Judaism has to say about the following Biblical verse: "A woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto the LORD thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5 - translation: Jewish Publication Society, 1917). Would you give me a basic overview of the subject and recommend some sources that discuss this matter?
Answer:
Deuteronomy 22:5 and the laws derived from it, are discussed (among other places), in the following rabbinic works:
- Sifre, Devarim, piska 226
- Talmud Bavli, Nazir 58b-59a
- RaMBaM's Mishneh Torah, Sefer Mada, Hilkhot Avodah Zarah, chpt. 12, halakhot 9-10
- Sefer ha-Hinukh, mitzvah 542 and 543
- Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh Deah, chpt. 182
For a short, historically oriented, overview, in English of the topic, see Louis M. Epstein’s Sex Laws and Customs in Judaism [New York : Bloch, 1948 – p.64-67].
According to Jewish law, it is forbidden for a male to wear a “female-type” garment or for a female to wear a “male-type” garment. Furthermore, it is generally forbidden for males to engage in certain female practices - such as shaving the armpits or dyeing the hair, or for a female to engage in certain male practices - such as bearing weapons. This is a very general overview of the laws involved. There is much discussion in rabbinic texts regarding (among other things):
- which practices are forbidden from the Torah and which are forbidden by rabbinic decree;
- whether the intent of the person doing the act makes a difference in the law (e.g. is it permissible for a woman to put on a man’s garment to protect her from the rain);
- to what extent the customs of a particular place effect what is considered a male or female garment or act;
- if there is any reason to permit the temporary cross-dressing often done on Purim.
The modern work, Sefer Kedushat Yisrael, by Rabbi Itamar ben Aharon Mahfud [Ashdod : Itamar Mahfud ; Yavneh : ʻAmutat "Binah la-shavim", 765 (2005) – chpt. 6], has an extensive discussion (with many citations) of the issues. All queries related to actual practice should, of course, be directed to a competent Rabbinic authority.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Jews and the American Revolution
Question:
Would you recommend books that discuss the contribution of Jews (besides the famous Haym Salomon) to the Revolutionary War?
Answer:
Here are a list of books owned by the JTS library that deal with the connections between Jews and the American Revolutionary War:
- Hirschfeld, Fritz. George Washington and the Jews [Newark : University of Delaware Press, c2005]
- Schwartz, Laurens R. Jews and the American Revolution : Haym Salomon and others [Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 1987]
- Korn, Bertram Wallace. Jews and the revolutionary struggle for American freedom [Philadelphia, Pa. : Gratz College, 1975]
- Rezneck, Samuel. Unrecognized patriots : the Jews in the American Revolution [Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1975]
- Marcus, Jacob Rader. The Jew and the American Revolution [Cincinnati : American Jewish Archives, c1974]
- Peters, Madison Clinton. The Jews who stood by Washington : an unwritten chapter in American history [New York : The Trow Press, 1915]
Would you recommend books that discuss the contribution of Jews (besides the famous Haym Salomon) to the Revolutionary War?
Answer:
Here are a list of books owned by the JTS library that deal with the connections between Jews and the American Revolutionary War:
- Hirschfeld, Fritz. George Washington and the Jews [Newark : University of Delaware Press, c2005]
- Schwartz, Laurens R. Jews and the American Revolution : Haym Salomon and others [Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 1987]
- Korn, Bertram Wallace. Jews and the revolutionary struggle for American freedom [Philadelphia, Pa. : Gratz College, 1975]
- Rezneck, Samuel. Unrecognized patriots : the Jews in the American Revolution [Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1975]
- Marcus, Jacob Rader. The Jew and the American Revolution [Cincinnati : American Jewish Archives, c1974]
- Peters, Madison Clinton. The Jews who stood by Washington : an unwritten chapter in American history [New York : The Trow Press, 1915]
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