Most studies of Judaism focus on sources produced by and for learned men - the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the Midrash, legal codes, and works of medieval philosophy, mysticism, and Hasidism. All these texts were written in Hebrew - a language seventeenth- through nineteenth-century Jewish women were not given the opportunity to learn. With Voices of the Matriarchs, Chava Weissler restores balance to our knowledge of Judaism by providing the first look at non-Hebrew Jewish source materials: the vernacular women's devotional prayers called tkhines. In Weissler's hands, these Yiddish prayers open a window into early modern Ashkenazic women's lives, beliefs, devotion, and relationships with God. In the last section of Voices of the Matriarchs Weissler looks at the changes the twentieth century wrought in the practice of writing and reciting tkhines.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A heartfelt tkhine?a plea to God?to bless the Sabbath bread as it is placed in the oven provides a fitting opener for this book in which Weissler (Religion, Lehigh) delves into the prayers of Jewish women in early modern Europe. Her study reveals a nearly lost genre of Jewish literature. She recovers and showcases the words of Yiddish women who prayed faithfully and frequently for blessings during everyday occurrences, such as the lighting of the Sabbath candles, and when preparing for the holidays, especially for the Days of Awe?Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Weissler examines the tkhine not only as lovely prose but as a reflection of the devotional lives of 17th-19th century Jewish women. Individual chapters focus on tkhines for pregnancy, childbirth, candle lighting and death, and a number of tkhines are reproduced in all their beauty and simplicity: "May it be Thy Will, Lord our God, God of our Fathers, to bring on the coming month for our good and blessing." Weissler deftly blends historic poetry and scholarly text in this look at an important facet of Jewish history.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In this important addition to the field of women's studies, Weissler (religious studies, Lehigh Univ.) focuses on the devotions, or tkhines, Jewish women used to express their beliefs. Since they were not taught Hebrew or included in the religious ritual that revolved around the prayer-house, women created tkhines in Yiddish in order to participate in the spirituality that surrounded them. Weissler carefully studies the few known authors (though the vast majority of tkhines were written anonymously) after setting the stage by explaining how the three great spiritual movements that influenced Jewish religiosity in the 17th and 18th centuries created a welcoming atmosphere for individual expressions of devotion and spirituality, to which women responded. She then looks at tkhines written on these shores by immigrant women in Yiddish and by contemporary women in Hebrew and English. This scholarly work is essential for any collection that focuses on Jewish studies, religion, spirituality, and women's studies.?Idelle Rudman, Touro Coll. Lib., Brooklyn, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
An Important Contribution to Feminist Scholarship and Jewish Studies,
By
This review is from: Voices of the Matriarchs: Listening to the Prayers of Early Modern Jewish Women (Paperback)
Chava Weissler's Voices of the Matriarchs is a valuable contribution to Jewish Women's Studies. Jewish women's historical existance is in the process of being discovered and reclaimed, and this book demonstrates the complexities and rewards for pursing such an endeavor. The study of the tkhines provides us with valuable insight to Ashkenazi Jewish women. Weissler writes with precision and explicates issues such as gender and feminism. My only complaint is that Weissler's narrative is a bit dry. But what do you expect? It is a historical book. Otherwise, I would recommend this book to students, scholars, women, or anyone interested in history.
0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recipient of the Koret Foundation Jewish Book Award,
This review is from: Voices of the Matriarchs: Listening to the Prayers of Early Modern Jewish Women (Hardcover)
Recipient of the Koret Foundation - National Foundation for Jewish Culture Annual Jewish Book Award for Best Jewish History Book. Award to be presented April 2000 in NYC
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tkhine literature, new tkhine, taking hallah, many tkhines, measuring graves, kabbalistic material, woman lighting candles, great arousal, cemetery prayers, mystical intentions, tenth sefirah, lower sefirot, domestic religion, kabbalistic sources, earthly roles, righteous women Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Three Gates, High Priest, Western European, Eastern European, Yom Kippur, Nakhalas Tsevi, Ashkenazic Judaism, Daughter of Abraham, Ashkenazic Jews, Days of Awe, Leah Dreyzl, The Gate of Unification, United States, Leah Horowitz, Rosh Hashanah, Imrei Shifre, Tree of Knowledge, Conservative Judaism, Ashkenazic Jewish, Sarah Rebecca Rachel Leah, Almighty God, Tkhine of the Matriarchs, Leib Pohavitser, Exodus Rabba, Holy One Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
tkhine literature, new tkhine, taking hallah, many tkhines, measuring graves, kabbalistic material, woman lighting candles, great arousal, cemetery prayers, mystical intentions, tenth sefirah, lower sefirot, domestic religion, kabbalistic sources, earthly roles, righteous women Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Three Gates, High Priest, Western European, Eastern European, Yom Kippur, Nakhalas Tsevi, Ashkenazic Judaism, Daughter of Abraham, Ashkenazic Jews, Days of Awe, Leah Dreyzl, The Gate of Unification, United States, Leah Horowitz, Rosh Hashanah, Imrei Shifre, Tree of Knowledge, Conservative Judaism, Ashkenazic Jewish, Sarah Rebecca Rachel Leah, Almighty God, Tkhine of the Matriarchs, Leib Pohavitser, Exodus Rabba, Holy One Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
15
books
cite this book:
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- JPS Guide to Jewish Women: 600 b.c.e.-1900c.e. (A JPS Guide) by Emily Taitz in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Out of the Shtetl: Making Jews Modern in the Polish Borderlands (Brown Judaic Studies) by Nancy Sinkoff on page 23, and Back Matter
- The Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath Day by Francine Klagsbrun in Back Matter
- Creating Judaism: History, Tradition, Practice by Michael L. Satlow in Back Matter
- Between Worlds: Dybbuks, Exorcists, and Early Modern Judaism (Jewish Culture and Contexts) by J. H. Chajes in Back Matter
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