scholarly journals Portrayal of Female Violence in the Bible: the Stories of Jael and Judith

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 80-87
Author(s):  
Halyna Teslyuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Roles ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
Jewish Law ◽  
Masculinity And Femininity ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Female Violence ◽  
The People ◽  
Male Power ◽  
The Town ◽  
Critical Situations

This article offers an analysis of the biblical stories about two heroines: Jael and Judith who save their people by killing the foreign generals. Both stories narrate critical historical situations, namely Jael’s story in Judges 4–5 dates to the XII–X cc. B.C.E. and reflects the ongoing conflict between the twelve tribes of Israel with their neighbors in the land of Canaan, Judith’s story dates to the II c. B.C.E. and reflects the conflict between the Jews and the Seleucid rulers who oppressed the Jewish populace, forced them to practice Hellenistic rituals and abandon the Jewish law and religious practices. Jael invites Sisera, a commander of the Canaanite army of king Jabin, to her tent, gives him milk to drink, and when the man falls asleep, she kills him with a hammer and а tent peg. Judith, a widow from the town of Bethulia, uses her beauty and charm to kill Holofernes, an Assyrian general. First, she gains his trust. Then, when Holofernes drunken falls asleep, she decapitates him in his tent. These texts explicitly show the collapse of the male power and demonstrate the ability of women to step in to save the people. Both heroines are praised by the narrators for their heroism. It is also demonstrated that Jael’s and Judith’s stories have an aim to teach how one may think out of the box. Due to the lack of male capability to solve the problem or, in other words, to protect the people as it is expected according to the patriarchal norms, social roles are shifted, and perception of masculinity and femininity is reеvaluated. The heroic stories of Jael and Judith represent the idea that women can be subjects of history, violence as а means to protect people is not limited to the male domain, and women can save people in critical situations. The violence performed by the women is perceived as an extraordinary act yet necessary and not deviant in the situation.

Contemporary Jewish Readings of the Prophets

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marvin A. Sweeney
Keyword(s):  
Social Roles ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The People ◽  
Book Of The Twelve ◽  
The Temple ◽  
Land Of Israel

Contemporary Jewish critical scholars share many methodological foundations and viewpoints with their Christian counterparts, but there are nevertheless areas of distinctive concern to Jewish interpreters of the Bible in general and the prophets in particular. This chapter therefore addresses issues faced by Jewish scholars in the field., namely, the place of the prophets in the Tanak, i.e. the Jewish version of the Bible; the historical and social roles of the prophets; and treatment of exile, repentance, and restoration of the people to the Temple and the land of Israel in each of the books of the Latter Prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve Prophets. Examples of scholars treated include Ehud Ben Zvi, Julie Galambush, Moshe Greenberg, Tamar Kamionkowski, Shalom Paul, Dalit Rom-Shiloni, Benjamin Sommer, Emanuel Tov, and the author.

Oppressive-Exploitative Contracts: A Jewish Law Perspective

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahar Lifshitz
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Market Price ◽  
Jewish Law ◽  
Specific Kind ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The People ◽  
Legal Writing ◽  
The Stranger ◽  
The Needy

The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have wronged the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger unlawfully.(Ezekiel 22:29)Ezekiel's lament emphasizes that oppression in general, and especially oppression of the needy and the distressed, is always an extremely immoral and illegal act. In the Bible, “oppression” describes the unilateral taking of another person's property or depriving her of her rights. Yet, sometimes even an apparently voluntary agreement might be oppressive. Preventing oppression, therefore, has became one of the declared aims of contractual doctrine, as in the well-known American doctrine of unconscionability.Unconscionability and oppression are broad concepts that describe a wide-ranging array of cases and situations. Not surprisingly, therefore, despite the formidable and complex body of legal writing on the unconscionability doctrine, a great deal of ambiguity remains as to its theoretical basis, as well as its practical content.In this article I seek to enrich the modern Western discussion by analyzing Jewish law doctrine which addresses the issue of oppressive exploitative contracts, an approach which is both unique and to date largely neglected by scholars in the area. This Jewish law doctrine developed in response to a specific kind of oppressive contract, in which a semi-monopolistic party exploits the distress of a needy party in order to demand an above-market price (hereinafter referred to as oppressive-exploitative contracts).

Poetry, Prophecy, and Theological Revelation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Franke
Keyword(s):  
Social Stratification ◽  
Social Roles ◽  
Spiritual Experience ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
Creative Imagination ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Hebrew Word ◽  
Sanskrit Word ◽  
The Common

In the history and prehistory of human societies, poets, prophets, and seers (the word vates can cover all three) have often been virtually indistinguishable from one another. From time immemorial, their respective activities overlap and interpenetrate to such an extent that prophets (or mantics or seers) and poets have been closely associated and tend to completely coalesce in many of their functions and modalities. The Sanskrit word kavi (like its Latin cognate vates) embraces both. A certain strand of ideology running through the Bible (at least as interpreted by classical rabbinic texts) aims to drive a wedge between God-inspired prophecy and humanly created poems. Nevertheless, the Hebrew word nabi for “prophet” means “bubbling forth, as from a fountain,” so the vocabulary of the Hebrew Bible, too, is naturally apt to suggest the creative fecundity of verbal imagination. In fact, Amos, Isaiah, Elisha, and Ezekiel frequently produce parables, proverbs, and even love songs. In primordial cultures, with only minimal social stratification and differentiation of roles, long before any specific mantles as either prophet or poet can be identified and donned, a figure like that of the shaman or even the wizard (Merlin, for example) is often emblematic of a certain undecidability between religious revelation or spiritual experience and creative imagination and invention. Of course, in modern cultures, with their highly differentiated social roles, theological revelation and poetry are typically seen as distinct and often even as opposed to each other in crucial respects. Yet the two still need to be understood together as reciprocal and symbiotic in their origins, aims, and purposes. Throughout subsequent history, the deepest intents of literary and religious practices remain inseparable from each other in their myriad manifestations within our cultural traditions and institutions; they thus stand to be illuminated by such a juxtaposition. Poetry and prophecy together comprise the common matrix of some of the oldest and most fundamental modes of expression of humanity across cultures.

Damages caused by Polish cavalry in Tyszowce starosty in 17th-18th century

2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Adam Frykowski
Keyword(s):  
18Th Century ◽  
Financial Capacity ◽  
The People ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Town ◽  
Crown Lands ◽  
Negative Phenomena

SUMMARYNon-city starosty of Tyszowce was located in the province of Belz and received the status of royal land in 1462. Its territory included the town of Tyszowce and villages: Mikulin, Perespa, Klatwy and Przewale. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the starosty suffered from a significant increase of various negative phenomena. The crown lands had bitterly tasted devastating fires, epidemics, contributions, requisitions, robberies and field devastations. All these disasters were caused mainly by war and military activities. Marches of soldiers and quartering of troops greatly contributed to the situation and were usually associated with the need of maintaining the soldiers. The requisitions of food, alcohol, cattle, horses and poultry were particularly burdensome for the people. The greatest economic devastation as regards the resources of the starosty and its people was caused by monetary contributions, usually several times higher than the financial capacity of the town and its inhabitants. This work focuses on damages to the starosty caused by the royal cavalry. According to the literature, it is clear that the behavior of the troops in Tyszowce Starosty was not different from the behavior of soldiers in other areas of Poland. It must be admitted that the reprehensible behavior of the army was influenced by many conditions, from the recruitment of people from backgrounds often involving conflict with law, as well as foreigners, to the accommodation system under which the soldiers were forced to supply themselves “on their own.”

Homage to Dr med. Božidar Kostić

2021 ◽  
pp. 096777202097458
Author(s):  
Božidar Pocevski ◽  
Prim. Predrag Pocevski ◽  
Lidija Horvat
Keyword(s):  
Great Success ◽  
World War ◽  
The People ◽  
The First World War ◽  
Medical Faculties ◽  
Medical University ◽  
Independent Work ◽  
The Town ◽  
Second World ◽  
First World

Dr Božidar Kostić (1892–1960) – physician of noble heart – was born in Niš (Kingdom of Serbia) in a distinguished family of academically educated parents. As there were no medical faculties in Kingdom of Serbia, after high school, which he had finished with great success, in 1911 he enrolled at the Graz University of Medicine, a prestigious medical university. Soon he transferred to the Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Prague, where he continued his studying for another ten semesters. In Prague, The Golden City, after the First World War, he finished his studies with an average grade of 10. After the Second World War, he worked as a doctor with a private medical practice in Belgrade, but soon he moved to Vranje, where he established the Town Polyclinic and contributed to the final flourishing of the most important forms of health care activities in liberated Vranje, donating his rich knowledge and skills, which led the health service to move to forms of independent work and development of new activities. For his contribution to the community, by decree of His Majesty King of Yugoslavia Alexander I Karađorđević, he received the Order of Saint Sava. Dr Božidar Kostić and his wife Pravda devoted their lives to the health and educational upbringing of the people in the south parts of Serbia (then Social Federative Republic of Yugoslavia). Until his last days he lived and worked as a true folk doctor.

Ethnohistorical Archaeology and the Mythscape of the Naga in the Chiang Saen Basin, Thailand

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Piyawit Moonkham
Keyword(s):  
Social Space ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Local People ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
The People ◽  
Divine Retribution ◽  
The Town

Abstract There is a northern Thai story that tells how the naga—a mythical serpent—came and destroyed the town known as Yonok (c. thirteenth century) after its ruler became immoral. Despite this divine retribution, the people of the town chose to rebuild it. Many archaeological sites indicate resettlement during this early historical period. Although many temple sites were constructed in accordance with the Buddhist cosmology, the building patterns vary from location to location and illustrate what this paper calls ‘nonconventional patterns,’ distinct from Theravada Buddhist concepts. These nonconventional patterns of temples seem to have been widely practiced in many early historical settlements, e.g., Yonok (what is now Wiang Nong Lom). Many local written documents and practices today reflect the influence of the naga myth on building construction. This paper will demonstrate that local communities in the Chiang Saen basin not only believe in the naga myth but have also applied the myth as a tool to interact with the surrounding landscapes. The myth is seen as a crucial, communicated element used by the local people to modify and construct physical landscapes, meaning Theravada Buddhist cosmology alone cannot explain the nonconventional patterns. As such, comprehending the role of the naga myth enables us to understand how local people, past and present, have perceived the myth as a source of knowledge to convey their communal spaces within larger cosmological concepts in order to maintain local customs and legitimise their social space.

Consumption pattern of chicken and consumer awareness of unwholesome practises by some dressed chicken smugglers In Oyo Town, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76
Author(s):  
O.O. Okunlola
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Consumer Awareness ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
The People ◽  
Poultry Farms ◽  
Multistage Sampling ◽  
The Town

Oyo town has a large concentration of poultry farms in Oyo state. This will in no small way influence the meat choice of the people of the town. This study was carried out to determine the consumption pattern of chicken and the unwholesome practices by dressed chicken smugglers in Oyo town, Nigeria. A total of 100 questionnaires were purposively administered to chicken consumers in thestudy area. Also, a multistage sampling method was adopted with the study area divided into three, on Local Government Area (LGA) basis. in the first stage. In the second stage, 30 questionnaires were administered in each of Oyo East and Oyo West LGAs while 40 were administered in Atiba LGA. Data from the table show that majority of the respondents were female (62%), aged between 20 – 39 years (46%) and had tertiary education (54%). From the table, 22% claimed affordability as the reason for chicken purchase while 72% preferred dressed chicken to live chicken.The results also show that 56% of the respondents ate chicken weekly and 47% of them made their purchases from farms and farm outlets. Factors considered to influence purchases were affordability (30%) and availability (24%). Only twenty four percent (24%) of the respondents were aware of the unwholesome practices by dressed chicken smugglers while 46% of those aware saw the consumption of smuggled chicken as hazardous. Key words: Oyo town, chicken consumption, chicken preferences, dressed chicken smugglers, food safety

Sicilian Manna: A Sweet Gift of Nature

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
anna tasca lanza
Keyword(s):  
Special Technique ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The People ◽  
Fraxinus Angustifolia ◽  
Alcoholic Drinks ◽  
Ancient Civilizations ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Historical References ◽  
The Ideal

An Unusual Ingredient – Manna Manna, a gift from nature, comes from a kind of ash called “Fraxinus angustifolia” or “Fraxinus ornus” found in the surrounding areas of the towns of Castelbuono, Pollina and Cefalù (Italy). In the past, it was grown extensively in the Mediterranean basin though all traces of it seem to be lost. The history is pieced together with historical references from the Bible, health manuals from ancient civilizations, and references to the implements used to harvest it. Its mysterious or miraculous properties are presented; two kinds of manna were thought to exist, one from Heaven, and the other from a tree. The ideal conditions for growing the trees and harvest are described with plentiful folklore, local customs, special vocabulary and tools mentioned. Manna is harvested in summertime when the plant is “in love”, from June to September or until the first rains, which would dissolve it, start to fall. The people of Pollina romantically call manna, “a sweet gift of nature”. It tastes like honey mixed with carob. The sap flows through a gash made with a special technique, using a curved cutter called a “mannarolo,” on the vein of the trunk of the tree, and it is left to drip for several days. The sap crystallizes and forms long clumps similar to stalactites, which are called “cannolo” in the manna-world vocabulary. The juice is violet and very bitter when it drips, but the contact with the air and the strong Sicilian sun dries and sweetens it. “Cannoli” are harvested with an “archetto.” There is a second and third grade of sap, which doesn’t crystallize or form cannoli. Prickly-pear leaves act as a sort of spout to catch the manna. Its medicinal qualities include its mild laxative effect, its natural sweetness for dietary purposes, and its use in digestive alcoholic drinks and cosmetics is noted. It is sold at pharmacies and tobacco stores.

The Bible and Israeli Identity

AJS Review ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Shapira
Keyword(s):  
Jewish People ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Holy Trinity ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Historical Continuity ◽  
The People ◽  
The Status ◽  
National Life ◽  
National Romanticism ◽  
Land Of Israel

ldquo;In our two thousand years of exile, we have not totally lost our creativity, but the sheen of the Bible dulled in exile, as did the sheen of the Jewish people. Only with the renewal of the homeland and Hebrew independence have we been able to reassess the Bible in its true, full light,” Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, wrote in 1953. This statement illustrates several core attitudes of the Jewish national renaissance movement towards the Bible. Ben-Gurion depicted a direct relationship between the state of the Jewish people and the status of the Bible: The two rose and fell together. His words are reminiscent of philosopher Martin Buber, Revisionist leader Zeءev Jabotinsky, and others, all of whom postulated a symbiotic relationship between the Jewish people and the land of Israel: “Just as the Jewish people need the land to live a full life, so the land needs the Jewish people to be complete” wrote Buber. The Bible, according to Ben-Gurion, was the third component of the Jewish “holy trinity” of people, land, and book. It served as testimony of Jewish national life in the land of Israel in former times, as a blueprint for reestablishing this way of life, as proof of a glorious past and promise for the future. It nurtured a national romanticism and both inspired and buttressed universal ideas; it was the bedrock of myth and epos, of earthliness and valor, and also of a system of ethics and faith that rein in and restrain muscle and brawn. It was paradoxical proof of both Jewish uniqueness and Jewish similitude, “like all the nations” (I Samuel 8:5); “materialism” and “spirituality”; historical continuity and historical severance between the people and the land.

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