There are several roles, which are expected of a woman in the Judaism community. Ever since the second temple, there has been sexual isolation in the Judaism community, men mainly dominated Judaism. Orthodox Judaism is a sub-group, which advocates for the strict abiding of Judaism application and interpretation of Torah principles and laws. This sub-group is also referred to as observant Jews or Torah Judaism. In Orthodox Judaism, Hebrew bible the responsibilities of women are mainly outlined in the Hebrew bible. In Orthodox Jews community, there are distinctive responsibilities and religious commitments for women.
Undeniably, in religious education women was just required to read rules regarding the performing of Jewish household and nothing more. They were not encouraged to study advance issues relating the Jews community. Women were not allowed to put on trouser, which according to the Judaism community, are meant for men. Married orthodox women are expected to cover their hair using the scarf or the hat. In their religion, women are supposed to keep away from their spouses during their menstruation and seven days after the Childs birth (Bose 20). An organizer of weighty manipulates in modern Orthodoxy in America prohibits women characters to serve as synagogues boss. However, there is the advancement in women and girls education in Orthodox Judaism community; they are still not allowed to study an advance text of Judaism referred to as Talmud study. Currently, Orthodox women have commenced the holding of prearranged prayer (tefila) but they must not organize a prayer quorum (minyan) according to their religion.
Concerning women prayer by the Orthodox Judaism, there are varied positions taken by the authorities. There are some who advocates that women prayers should be totally prohibited while others belief they should be given the authority of partial prayers but not full prayer. There is also a group which according to them, women should be permitted to Torah in mixed session and that they should partly participate in activities that do not necessitate a minyan under definite circumstances. In the past, Women in Orthodox Judaism are not allowed to be a witness in their courts but at present it is a right and obligation for them to testify more so when the case is about sexual harassment (Keene 66).
There is a push for the change of women responsibility in the community; this has caused many views by the members of the Orthodox Judaism. They have pay attention on the Talmud and other traditional sources. According to those sources women are required to desist from doing sex during menstruation, according to them, participating in sexual activity in such a time is a taboo (Pinkham 19). Orthodox Judaism strongly recommends the observance of women and men as different and that they cannot be equal in all the aspects despite the move for equality. Orthodox Judaism argues that women have a minimal role in their religion; they support their argument with the fact that few women were involved in the bible. They believe that men are supposed to make and implement laws.
Pechilis asserts that, Orthodox Judaism beliefs that every majority of biblical instanced involved men, they cited a female authority such as Rabbanit Zohara who uses male model. In Judaism, male are considered normative whilst the femaleness are taken as others. In Non-orthodox society like Hinduism, they give women the authority to take part in public rituals as opposed to the Orthodox Judaism where women must not participate in such activities. Women are not allowed to partake the ritual especially those designated with time. In Orthodox Judaism, there is a belief that it is a male dominated religion, in the commandments of Judaism, there are various negative (thou shalt not) and positive ones (tou shalt). In the fourteen commandments, only three are positive that are directed to women.
Since women are frequently at home, they are believed to be the one to light the candle of the Sabbath. Women also have an obligation of taking Challah, this is a duty, which involves a figurative offering to the priest by simply breaking a ritually treated initial piece of the dough utilized in baking and then set it ablaze. This duty is particularly meant for women since they are the homemakers (Bose 35). There is also another responsibility of women in Orthodox Judaism regarding the accomplishment of Niddah laws. This is the ritual purity in the time of menstruation, before a woman embarks on the sexual activity again after menstruation; she has a role of participation in purification by visiting Mikvah. This purification entails reciting of prayers and dipping in water. The Mikvah is a place where it is believed to be near to God. It offers an exclusive chance for a woman to understanding and reveals on the religion she belongs. These were meant to appreciate women and not just to be taken as the sex objects and hence the importance of the separation sexually during the menstruation time.
In the Orthodox Judaism, marriage to a woman is paramount; it defines her role in the community. In this religion, a woman is suppose to focus her energy and time in developing her family especially in carrying out household responsibilities and raising children. The women are in charge by ensuring that the whole family consumes only legitimate meals. This is one of their responsibilities as custodian of the household. Caretaking is another significant responsibility of women in Orthodox Jewish community that is caring the elderly and rearing children. This is considered a religious expectation of a woman (Keene 70).
According to Wadly, women also have responsibilities in the Shaivism Hinduism community. For many years, women have pushed for their rights in the community most of them bearing in mind the equality with their male counterparts. Women are expected to depict the expected character of a wife and a mother in all her undertakings. The law books of Hindu community lay down the responsibilities of a woman. Certainly, woman roles are mainly to conduct the household chores and treat the husband in the required way. On the other hand, women’s responsibility has progressed over time and they are going in opposition to the social norm religion and how they live.
In Shaivism Hinduism, just like in Orthodox Judaism, women have the responsibility of household keeping. They are depicted in the Holy Scriptures as offering a duality as malicious and benevolent revealing her with immense distinct powers. In the moments of prosperity, she is totally goddess of wealth (Laksmi) and a goddess of bad luck in times of misfortunes. Another responsibility is to be a wife and hence bear her kids to the spouse and teach them in accordance with their customary practices (Pinkham 54). Throughout the marriage, the wife ought to be dedicated to her spouse and it is thought that woman is capable of transmitting her innate womanly power to the spouse for everyday rituals and concern for the family. Unlike the Orthodox Judaism women, they are also expected to take part in ritual activities. The wives of Shaivism Hinduism women can perform as a supporter to their spouse on ritual circumstance since they have no scriptural prohibition against such womanly ritual performance.
According to Shavaism Hindu community they appreciate their women and attribute their religious success to women. As opposed to Orthodox Judaism, women take part in almost two- thirds of the yearly religious rituals that are undertaken in accordance with Shaivism Hinduism. There has been a significant change in the role of women in the Shavaism Hindu community over the past hundred years. These changes are attributed to the scholars from western nations who are moving to India. The scholars contributed in the articles and book writing, which depicts the need for changes in the religion.
Like the Orthodox Judaism, there were spiritual scriptures that were not allowed to be studied by women; however, in the Shavaism Hindu community; young women are now permitted to study them in schools. They are now spreading the gospel regarding the importance of educating women in the community. Owing to this alteration of women responsibilities in the Shavaism Hinduism community, infant mortality rate has decreased with improved health measures. Youthful girls are no more compelled to premature (Bose 39). Despite the changes, most women feel that they are dishonoring their Shavaism Hinduism culture by accepting the alteration in their role enhanced by education. Nowadays, most women in this religion choose their lifestyle; they are not so much restricted to their culture especially as education for girl child is improved (Pechilis).
In conclusion, women roles in both communities, the Orthodox Judaism and the Shavaism Hinduism, share many aspects. They are both currently undergoing a significant transformation facilitated by improved education of women. Even though, it poses some dangers in the appropriate wife who is ever submissive to her husband, the transformation has many benefits. Women are able to make rational decisions independently and access to vital information regarding their religion. However, most of them will still preserve some of their cultures.
Work cited
Bose, M. Faces of the Feminine in Ancient, Medieval and Modern India. London: Wiley, 2000.
Keene, M. Religion in Life and Society. New Jersey. Wadsworth, 2002.
Pechilis, K. The Graceful Guru. Hindu Female Gurus in India and the United States. New York:
Oxford Press, 2004.
Pinkham, M. Women in Sacred Scriptures of Hinduism. New York: AMS Press, 2001.
Wadly, S. “Women and Hindu Traditions.” Sighs, Vol. 3, No. 1; Chicago: Chicago Press, 1999.
