The Mishnah is a book of legal rules produced by Jewish sages in second-century Palestine and is to a great extent still binding upon Orthodox Jews. In this pioneering work, Judith Wegner scrutinizes the Mishnaic laws governing women, in an attempt to determine the image and status of women in the patriarchy the Mishnah portrays. She focuses on a specific question: did the Mishnah's creators regard women as persons, entities possessing legal rights, powers, and duties, or mere chattels, the property of some person or other? ...
Read More
The Mishnah is a book of legal rules produced by Jewish sages in second-century Palestine and is to a great extent still binding upon Orthodox Jews. In this pioneering work, Judith Wegner scrutinizes the Mishnaic laws governing women, in an attempt to determine the image and status of women in the patriarchy the Mishnah portrays. She focuses on a specific question: did the Mishnah's creators regard women as persons, entities possessing legal rights, powers, and duties, or mere chattels, the property of some person or other? Considering a wide range of issues including women's ability to give legal testimony and enter into religious vows, the penalties for rape and seduction and the rules pertaining to betrothal, marriage, and divorce, Wegner discovers a curious paradox. In some circumstances the Mishnah clearly regards women as full legal persons, with the same rights and responsibilities as the adult Israelite male. At other times, however, the system treats women as virtual chattels of the men who control their lives. Through close analysis of individual cases, Wegner isolates the factors that generate differences in the treatment of women. She finds that these differences hinge on whether a woman is legally independent, or subject to some man's jurisdiction. The crucial point, she demonstrates, is the locus of ownership of the woman's sexual and reproductive function. Whoever owns a woman's sexuality exercises a degree of control over that function - and hence over the woman in question - that greatly resembles an owner's control of a chattel. For this reason the personhood of minor daughters, wives, and certain widows is circumscribed, whereas "emancipated" women such as adult daughters, divorcees, and most widows are virtually autonomous. Of interest to scholars and students of Jewish law and religion, and historians, especially those interested in women's studies.
Read Less
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $13.04, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $13.61, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $18.95, very good condition, Sold by Book Trader Cafe rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. Size: 6x0x9; First Edition, First Printing. Hardly any sign of use with No Writing in text. Ships with tracking the same or next business day from New Haven, CT. We fully guarantee to ship the exact same item as listed and work hard to maintain our excellent customer service.
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $19.82, very good condition, Sold by Lawrence Jones rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Nobby Beach, QLD, AUSTRALIA, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good jacket. 8vo. xii, 267pp, index, bibliography, notes, appendices. Or boards in jacket. Small prev owner name stamp on front free endpaper, some foxing to page edges. Scrutinizes the mishnaic laws governing women focusing on a specific question: did the Mishnah's creators regard women as persons, entities, psssessing equal legal rights, powers and dutires, or mere chattels, the property of some person or other?
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $23.09, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $56.64, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Chattel Or Person? : the Status of Women in the Mishnah to cart. $76.98, new condition, Sold by GridFreed rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from North Las Vegas, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1988 by Oxford University Press.