Genesis 1:26 -31
| Translation |
Original |
| And God created human in God’s own image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them. And God blessed them. [JPS translation] |
וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם:
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-What are the implications of God having created both men and women in God's image?
-How does the second version of the creation story (Genesis 2:7-22) square with this story? What tensions does it raise in the roles and relationships between men and women?
Mishnah, Pirkei Avot 3:14
| Translation |
Original |
| Beloved is all humankind for they were made b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God). Doubly beloved are they, for they were told that they were made in the image of God. As it says: "In the image of God was humanity made." (Genesis 9:6) |
הוא היה אומר חביב אדם שנברא בצלם חבה יתירה נודעת לו שנברא בצלם שנאמר (בראשית ט) בצלם אלהים עשה את האדם
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-Why is it significant that we are told that we are created in the image of God?
-Why is the telling a sign of God's special love?
Numbers 27:1-11
This passage from the Torah represents an early effort to rectify a legal inequity. After a lengthy discussion of the laws of inheritance, in which sons are identified as the sole beneficiaries of their father's property, the daughters of Zelophehad successfully protest this unjust ruling.
| Original |
| The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family -- son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph -- came forward. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, "Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah's faction, which banded together against God, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons. Let not our father's name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father's kinsmen!" Moses brought their case before God. And God said to Moses, "The plea of Zelophehad's daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father's kinsmen; transfer their father's share to them. Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: 'If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter. If he has no daughter, you shall assign his property to his brothers. If he has no brothers, you shall assign his property to his father's brothers. If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, and he shall inherit it.' This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with God's command to Moses." [JPS translation] |
Sifre Bamidbar 133
-The following midrash offers a startling observation about the issues at stake in the story.
| Translation |
Original |
| "And the daughters of Zelophehad drew near" - When the daughters of Zelophehad heard that the land of Israel was being divided among the tribes with portions given to the males but not the females, they gathered together to seek counsel. They said, “The mercies of God are not like the mercies of people. People have more concern for males than females. But the One who said and brought forth the world is not like this. Rather, God’s concern is for both males and for females. God’s concern is for all, as it is said, “God gives sustenance to all flesh” and "who gives beasts their food" and "God is good to all and God's mercy is upon all His works." [AJWS translation] |
ותקרבנה בנות צלפחד, כיון ששמעו בנות צלפחד שהארץ מתחלקת לשבטים לזכרים ולא לנקבות נתקבצו כולן זו על זו ליטול עצה אמרו לא כרחמי בשר ודם רחמי המקום בשר ודם רחמיו על הזכרים יותר מן הנקבות אבל מי שאמר והיה העולם אינו כן אלא רחמיו על הזכרים ועל הנקבות רחמיו על הכל שנאמר נותן לחם לכל בשר וגו' (תהלים קלו:כה) נותן לבהמה לחמה וגו' (תהלים קמז:ט) ואומר טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו (תהלים קמה:ט)
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-Who wrote this text? Why would they write something so self-critical?
-In this midrash, the rabbinic authors recognize that they are essentially sexist and that only God is ultimately equally concerned with both women and men. Given the value of imitating God- do you think the rabbis are laying out an aspiration or a utopian ideal?
