Lechery! Adulteress!
“R. Eliezer says: Whoever teaches his daughter Torah, teaches her Lechery” Mishna Sotah 3:4
This mishnah is discussing the ritual for women suspected of adultery. The woman has to go through a fairly shameful public procedure, culminating in drinking some bitter waters. If she is guilty then she dies, in a spectacular fashion. But there is a twist. If she has any Torah knowledge to her credit then it doesn't work. There is an opinion (Ben Azzai) in this mishnah (not quoted in this paper-cut) that women should therefore be taught Torah. However, along comes Rabbi Eliezer who says no. If women learn Torah then they will know that this won't work and therefore they will be at it like rabbits with anyone who comes along, as they know that they can get away with it. The hebrew is 'tiflut' which is sometimes translated as 'foolishness' or the sexually laden term 'whoreishness.' I like the finger waving tone of LECHERY. Unfortunately for the development of women's education in Jewish history Rabbi Eliezer's opinion became the influential voice. Because you can't trust women with Torah, when all they want is sex...
This mishnah is discussing the ritual for women suspected of adultery. The woman has to go through a fairly shameful public procedure, culminating in drinking some bitter waters. If she is guilty then she dies, in a spectacular fashion. But there is a twist. If she has any Torah knowledge to her credit then it doesn't work. There is an opinion (Ben Azzai) in this mishnah (not quoted in this paper-cut) that women should therefore be taught Torah. However, along comes Rabbi Eliezer who says no. If women learn Torah then they will know that this won't work and therefore they will be at it like rabbits with anyone who comes along, as they know that they can get away with it. The hebrew is 'tiflut' which is sometimes translated as 'foolishness' or the sexually laden term 'whoreishness.' I like the finger waving tone of LECHERY. Unfortunately for the development of women's education in Jewish history Rabbi Eliezer's opinion became the influential voice. Because you can't trust women with Torah, when all they want is sex...
