The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-05-08
The Rabbis and Woman.

1t is frequently asserted that Judaism
treats with indignity the woman and
elevates the man; that if it does not
positively degrade the female sex, it at
least DEGREES for woman an inferior posi-
tion.
This is serious, charge, but it can
readily be refuted. He who Is ac-
quainted with Jewish home life of to-
day, whose purity, harmony and peace
have been secured through the strict
observance of the Mosaic precepts for
many thousand years-an observance
which has refined race and produced so
healthy, energetic and chaste a people
does not need to be convinced that the
accusation is false. The high ideal of
wOmanhood which the author of Ec-
clesiastes gives may be taken as the
true light in which Judaism regards the
sex. If uncouth men, children. of bar
barism and lawlessness, have at any
time set up q different ideal and as
signed to woman a lower position, the
fault is theirs and must not be traced to
their Jewish character.
The sayings of the Jewish sages on the
subject of woman are many and sug-
gestive They display a wide spirit of
sompathy and love, of tender humanity
and Justice, which is certainly at vari-
ance with the ISLANDERS that have been
circulated about the Orientalism Of the
Rabbis and their harsh sway over wom-
anhoOd. We need not give our athori-
ties for the sayings which we append,
| for we hardly suppose that many of the
readers of the IVomufs Journal have a
Talmud for ready refferance. Here are
some of these sayings:
ga man who has no wife lives with
out peace or law"
"If thy wife is small, bend down to her
and whisper in her ear"
ale who forsakes his first love, Gods
alter sheds tears for him."
"a woman's death is never felt by
any one so much as by her husband"
"AH blessings in a household come
only through or because of thy wife,
therefore should her husband honor
her'p
"He whose wife dies feels as those
must have felt who beheld the destruc-
tion of the holy temple"
"Men should be very careful never to
cause women to cry, for God counts her
tears"
al never call my wife," said Jose,
"FNife,i but Home for she is the prin-
cipal thing which makes it home"
"He who marries for money, his
children become not a blessing, but n
curse.n
"a man should always consult his
wife, treating her as companion, not
as a plaything, making her what God
| intended, helpmeet for him."
'In cases of charity, where men and
women both claim relief, the woman is
always to be the first assisted, and if
there should not be enough for both, the
man must give way"
"Who loves his wife as himself, and
honors her more than himself, will
train his children rightly, will see them
i'm their turn happily married, and on
him the verse in job ". "a will be full
filed"
Rabbi Joshua, during his travels,
came TO well, where maiden was
drawing water. Being thirsty, he asked
her for draught. She handed him the
pitcher. "Drink," she said, sand when
thou hast done, 1 will draw some for the
beast which thou ridest." When the
Rabbi and the animal had quenehed
their thirst, he said to her:
daughter of Israel, thou hast imi-
tated the virtuous example of our good
mother Rebekah."
tFTrue enough, Rabbi" the maiden
replied with a kindly smile, "but if |
have initiated the example of Rebekah,
thou hast not initiated that of the faith
full Eleazer."
"Kind maiden" the Rabbi rejoined,
"thou possessest already more valuable
ornaments than the most faithful ser
want can bestow-wit, innocence, and
good nature. May the Lord continue
to bless thee !i
These few paragraphs prove of them
selves that the Rabbis were not barba-
rians after all, and that we, with all oul
civilization and refinement, can learn
something from these ancient sages
J who, in an Eastern CLINE, with idola
trous and immoral nations about them
still upheld the, purity OF womanhooC
: Journal.