Judaism and Eve

Gender and Sexuality > Gender Studies
Religion and Theology > Judaism
Women Studies > Culture
Women Studies > Women and Society

Judaism and Eve

A discussion on the role of Eve in Judaism.

854 words () | 3 sources | APA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper talks about how Judaism views Eve and how this view has had effects on gender roles ever since. The author explains that although Jewish traditions do exalt Eve as the mother of humanity, she was created to be Adam's subordinate. The author goes on to explore the new cultural trends and other political and religious movements that have allowed traditional Jews to interact with the secular world, which in turn have changed their views on traditional gender roles somewhat.

From the Paper:

"These circumstances have had a long lasting effect on gender roles in Jewish societies and societies that sprung from the Jewish tradition. In many ways women have been subordinated to men in these societies and the roots of this can be traced right back to the story of Adam and Eve. Additionally, it does not help that Eve goes on to have a corrupting influence on Adam. She is the one that first allows herself to be tempted by the serpent to eat of the forbidden fruit, a transgression that ultimately leads to Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden. According to the story, this misbehavior explains why women suffer so much during child birth. Birthing pangs are actually a curse from God himself as punishment for Eve's eating of the fruit."

Sample of Sources Used:

Book of Genesis, Old Testement.
Bonfil, Robert. (1994) Jewish Life in Renaissance Italy. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Hertzberg, Arthur. (1990) The French Enlightenment and the Jews. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.