Women studies on Torah,

Daniel Chung
Women studies-#4 response
7-18-06
Another Woman’s Voice for Equality
The Torah, the sacred text for Judeo religion, and where laws are written mainly for justice for the people, have been receiving many complaints against the interpreters, the rabbis, because they refuse to make any changes on the established law and withholding rights among women. While, the Quaran, the sacred text of the Islamic tradition, have conceded all rights to women that were available earlier only to men. Now, women in the Islamic realm are given the right to divorce their husband even against their will, and without consulting him.# However, the rabbinic courts in the state of Israel, composed exclusively of Rabbis, stand by when thousands of wives of recalcitrant husbands are unable to obtain a divorce, and their lives are ruined. #
The goal and strategy is to eliminate discrimination in the light of the overriding principle of justice and equality. #

In Jewish history, elementary schools were created for boys only, while girls often taught scripture and prayer, they were not eligible for regular education and were to find their satisfaction in the preparation toward the role of the homemaker and mother. # Since, women so far have not had a chance to participate in the development of Jewish law and tradition, they need affirmative action to promote their rabbinic education. # Equality demands that women should have the right to participate in education just as well as men, and justice demands in open mind by Jewish judges for the views of all parties and acknowledging the contribution of women and recording their voices and interpretations. “Many of the women in recent years by their husbands would still be alive, if the rabbinic courts had been more efficient in the dissolution of their marriages. Therefore, the Torah, according to the rabbinic concepts, does not claim to be perfect but aims toward perfection.”#  Should the law be changed  in the realms of Judaism , or the interpretations? “Every word of the Torah permits different interpretations, so man has to decide whether to turn toward mercy or toward stern justice.”# Complaints such as abusive married couples should not even be debated, if justice from the Torah was interpreted fully and thoroughly. Perhaps, the Islamic interpretation of justice could be praised when they restricted  freedom about the code of dressing, or rather, educating the women about not exposing their nakedness,# in order to prevent bad marriages, because people are easily charmed  by a beautiful body or materials, without knowing any consequences.