Theology and Halakhah in Jewish Feminisms

doi:10.1017/9781108233705.013

13 - Theology and Halakhah in Jewish Feminisms

from Part IV - Contemporary Issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 December 2020

Ronit Irshai

Edited by

Steven Kepnes

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Steven Kepnes: Affiliation:
Colgate University, New York

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Summary

This article seeks to make sense of the theological debates within Jewish feminism which were focused on identifying the core theological problem for achieving gender justice, and on inquiring about the importance of halakhah for Jewish feminist life. The article claims that quite interestingly, and although the Orthodox tendency was and remains to emphasize halakhah and minimize theology, Orthodox feminists dealt mainly with theology while a Reform feminist dealt with halakhah. All in all, fifty years into the process it can be said that all currents of Jewish feminism accept the primacy of theology over halakhah. Even those who believe that halakhah has a place in Jewish feminism understand that halakhic change that stands alone and is not anchored in a complete theological doctrine is impossible.

Keywords

Jewish feminism Jewish-feminist theology Jewish-feminist halakhah Theology and halakhah Religious feminism Jewish feminist midrash

Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Companion to Jewish Theology , pp. 297 - 315

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108233705.013 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2020

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