woman in hiding

new paper-cut

God did not create woman from the head so she will not be lightheaded. The eye, so she will not be inquisitve. The ear, so she will not eavesdrop. The mouth, so she will not be talkative. The heart, so she will not be jealous. The hand, so she will not be acquisitive. Nor from the foot, so she would not seek public acclaim. Rather, she was formed from a hidden part of a man's body, creating each limb saying 'Be a modest woman.' Genesis Rabbah 18:2

it's been a while. I thought the series of paper-cuts - the Ladies Guild Collection - was finished. There were 10 in total, which is a nice round neat number... unfortunately there is just too much rabbinic misogyny to fit into a neat round number.

This text from the midrash is something that has been preying on my mind. It goes through and dissects the body into its potential for sin, and so concludes that women should remain a hidden modest presence.

Women must be hidden, not attract attention, not interact, engage or err. A woman's body must be hidden away not just because of the sin that they might incite, but because it must never be exposed. Women are a hidden presence. And what happens in women's bodies, and in women's heads, must also be hidden and not part of the discussion.

The quote is surrounded by naked women drawing attention to the parts of the body defined by the modesty literature as the edges of being naked - the elbow, the knee and the collarbone.

some of these women are shamed and hiding, and some are defiantly promoting these borderline parts of the body.

Temptress!

(click on image to enlarge)

R Yohanan says: We learn fear of sin from a maiden (betullah). He heard of a maiden who would prostrate herself saying "Master of the World! You created Gan Eden and Gehinnom (hell), the righteous and the wicked. May it Be Your Will that I not cause men to sin."

for years I toed the line. believed in the reciprocal community arrangement of mitzvot. we are all responsible for each other and we all help each other fulfil what they need to fulfil. the laws of tznuit (modesty) are there because we do not live as isolated selves but we are connected to and affect others around us. So women have been covering up in order to help men have a more spiritual life... but what do we get in return? is there any support from the men to our spirituality?



The discussion about modest dress normally begins with a worthy line about keeping the female body beautiful and special - the king's daughter's beauty is within, but ends with shame and disgrace. judging women and their bodies and labelling, not as beautiful or special, but vessels for sin and temptation to sinful behaviour. walking talking yetzer horas (evil inclination). Making women ashamed not celebratory of their bodies, their curves, their sexual selves.

Like an alcoholic blaming the bottle of wine for their own inability to only have 1 or 2 glasses, the men blame the women for tempting them, for their lack of control.



going back to the quote, the maiden (the hebrew is betullah, a virgin) this sexually inexperienced young girl is praying to God because she is afraid of sin. but whose sin is it? Not hers, but the men who may be aroused by her body. Her body who the 'Master' created.

This is a story that men tell themselves about women. It allows men to abdicate their sexual responsibility as they tell themselves that women have taken this role on. It sexualises young women, and puts their bodies in a context of shame and disgrace.