Blog Questions for September 23, 2013

Blog questions for 09/23/13

Amanda Aussems

1.     What were the two spheres of men and women’s lives in the Ashkenazic world?

In the Ashkenazic world, men and women had varying roles in society. Men were in charge of public field, which included the synagogue and common community establishments. Women, on the other hand, generally managed home and family life. Both men and women appeared in the market place, though, because women went shopping quite frequently for groceries and home additives. As far as roles within a family, the husband could be considered the “senior partner” and the wife was the “junior partner”, indicating a man’s superiority over a woman’s. The husband was in charge and the wife was the main assistant. For example, if they leased a tavern the woman would be primarily responsible for preparing food, preparing the sleeping quarters, and serving the customers while the husband would handle supplies and finances. Men were ultimately considered higher on the social scale in comparison to women due to their intense and highly invested amount of time in rabbinic studies. Men were intended to be tireless scholars or an honest and successful businessman, while women were to be religious facilitators, supporting their husbands and sons in their study success.

2.     What does her account of her husband's death reveal of her feelings about him and their marriage?

After thirty years of marriage, Glükel’s husband passes away and she is beyond devastated. She quotes that she “fed on the bread of tears and drank tears in great measure”. For Glükel, the devastation came from losing, not only her husband, but her best friend as well. In addition, when her husband passed, Glükel became a single mother of twelve children. Somehow she continued to take care of her self and her children after finding strength in the power of G*d. However, Glükel says that “[She] shall never forget him as long as [she] live[s], for he lies buried in [her] heart”.