The persistence of antisemitism the new york times. I have taught public history and american jewish history as an adjunct professor at the university of baltimore, the university of maryland, baltimore county. Deborah lived in the mountains of ephraim, between ramah and bethel. But before we explore her extraordinary story, there is another more obscure deborah mentioned in the torah that id like to highlight. A major collection of scholarship that contains the most uptodate, indeed cuttingedge work on gender and jewish history by several generations of top scholars. In the united states, the name was most popular from 1950 to 1970, when it was among the 20 most popular names for girls. The account of deborah and barak is found in judges 4 and 5 in the old testament. Deborah is one of the major judges meaning charismatic leaders, rather than juridical figures in the story of how israel takes the land of canaan the only female judge, and also the only judge to be called a prophet, deborah is a decisive figure in the defeat of the canaanites, a victory told in two accounts, a prose narrative in judges 4 and an ancient song known as the song of deborah. Deborah is, in fact, unique in that she is the only woman in the hebrew bible with substantial, hard political power who is portrayed positively. As a military leader, deborah is a rare biblical character. A short, but welltold story of deborah, the hebrew slave who rose from deplorable conditions to lead an army of her people to defeat sisera at mount tabor.
The thread is taken up again in the book of samuel. As a member of the strictly religious satmar sect of hasidic judaism, deborah feldman grew up under a code of relentlessly enforced customs governing everything the instant new york times bestselling memoir of a young jewish womans escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of ayaan hirsi alis infidel and carolyn jessops escape, featuring a new epilogue. The prophetess deborah 26542694 jewish history chabad. Both moses and miriam led the israelites in songs of victory after the crossing of the sea of reeds exodus 15. The reference is in the middle of the passage below. A story about loli by deborah omer hebrew book for kids. During this period the israelites, now in the promised land after the military. Deborah celebrated the victory by composing a famous song, which can be found in chapter 5 of the book of judges. As the story opens in judges 4, deborah is already a judge, settling disputes.
Dec 03, 2010 gender and jewish history the modern jewish experience marion a. A slave girl beaten and tortured by her hebrew hating canaanite master, ybyon. According to author joseph telushkin in his book jewish literacy, the only thing known about deborah s private life was the name of her husband, lapidot or lappidoth. Deborah, devorah or dvorah in hebrew is translated as bee. Apr 12, 2019 deborah is introduced, as are the other 11 judges in the book of judges, without fanfare. Unorthodox book by deborah feldman official publisher. Heroes of american jewish history by karp, deborah and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The story reached its present shape much later in israels history. When deborah became judge, the israelites had been subjugated for 20 years by jabin, king of canaan. It is there in one of the oldest parts of the bible.
An american jewish author now calls germany home the new. Before her were othniel, ehud and shamgar, the latter only for a short time. Deborah, prophet and heroine in the old testament judg. Eshet lapidot could be translated wife of lapidot, but it also means woman of torches. Our sages tell us, that at the advice of his wife he furnished large wicks and oil. This is her story retold with life lessons all women and men can learn from. Lipstadts book, the eichmann trial, published by schockennextbook series in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the eichmann trial, was called. The old testament book of judges finds mention of this song. An historian of american jews, she had not sought the grueling libel trial that transformed her into a public personality. Deborah number two had her own palm tree fittingly called the palm tree of deborah judges 4. Deborah gave her general barak the courage to battle and defeat siseras army. Considered one of the oldest pieces of hebrew poetry, 14 deborahs song continues the israelite tradition of immortalizing a victory in song. One of the greatest has been the jewish prophetess deborah, who was steadfast and loyal to g. Throughout the centuries of history, there have been women who have been praised for excellence in one thing or another.
Those who like their bible with a little spice will find plenty to admire in this frothy. Oct 12, 2012 the book of judges chapters 4 and 5 record the history of the nation of israel in the time of the prophetess deborah. Deborah is perhaps the most understated of these, but also probably the most dramatic departure from the rest of the bible. The hebrew word shofet, traditionally translated as judge, has two different meanings judge in the judicial sense and leader or chieftain.
Lapidot, torches, comes where we would ordinarily expect a husbands name, but it is a strange. Next we have a poem sung by deborah and barak following their victory judges 5. According to the hebrew bible, one woman was all of these things and more. Judges is unique in thatwith the possible and debatable exception of delilahthe main female characters turn gender stereotypes on their heads and scream, i am woman, hear me roar. Book of judges are acknowledged as leaders after military victory. Deborah was a heroine and prophetess in the old testament book of judges. As soon as i read about deborah i knew youd have a post about her. According to author joseph telushkin in his book jewish literacy, the only thing known about deborahs private life was the name of her husband. A good example is the way jewish tradition understood one of the most traumatic and consequential events in jewish history. Deborah rising is a perfect read for history enthusiasts. The black and white illustrations of the people and scenes were realistically drawn with the cute little hebrew letters popping in. Deborah name meaning, origin of deborah name, popularity.
The famed song of deborah, in chapter 5, exults in the breaking of the canaanite stranglehold over much of the country. The book describes a period somewhere between 1200 and 1050 b. Deborah is introduced, as are the other 11 judges in the book of judges, without fanfare. The canaanites had 900 chariots of iron and ruled over israel for 20 years judges 4. Her name deborah, and her identification as a woman of lappidoth, may also signify that she was an outstanding woman. Lipstadt is dorot professor of modern jewish history and holocaust studies at emory university. Deborah, one of the most talked about women in the bible, tells barak they should take on the canaanite army. The prophetess deborah a strong woman of god beginning. The story of deborah is in judges 4, and the song is in judges 5.
Jewish daily forward gender and jewish history will ultimately be valuable to both scholars and graduate students in a number of disciplines. Based on the information in the bible, only samuel and gideon equaled her accomplishments. God chose a prophet and judge known as deborah to lead them in battle against jabin and jabins general, sisera. The scandalous rejection of my hasidic roots feldman, deborah on. Also in the old testament, it is the name of the nurse of rebecca. Jul 01, 2019 deborah stands out due to both her spiritual and civil leadership. Deborah and the dudemanglers in book of judges shmoop. Some have rendered the expression a woman of a fiery spirit, under the supposition that lapidoth is not a proper name, a woman of a torchlike spirit. Lipstadt, dorot professor of modern jewish history and holocaust studies, tam institute for jewish studies and the department of religion. Deborah the prophetess leader from 2654 until her death in. It proves what a great woman deborah must have been to command so much respect and admiration.
Jan 25, 2008 deborah, in terms of the portrayal of her taking the lead as a military commander, is unique. Deborahs war against the canaanites, which took place around 1125 b. Lipstadt, a professor of jewish history at emory, was fighting a defamation suit brought against her by the. By revealing the importance of gender in interpreting the jewish past, this collection of original essays highlights the profound influence that feminist scholarship has had on the study of jewish history since the 1970s. Learn about her courage and prophecy in this video, part of our judges series and curriculum. Deborah is introduced, as are the other 11 judges in the book of. Kaplan and deborah dash moore, is a bit like that imagined leisurely meal. She was the only woman who served as a judge during those extended years of turmoil. Chapter 5 of judges is called the song of deborah and is the oldest known hebrew poetry in the world.
For decades, judges has been scrutinized for clues to israels history. Judges 45 is unusual in that it chronicles a slice of biblical history first in. Unorthodox is the bestselling memoir of a young jewish womans escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of ayaan hirsi alis infidel and carolyn jessops escape, featuring a. In living like the powerful women of the bible, you can find no better example than the life of, deborah. For twenty years the jews lived in peace under the wise guardianship of deborah and barak. Deborah lived somewhere about 1150 bce, about a century or so after the hebrews entered canaan. Nor does the book of judges give the conclusion of the history of the judges. Deborah, judge of israel, summoned barak to go to war. Deborah is an aweinspiring figure who overturns all misconceptions we might have about women, power and godordained leadership.
She was one of the seven women prophetesses whose prophecies are recorded in the bible. My day in court with a holocaust denier 2005, the eichmann trial 2011, and antisemitism. Barak and deborah went forth with 10,000 men to mount tabor and sisera came to meet them. Footnotes 1 hebrew scholar robert alter mentions the two roles of deborah as judge. Heroines of the jewish scriptures american bible society. Gender and jewish history the modern jewish experience. Deborah was the wife of a man whose name was lapidoth, which means torches. Bees are mentioned four times in the old testament. It is a song of exultation commemorating a victory so decisive that it would bring tranquility to the jewish people and usher in a golden age. The israelites had been under the control of the canaanite king jabin and the commander of his army, sisera.
Unzere devora, our deborah, you do not know what you did for us, murmured a holocaust survivor before yom hashoah observances in the u. The song was penned down during the 12th century bce. She is the first female leader in israels history and yet there is something astonishing in the biblical account. According to history, the song is also one of the exquisite representations of ancient hebrew poetry still in existence. In the old testament book of judges deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the israelites to defeat canaanites. Lipstadts book, the eichmann trial, published by schockennextbook series in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the eichmann trial, was called by publishers weekly, a penetrating. Deborah esther lipstadt born march 18, 1947 is an american historian, best known as author of the books denying the holocaust 1993, history on trial.
Thus, deborahs prophecy that a woman will defeat sisera is fulfilled in an unexpected way. The latter sense is obviously the relevant one for the book of judges, though the sole female judge. Most of the major figures in the book of judges are acknowledged as leaders after military victory. Reading gender and jewish history, edited by noted historians marion a. This chapter in scripture, often referred to as the song of deborah, is believed to be written as early as the 12th century bc and is considered by many biblical scholars as one of the earliest examples of hebrew poetry. My day in court with david irving a national jewish book award winner. The bible records no dissent or rebellion against her. The latter sense is obviously the relevant one for the book of judges, though the sole female judge, deborah, in fact also acts as a. Jan 02, 2020 other commentators believe that deborahs role as judge was a sign of gods comforting presence in the midst of his oppressed and downtrodden people. The grammar and context of the song confirm this fact.
In judges 5, we read judge deborah s story again, but this time as a poem. The two literary creations have subtly different attitudes, and in placing them side by side, the historian of the book of judges encourages the reader to read them together as well as separately. Deborah and the no available men argument marg mowczko. Traditional jewish chronology places deborahs 40 years of judging israel judges 5. Ann burton does a great job of writing the story of the early years of the israeli prophetess and judge deborah. Her story is told in the book of judges, chapters 4 and 5. Thought by many scholars to be one of the oldest parts of the hebrew bible, the song recounts the events of the previous chapter in a different way. The time of the judges the time of the judges was not a good period in the history of israel because after the time of. Jan 23, 2014 prophet deborah is the only female judge in the torah. These delightful stories, one for each letter of the hebrew alphabet, blend legend, lore, and playful i guess i just like stories that personify inanimate things. The name deborah means bee, but it also has the same consonants as the hebrew root for speak or word. According to the book of judges, deborah was a prophetess of the god of the israelites, the. Men werent the only important figures in the hebrew scriptures. Deborah is the only female judge mentioned in the bible.
Judges has been scrutinized for clues to israels history. In the old testament book of judges, deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the israelites when they are threatened by the canaanites. Deborah is a judge before the battle, but the narrative does not include the story of how she became judge, why she is called a prophetess, or the way in which god commanded her to begin the battle against jabin, the canaanite king of hazor, and his general, sisera. Unorthodox is the bestselling memoir of a young jewish womans escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of ayaan hirsi alis infidel and carolyn jessops escape, featuring a new epilogue by the author. So may all your enemies perish, 0 lord, is deborah s parting shot, though the true jewish victory went even deeper than the destruction of sisera and his chariots. Deborah stands out due to both her spiritual and civil leadership.
Why jewish history is so hard to write the new yorker. Prophet deborah is the only female judge in the torah. Leadership resides not in gender but in character and gifting. Atina grossmann, the cooper unionby revealing the importance of gender in interpreting the jewish past, this collection of original essays highlights the profound influence that feminist scholarship has had on the study of jewish. Meaning, origin and history of the name deborah behind. An american jewish author now calls germany home deborah feldman, the author of unorthodox, exodus and, most recently.
541 167 374 864 373 1159 1366 629 1197 1457 1215 1387 160 1464 1422 733 1379 1508 1500 950 1339 143 384 318 481 525 1346 208 1354 171