Were I to respond, in full, to the overarching question presented to
me – “What models are there in the classical rabbinic literature for
relationships between men and women?” – I would preface my discussion with the observation that, as regards marriage (presumably,
our primary focus), the models in evidence in Hazal are both few
and partial.
Torah thought daf hayomi
ReplyDeleteShekalim 9b
“Mishnah. What was done with the donations התרומה? They brought therewith the regular burnt-offerings תמידין [Cf. Num. XXVIII, 1-8] and the additional [the special offering for the Sabbath, the New Moon and the Festivals, enumerated in Num. XXVIII, 9-XXIX, 39] burnt-offerings and their drink-offerings, the omer and the two loaves and the shewbread and all the other public offerings [e.g., frankincense and the drink-offerings ordained, infra VII, 6]. those who watched the aftergrowths [Growing without human labor; cf. Lev. XXV, 5, 11] in the seventh year [all produce of the Seventh Year was ownerless property and free to man and animal, Lev. ibid. 6-7. As the Omer and the Two Loaves had to be offered out of the new produce of the year, therefore in the Seventh Year guardians were set over a special field to guard its aftergrowths for the use of the Omer and the Two Loaves for that year, so that they might not be eaten by man or animal.] received their wages out of the donations from the chamber. R. Jose says: [if a man wished] he could volunteer to watch without payment. but they said to him: thou, too, dost admit that they The Omer and the Two Loaves] can only be offered out of public funds [But if the watcher is unpaid the aftergrowths become automatically his own private property and could not be offered up; v. B.M., Sonc. ed. pp. 671ff and notes].”
Most interesting the issue of using public funds for the Omer and the Two Loaves. We have an issue before the US Supreme Court using public funds to pay for indigent new arrivals coming through the Texas border. See: 14 GOP-led states file long-shot bid with SCOTUS to defend Trump-era 'public charge' rule in CNN. Paxton just filed with SCOTUS, no docket number yet. Paxton claims that Biden is violating the public charge rule of law that bars new immigrants that are poor with no relatives to give financial support will consume Medicaid, food stamps and federal housing assistance etc that are non-cash benefits. Biden/Harris and the Progressive Left say the public charge rule applies only to cash benefits---nonsense, ridiculous. Paxton should win in SCOTUS. In 2 weeks SCOTUS judges will vote on my 20-6525.
The Mishnah in Shekalim 9b says only public funds can be used for the Omer and the Two Loaves. The Mishnah is deeply concerned on using public funds raised by donations. Biden/Harris and the Progressive Left say it’s OK to use public funds to support indigent new arrivals. Netanyahu built wall some years ago to reduce the flow of indigent Sudanese flowing into Tel Aviv. Trump built a wall---but Biden/Harris wants to undo Trump’s good.