In trying to determine which days one does not fast or eulogize on, the Talmud tells a story about an edict issues against the Jews by the Romans that the Jews could not study Torah, circumcise their sons and that they should desecrate Shabbat (How an edict can force Jews to desecrate Shabbat I'm not sure). Yehuda ben Shamua and the leaders of the time, not being sure what to do, sought advice from a matronita. The Talmud then points out that this matronita was frequently consulted by the who's who of Roman society.
Does it seem funny to anyone else that the Jewish leaders sought advice from a Roman woman, one who was clearly a member of the Roman elite? On the one hand it seems politically savvy -- seek out help from someone who really understands Roman politics and who has connections. However, with all the negativity against Rome, it seems strange that that is who the rabbis would turn to. Perhaps it is not as much the political savvy of the rabbis but just a sign of their times -- they, like us, were not an isolated community and naturally interacted with the larger culture--even if there were elements in that larger culture that persecuted them.
An additional point -- I realize that the matronita occurs a few times in the Talmud (16 according to a quick Bar Ilan search). Though I do not have the time to compare those passages at the moment, it is interesting in our case that they seek the advice of a connected woman, and not a man.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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This is a great narrative, isn't it? It's one of those "you get a reward for wading through some boring sacrifice stuff" kind of nuggets that makes the Gemarah great! (It's also, in this case, buried in a fairly mundane conversation about full and deficient Adar, a topic which always makes my eyes glaze over.) But yes, it is fascinating that they approach a Roman, a woman, and, let it be said: she helps them! That I find interesting as well. Why does she help them? Is she some sort of gun-for-hire consultant, like a Dick Morris type? Or does she feel some sympathy for the Jews, and gives them a little pro-bono advice? Finally, do you think Shakesspere had studied this amud when he wrote Shylock's "Hath not a Jew..." speech?
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