The Madwoman in the Rabbi's Attic: Rereading the Women of the Talmud by Gila Fine
Winner of the 74th National Jewish Book Award and the 2024 Rabbi Sacks Book Prize
Women in the Talmud are generally marginal and almost always anonymous - the daughters, sisters, and wives of prominent rabbis. The Madwoman in the Rabbi's Attic explores the stories of the exceptions, the six named heroines of the Talmud: Yalta the shrew, Homa the femme fatale, Marta the prima donna, Heruta the madonna/whore, Beruria the overreacherix, and Ima Shalom the angel in the house. As their epithets suggest, every one of these women appears to embody an antifeminist archetype. Yet in each case, a careful rereading reveals that there is a lot more to the story than initially meets the eye; that the heroine is far more complex than she first seems; and that the rabbis had rather surprising - so as not to say proto-feminist - views of marriage, sex, childbirth, and what it means to be a woman in the world. In presenting us with archetypes that systematically break down, the Talmud imparts profound moral teachings about how to read the characters of a text and, ultimately, how to regard the people in our lives.
Gila Fine
Gila Fine is a lecturer of rabbinic literature at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, exploring the tales of the Talmud through philosophy, literary criticism, psychoanalysis, and pop-culture. She serves on the faculties of the Nachshon Project, Amudim Seminary, the Tikvah Scholars Program, and the London School of Jewish Studies, and has taught thousands of students at conferences, campuses, and communities across the Jewish world. As editor in chief of Maggid Books, Gila edited and published over a hundred titles of contemporary Jewish thought, including several bestsellers and eight National Jewish Book Award winners. Her work has been featured in the BBC, Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, The Jerusalem Report, Tradition Journal, Jewish News, and The Jewish Chronicle (which selected her as one of the ten most influential Brits in Israel). Haaretz has called her “a young woman on her way to becoming one of the more outstanding Jewish thinkers of the next generation.”
"Gila Fine is one of the great Talmud teachers of our time. It's vitally important that the Jewish world hear what she has to say." - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
"A fascinating look at the women who make their own way in the world of the rabbis. Fine masterfully peels away the patriarchal veneer of their stories to reveal their hidden light." - Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau
"A dazzling exploration of the portrayal of women throughout history - from Greek mythology to Hollywood movies - bringing the talmudic text to life for the contemporary reader." - Dr. Aliza Lavie
"Gila Fine's sophisticated use of literary and cultural theory produces novel readings of talmudic stories. Her exquisite prose, profound analysis, and comprehensive knowledge of rabbinic texts make each chapter a delight to read." - Professor Jeffrey Rubenstein
"In The Madwoman in the Rabbi's Attic, Gila Fine uses her considerable creativity, originality, and fine literary skills to elucidate talmudic tales, making them more poignant and meaningful." - Dr. Erica Brown
"An original feminine reading of the Talmud, restoring the lost voices of women to the great Jewish conversation." - Dr. Ruth Calderon