Asenath
When looking at things in life, I always like to think I can see the special or extra side of a problem, an action or behaviour. Like looking into things at work and finding a solution to a communications challenge, or seeing a great opportunity in a business situation or just interpreting a report to make the most out of the recommendations.
Even talking with my family and trying to answer their questions or give some advice or guidance, I think, I’ve hit the nail on the head with this and got it spot on.
Unfortunately, despite my pretension that I’m the greatest manager at work and a super parent, most of the time I miss the plot completely no matter how hard I try to analyse and to draw out a deeper meaning.
So imagine my surprise whilst reading this week’s Parashah to notice something I’d not seen previously. I wondered why amongst the important story of Joseph’s early sojourn in Egypt, I had not previously considered the story of Asenath the woman who married Joseph?
The text has no explanation regarding who Asenath was apart from the fact she was the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. In the text we see Pharoah elated at Joseph’s interpretation of his dreams and he renames Joseph, then arranges his marriage to Asenath.
So whilst there’s no full explanation of who she is, the Midrash gives one.
The Rabbis in the Midrash found it objectionable for Joseph to be marrying a non-Jew. So what’s their solution? Asenath is explained as the daughter of Dinah.
Yes poor Dinah, who was Leah and Jacob’s child and her story of violation and subsequent revenge committed by her brothers. If you recall, Shechem the Hivite abused Dinah and the revenge of Simeon and Levi her brother was fatally brutal[i]; more so as it was achieved by devious means. Altogether an uncomfortable tale.
The portion contains further acts of revenge but this time from Joseph. When his brothers first come to ask for grain he meets them and speaks roughly to them. Instead of greeting them joyously he treats them harshly maybe for the troubles they caused him. We recall the dreams of his early years that so troubled his brothers and father, dreams of their sheaves bowing to his, the moon and stars bowing to him too.
Biblical characters are not always perfect which is one of the things I really find intriguing about the Torah. The quite substantial reality checks that appear. The horrific tale of the story of Dinah, a tale in which her personality is virtually absent, is illustrative of this. Shechem is slaughtered. Joseph actions are vengeful. Manipulative. We even hear his brothers wonder after their father dies whether Joseph will bear enmity and take vengeful payment for all the harm they inflicted upon him. Eventually we hear that significant reply, “God intended it for good” אֱלֹהִיםחֲשָׁבָהּלְטֹבָה.
As for Asenath, let’s not forget that her descendants include Joshua and King David after she bore Ephraim and Manasseh.
But I was enthused and began to dig deeper and find more.
I had a confident feeling that there would be something more to enjoy and what did I find?
Alongside other Midrash like the well known Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer who also saw Asenath as Dinah’s daughter, I found there are many tales of Asenath, somewhat similar to the Midrashic traditions, that are found in Syriac, Greek, Slavonic and Arabic literatures.
And guess what, it’s a full blown tale of the love between Joseph and Asenath[ii] and it has many variations which were widely disseminated around 2nd Temple/Hellenistic times.
A love story. Aaahh.
Wonderful, it contains everything, the exceptional beauty of the two lovers, love at first sight, the kiss, it’s all in there I’m told.
I’ve even found a link to the things I began today with, studying and interpretation.
An Egyptian Jewish version of the tale exists which is a recension. A new word for me.
A recension is a critical revision that takes the most plausible elements found in varying versions and creates something more realistic I expect.
This Egyptian Jewish version, contains according to Encyclopaedia Judaica, valuable evidence for a Jewish mystical tradition in the region and contains evidence that it was written shortly before one of the Jewish revolts against the Romans.
And if studying and concentration are what I’ve got you focused upon, then you’ll appreciate this next link.
Asenath was also the name of someone who is said to be probably the first woman Rabbi.
Asenath Barzani who was born in 1590, became the head of a Yeshiva in Mosul, Kurdistan (Iraq) and was a renowned Torah scholar. After her father, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone taught her Torah and Talmud it is told that she didn’t do any domestic work so she was free to study. Even in her Ketubah, the marriage contract, her father insisted she be never troubled by domestic work in order to free her to continue to study and teach.
In a famous letter Asenath Barzani repents of the lack of learning around her and encourages empowerment.
“I’ll speak for the Learning and moan for its vanishing from my land, for the brilliant spark in a cloud of heaven, has hidden from my people…”
In this she urges the people of Kurdistan to dedicate themselves to learning and eventually Barzani became the chief teacher of Torah in Kurdistan.
She is further renowned too as a great Kabbalist and there are a number of legends of the miracles she performed. I particularly like the flock of angels tale. Asenath is told to go to Amadiyah by her father in a dream and welcome the new moon. Once there the people are afraid to go out because of local enemies. She persuades them to witness Rosh Chodesh, actually gaze upon the moon outside but after they agree, they suddenly notice their synagogue on fire. Asenath whispers a few words just before the Torah scrolls are burnt and a flock of angels descend, who put the flames out with the beating of their wings. The enemies are afraid after hearing this and leave the Jews alone.
Her poetry, wrote in Hebrew which was unique at the time, are some of the earliest modern Hebrew texts written by women.
Significantly Asenath Barzani was called Tanna’it, which means female Talmudic scholar. The word was probably coined especially for her.
The website, ‘About Judaism’ says of Asenath, “..her legacy is empowering. she demonstrated that Jewish women – even if they face obstacles such as inequality – can put aside the broom, invest in learning, and achieve greatness.”
Let’s celebrate our Jewish women and how more so than with motherhood and learning. Let’s greet all Jewish mothers, here, everywhere and those to come with a resounding Shabbat Shalom (this was a dvar delivered on Shabbos in 2013).
[i] Jewish Encyclopedia
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