Are women's opinions represented in the Talmud?

[Heretic Gal]

I'm just beginning to learn about the Talmud and its place in Jewish life and thought.

Since I have not read it (yet! I'm working on it!), I'd very much like to know if any *women* have ever contributed to it directly, at any point in its history?

If not (and that's an "if" because again, I'm just at the water's edge on this!), do you think that will change as more women become ordained as rabbis?

And another question: are only rabbis permitted to participate in Talmudic discussion? If not, what are the criteria for inclusion in the "official" Talmud? And also, are there "unofficial" Talmuds?

Obviously I'm quite uninformed but I'm also quite interested in rectifying that lack of information. So thank you!

[Goat]

[Replying to cnorman18]

Well, I think I will just do my best to be a "righteous Gentile".

Oh, and wanted to mention also: what got me thinking about this topic (how women relate to Judaism) is that I've been revisitog some of the feminist literature of the so-called "second wave" of feminism (the 1970s) and am struck by how many of the.most prominent women in the movement were Jewish. Which makes me wonder if, even though it's ostensibly a patriarchal religion, there's a corresponding matriarchal element inside, creating extraordinarily strong women. Like a grain of sand inside an oyster.

Of course being Catholic I've seen that in my own tradition as well.

Well, one thing .. Judaism has always had a sense of 'Justice', and 'giving back to the community'. A lot of that sense of justice has translated into the fight for equal rights for all people. That is why when you look at the civil rights movement, there were a lot of Jews that were involved in it.

Now, when it comes to the commentary on the whole 'adam' and 'eve' story. one commentary is that the word 'rib' is more 'side'.. so a woman was not made from the rib, which would be below the heart, but from the side.. equal to the man..

And, while rare, there are examples in the Bible of women Judges. Now, those women would be in position of authority and power in a time frame when women in positions of authority were unheard of in most of the rest of the world.