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Preface | |
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Introduction | |
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The Historical Background | |
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Sources | |
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The Chronological and Geographical Framework | |
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The Image of the Woman: Partner or the "Other"? | |
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The Creation and the Superiority of Man | |
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The Temptation in the Garden of Eden and the Superiority of Man | |
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Characteristics of Woman and the Superiority of Man | |
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Women and Sorcery | |
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The "Medical Inferiority" of Women and the Superiority of Men | |
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The Obligation to Perform Mitzvot and the Superiority of Man | |
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Expressions in Praise of Women and their Perception as "Partner" | |
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Between Image and Reality | |
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Age at Marriage | |
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The Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Situation in Babylonia in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries | |
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The Situation in Non-Jewish Society | |
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The Situation in Jewish Society during the Tenth through Thirteenth Centuries | |
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Factors Causing the Large Number of Childhood Marriages | |
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Results of Early Marriage | |
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Engagement, Betrothal, and the Choice of a Marriage Partner | |
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The Ceremonies and their Development | |
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The Ban in Ashkenaz against Cancelling Engagements | |
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Choice of Marriage Partner | |
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Consensual Marriage in Christian Europe | |
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The Institution of Matchmaking and Its Place in Jewish Society | |
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Monogamy and Polygamy | |
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The Biblical and Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Situation in Ashkenaz | |
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Polygamy in Spain | |
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The Atmosphere in the Polygamous Family | |
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Levirate Marriage and Bigamy | |
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Feminine Modesty and Women's Role in Supporting the Family | |
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The Talmudic Tradition | |
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Modesty in Muslim Society | |
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Modesty in Jewish Society in Muslim Countries | |
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The "Miqveh Rebellion" in Egypt | |
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The Situation in Jewish Society in Spain | |
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Feminine Modesty and Women's Work in Christian Europe | |
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The Situation in Ashkenazic Jewish Society | |
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Changes in the Legal Status of Women | |
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Woman as Wife and Mother and Her Economic Status | |
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The Woman within Her Home | |
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Prostitution and Concubinage | |
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The Woman's Economic Status | |
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Women's Culture and Education | |
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The Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Situation in Muslim Society | |
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The Situation in Christian Society | |
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The Stance of the Jewish Sages in the Middle Ages | |
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Learned Women | |
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Education of Women in Jewish Society | |
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Girls' Education and Erudition in Ashkenaz | |
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The Situation in Spain | |
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Education of Jewish Women in Italy and Sicily | |
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The Role of Women in Religious Life and in Family Ceremonies | |
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The Biblical and Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Role of Women in Religious Life in Christian Europe | |
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The Performance of Time-Linked Positive Commandments | |
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Women in the Synagogue | |
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Women in the Celebration of Passover | |
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Women Circumcisers | |
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Women as Ritual Slaughterers | |
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Fast Days and Acts of Charity by Women | |
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Refraining from Eating Meat During the Season of Mourning | |
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Women as Bearers of Halakhic Traditions | |
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The Role of Women in Family Ceremonies | |
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Women's Role in Jewish Martyrdom in Europe in the Eleventh to Thirteenth Centuries | |
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The Descriptions of Women in Chronicles about the Pogroms | |
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The Historical Reliability of the Descriptions in the Chronicles | |
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The Role of Women in Jewish Martyrdom According to Christian Sources | |
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The "Beauty" and "Purity" of the Women | |
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Kiddush Hashem and the Cultural and Social Status of the Women | |
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The Description in the Chronicles and the Public Image | |
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Between the Chronicles of 1096 and Sefer Zekhirah | |
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Violence Toward Women | |
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The Talmudic Tradition | |
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The Situation in Christian and Muslim Society | |
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The Position of the Babylonian Geonim | |
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The Position of the Spanish Sages | |
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Maimonides' Position | |
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The Situation in France and Italy | |
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The Situation in Germany | |
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Wife Beating for "Education" | |
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Summary: Between Theory and Reality | |
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The Divorcee and the "Rebellious Wife" | |
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The Divorcee | |
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The Biblical and Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Attitude of Medieval Jewish Sages to Divorce | |
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Grounds for Divorce | |
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The "Rebellious Wife" | |
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The Change at the Beginning of the Geonic Period | |
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The Retreat from the Taqqanah of Moredet during the Twelfth Century | |
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The Proliferation of Divorce in Ashkenaz in the Thirteenth Century and Thereafter | |
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"Rebellion" of Women in Christian Society | |
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Divorce in Spain | |
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The Attitude to the Divorcee | |
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The Widow and the "Murderous Wife" | |
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The Large Number of Widows | |
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The Biblical and Talmudic Heritage | |
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The Situation in Non-Jewish Society | |
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Life Expectancy in Europe | |
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The Situation in Jewish Society: The Attitude to the Widow's Remarriage | |
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The Commonness of Widowhood and its Social Significance | |
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The Widow's Economic Rights | |
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The "Murderous Wife" (Qatlanit) | |
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Summary: Woman's Status in Historical Perspective | |
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The Positive Changes | |
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Negative Changes | |
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The Silencing of Creativity | |
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Between "Pious" and "Rebellious" Women | |
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Notes | |
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Glossary | |
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Bibliography | |
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Index | |