The covenant of circumcision : new perspectives on an ancient Jewish rite
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The covenant of circumcision : new perspectives on an ancient Jewish rite
(Brandeis series on Jewish women)
Brandeis University Press, published by University Press of New England, c2003
- : cloth
- : pbk
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. 205-243) and index
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: cloth ISBN 9781584653066
Description
According to Jewish law, the ritual practice of circumcising male infants signals the male child's entry into the covenant God made with his forefather Abraham. Circumcision, now a common medical procedure for male infants in the USA, has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Some medical professionals have challenged its purported health benefits, ethicists have raised concerns about the degree of pain involved, and Jewish feminists have questioned the implications of a covenantal rite centred on the male genitals. The 16 essays in this volume explore the history, cultural interpretations and contemporary significance of circumcision from a Jewish perspective, and seek to make a contribution to the informed discussion of current issues and controversies. Framed by Elizabeth Wyner Mark's introduction and section prologues, the volume is divided into three distinct parts which examine circumcision's interpretation in widely varying contexts, through history, and three different rabbinic perspectives on recent debates about circumcision. The epilogue brings together the voices of rabbis and scholars with opposing views.
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9781584653073
Description
According to Jewish law, the ritual practice of circumcising male infants signals the male child's entry into the covenant his forefather Abraham made with God. Circumcision, now a common medical procedure for male infants in the United States, has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Some medical professionals have challenged its purported health benefits, ethicists have raised concerns about the degree of pain involved, and Jewish feminists have questioned the implications of a covenantal rite centered on the male genitals. The sixteen essays in this volume, by exploring the history, cultural interpretations, and contemporary significance of circumcision from a Jewish perspective, make a major contribution to the informed discussion of current issues and controversies.
Framed by Elizabeth Wyner Mark's introduction and section prologues, the volume is divided into three distinct sections."Reading the Texts," a series of richly conceptualized essays, places circumcision in contexts ranging from patriarchal narrative to psychoanalysis and kabbalistic esotericism. "Cultural Markings" offers a chronological look at attitudes toward circumcision in Europe during the Roman Empire through the early twentieth century. "Contemporary Voices," the most intimate section, delves into recent debates about circumcision in the United States, Hungary, and Israel and provides three different rabbinic perspectives. An imaginative epilogue bringing together the voices of rabbis and scholars with opposing views concludes this remarkable volume.
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