Re: Rohrlich/Zias celibacy

Ruby Rohrlich (rohrlich@GWIS2.CIRC.GWU.EDU)
Sun, 7 Jan 1996 20:17:09 -0500

considering both to be the typical irascible replies of trigger-ready
defenders of male dominance, with whom I'm not interested in
communicating. So thanks, Denise, for picking up the gauntlet in such a
sane manner. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk at the AAA meeting; the
opportunity slipped by too quickly. I hope you have a very good year.
Ruby Rohrlich.

On Sun, 7 Jan 1996, Denise Obrien wrote:

> I'm not interested in fomenting a gender/language war but I can't
> let pass without comment Joe Zias' and Anthony Dauer's responses to
> Ruby Rohrlich's comment re who gets credit for the "mitzva".
> As I read it, Zias initially said "it's a mitzva [for the husband]
> to have sexual relations with the wife on Friday night..." Phrase in
> [ ] implied in original. And Rohrlich replied: "Is it a mitzva [for
> the wife] to have sexual relations with the husband on Friday night?"
> Again, phrase in [ ] implied in original. Ruby's reply seems to me
> to be none of the following: a "radical feminist reply" (feminist maybe,
> but nowhere near the tenor of really radical stuff); "snide" or "non-
> constructive". I interpret her question to be: is the credit for the
> good deed shared or reciprocal or allocated to only one spouse?
> Assuming that only the husband could get a mitzva for having sex
> with his wife does reflect a rather patriarchal attitude toward
> sexuality which would not be surprising given traditional Judeo and
> Judeo-Christian attitudes toward gender.....but, of course, that may
> not be the implication of the original statement.
> So, I have to ask Ruby's question again: can a wife get a mitzva for
> having sex with her husband on Friday night?
> And, if you can't frame an answer without flaming me, don't bother
> to reply. Cheers....Denise O'Brien
>
> ===========================+++++++++++++++++++===========================
> | |
> | DENISE O'BRIEN D-OBRIEN@TEMPLEVM |
> | DEPT. OF ANTHROPOLOGY D-OBRIEN@VM.TEMPLE.EDU
> | TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
> PHILADELPHIA, PA 19122 U.S.A. Tel. (office)215-204-1204 |
> ===========================+++++++++++++++++++===========================
>