Abstract
Dinah’s role as a Torah interpreter and writer in “Agunah,” mirrors not only that of the
abandoned woman in the midrash, but of Baron herself. This paper begins with a modern
midrash written by Danah Fulbur, a woman who challenges women’s exclusion from
contributing their voices to the ever-growing tapestry of Torah. While the men who authored
midrashim freely used woman in parables, comparing them to objects of all kinds, Fulbur
illustrates how these parables highlight not only the objectification of women, but also their
inability to share their own Torah insights and parables. In “Agunah,” Baron breaks through this
glass ceiling by subverting a midrash that parabolizes the pain of an abandoned woman. Baron
portrays how every parable is not merely a parable, but a live story, both literal, metaphorical,
and dynamic. Through adding her own voice of interpretation to the midrash, Baron welcomed
the next generation of women to continue using their voices to both challenge, and redeem, the
Jewish people. [from Conclusion]
Description
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