Revisions: Seeing Torah Through a Feminist Lens

by Elyse Goldstein, Irving Greenberg (Foreword)

What does it mean to re-vision Torah? "I use the title ReVisions for this book because I want readers both to revise―in the classic definition of reexamine and alter―and to see the text anew, to have a new vision, a 'revision,' of Torah.... It begins with the notion that women see the text differently than men do, ask different questions and bring different answers.... This book is not about rewriting the Torah. It is about rereading it."―from the Introduction Rabbi Elyse Goldstein―woman, rabbi, scholar, and feminist―challenges and defends, rereads and reinterprets the ancient text, revealing to modern readers a way to see Judaism anew, for a new vision―a "revision"―of the Torah. Goldstein boldly brings the Torah into a contemporary context at the same time she honestly reconciles its past.

Genres: Judaica, Judaism, Religion, Feminism

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

Reviews

[Chloe Glynn]

While the research compilation and strength of advocacy are excellent, what was revolutionary for 1998 feels lacking in power and coherence for 2025. The three larger sections on women of Torah, blood and water, and feminine aspects of God demonstrate a powerful interpretive practice, even if many of the conclusions have become blessedly more mainstream.

[Teddy Goetz]

Brilliant, pithy, reads as well ahead of its time (though lacking the lexicon of gender diversity that we now have). Highly highly recommend.

[Courtney Anthony]

A great starting place if you are interested in feminism, especially Jewish feminism.