when did the change take place and why?
2006-07-12 14:59:39 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Many years ago a professor of religion told me that Jewishness is determined through the female line because one could be certain of the mother's identity. The father could be anyone, but the midwives who attended the birth were witnesses to the identity of mother and child. Pretty sensible, really.
2006-07-12 15:50:19 · answer #1 · answered by dbaldu 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does it really matter? Maternal, Paternal. What happened to gender equality?
2006-07-12 22:03:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's because the only function of women in that society was to give kids, so the jewish women could get strength in this social position - they could't be a professional, the only woman in a man's life...
2006-07-12 22:09:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
being jewish is determined by the mother. that's why its called maternal.
however, tribal status and geneology is done through the father.
so, in truth, its sort of both.
2006-07-12 22:22:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it never changed
the father determined which tribe the person came from
the mother determined his Jewishness.
2006-07-17 04:24:04 · answer #5 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋