Most people think that the women's lib movement began in this century by such worthy pioneers as Mrs. Pankhurst and her ilk- but this is actually a misconception. Archaeological evidence points to another, similar movement at the beginning of the first century of the common era, based in Israel- at the time of the second Bes HaMikdash. The latest exciting discovery is a scroll of parchment found in an earthenware jug under a miklat in afula on which, we believe, is inscribed the battle song of these bold ladies. I am proud and privileged to present to you here the translation of this anthem together with a commentary by the "Ohr HaLoshon".
We're clearly soldiers in snoods and tights
Dauntless maccabees for women's rites
Though we adore men individually
We agree that as a group they're rather stupid
Cast off the shekels of yesterday
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
& they'll sing in grateful chorus
Well done - Sister Sofrogets!
From Haifa to Afula
One hears the restless cries
From every corner of the land
Womankind arise!
Ritual equality
& equal rites with men
Take heart, for Elisheva has been clapped in irons again!
No more the meek & mild subservients we
We're fighting for our rites militantly!
Never you fear!
So cast off the shekels of yesterday
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
As they sing in grateful chorus
Well done! Well done! Well done!
Sister Sofrogets!
"We're clearly soldiers in snoods and tights"
OL- A modernistic translation- the typical dress
of the period was bare
feet and sandals, ankle length dresses & head shawls.
"Dauntless maccabees for women's rites"
OL- They likened themselves the Hasmoneans as
they felt they needed to
fight a physical war for a spiritual cause.
"Though we adore men individually"
OL- They promise to continue their usual
domestic duties- grinding flour
and baking pitas in time for breakfast, weaving the talisim and
so on
and so forth.
"We agree that as a group they're rather stupid"
OL- This was plainly a dig at the Sanhedrin, for
which they were put
promptly and deservedly into cherem. Then they were promptly
taken out
of cherem because the members needed their breakfasts and the Av
Bes Din
tore his talis one day.
"Cast off the shekels of yesterday"
OL- The sister sofrogets promised to
completely revolutionise the
currency, in particular they had decided to put Yehudit on the
head side
of the coin & a challa and candles logo on the back.
"Shoulder to shoulder into the fray"
OL- Said in anticipation of their invasion of
the men's court, and all
the pushing and shoving that might be necessary, though it was
more
likely that then men would simply part like the red sea &
pelt them with
esrogim.
"Our daughters' daughters will adore us"
"As they sing in grateful chorus"
"Well done sister Sofrogets!"
OL- Of course one of the main points of
contention of these ladies was
the inability of the women to give gets to their husbands and the
resulting anguish of the agunah. They promised to change all
that, and
moreover, they would pen their own gets. Thus "Achiot Sofrot
Gitim"
which much later became corrupted to "sister
suffragettes" though we can
see etymologically that there really is no connection to
franchise.
"From Haifa to Afula"
OL- Hotbeds of revolutionary activity and
centres for the manufacture of
modest garments in which one can march.
"One hears the restless cries"
OL- Cries of six month old babies left behind
with fathers and
babysitters while their mothers are out canvassing. (This is
where Mary
Poppins comes in)
"From every corner of the land"
"Womankind arise!"
"Ritual equality"
OL- No more of this purdah stuff. If women have
to sit in separate tents
every now & again then there should be equal provision for
their menfolk.
"& equal rites with men"
OL- The usual demands, leyning from the sefer
Torah, minyans, equivalent
rites in the Bes HaMikdash.
(Incidentally, further exploration at the Afula miklat site
has revealed
at least 458 periscopes. It is believed that these were used by
the
women in the women's azara to see through to the men's section in
the
Bes HaMikdash. Now the first recoded invention of the periscope
in
history.)
"Take heart, for Elisheva has been clapped in irons
again!"
OL- A certain Elisheva bas Naomi is named in
various documents of the
period, apparently one of the leaders if not the leader of the
movement.
Owned a pita bakery so could not be put into cherem.
"No more the meek & mild subservients we"
"We're fighting for our rites militantly!"
OL- Handcuffing themselves to the gates of the
men's court of the Bes
HaMikdash was a popular publicity stunt. They also proved by
their
hunger strikes that they could last a lot longer without pita
than their
husbands.
"Never you fear!"
"So cast off the shekels of yesterday"
"Shoulder to shoulder into the fray"
"Our daughters' daughters will adore us"
"As they sing in grateful chorus"
"Well done! Well done! Well done!"
"Sister Sofrogets!"