Anton: Secret Scholar
As (hopefully) most of you know tomorrow Maggie Anton, the author of the successful Rashi’s daughters series will come and discuss her historical novels and how Jewish women in Medieval France can be an inspiration to us today. She already finished two of the three volume series, one volume about each of Rashi’s three daughters. We wrote about the second volume, featuring Miriam a few months ago. Ms. Anton’s latest book, the Secret Scholar is a prequel to the first volume, Joheved, depicting Joheved’s life as a young girl. You can read the books’ description either in our post last week or on the books’ own webpage. Today I would like to use (The Jewish Publication Society, the publisher’s information to recommend the book to you. There you can also access the first two chapters and a reader’s guide to the book. I hope this will make you curious enough to purchase a copy tomorrow Wednesday night or borrow the library’s copy later next week.
The tale of a young girl who challenges conventions to engage in Jewish learning
Set in 11th-century Troyes, France, Rashi’s Daughter, Secret Scholar tells the story of Joheved, eldest daughter of Salomon ben Isaac (known as Rashi), one of the great medieval Jewish Bible commentators. At a time when women traditionally were barred from studying Jewish texts, Rashi secretly teaches first Joheved, then her sister Miriam. By day, Joheved helps in running the household and the family winemaking business, and by night she studies Talmud with her father.
As she nears marriageable age, Joheved finds her mind and spirit awakened by religious study, but she must keep her passion for learning and prayer hidden. When she becomes betrothed to Meir ben Samuel, she is forced to choose between marital happiness and being true to her love of the Talmud. Will she fulfill the expected role of a Jewish woman or pursue a path of Jewish learning?
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