Femininity and tears in the classic literature, in the Hebrew Bible and in the rabbinical literature

Abstract

Literature discloses beliefs, cultural values, myths and ideologies which reveal concepts of morality of the environments when and where it was produced. This article proposes to investigate male and female characters in different literatures to analyze the female figure and the maternal cry in the Hebrew Bible and Rabbinic literature (Judaism). Rabbinical Hebrew literature teaches social practices through traditions. This context reveals the development of gender archetypes from the Hebrew Bible and in the rabbinical Hebrew literature universe of the Orthodox Judaism, which determines social patterns from religious specific sexist models. The purpose of this article is to expose the maternal cry in the Hebrew Bible and in the rabbinical exegesis; revealing that men are progenitors and women should be instinctively maternal, because having children is the central feminine role. The research carried out wants to prompt the reflection about the symbolism of the maternal crying as a sacred suffering, as an altruistic act, which in many religions, doctrines and cultures transcend the motherhood itself perceived as sacrifice.