ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2046 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2046 ************************************ 6 Apr 2000 From: Julie Stampnitzky Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! We wrote to you earlier concerning titles that might have been used by a Jewish woman in 10th-century Iberia; you can find that report online at http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi?1786+0 . At the time, we were not able to offer a feminine equivalent to the Hebrew title . Since then, we have found an option that you might wish to consider. The word , which means "master" or "teacher," appears numerous times in the Talmud, both as a noun, and as a title prefixed to a given name, e.g. [1]. The equivalent feminine title, , seems to have been commonly used in medieval Hebrew [2,3]. We have found evidence that it was used by Jews in 11th-century France [4], 12th-century Germany [5], 14th-century Austria [6], and 16th-century Italy [7]. Since the Hebrew language changed relatively little during the Middle Ages, this title might have likewise been used in your chosen period. A woman who was known in Hebrew as might have been referred to as or . I hope that this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. Raquel Buenauentura and Arval d'Espas Nord assisted in researching and writing this letter. Yours in service, Julie Stampnitzky 6 April 2000 ---------------------------------------- References: [1] The Babylonian Talmud, in "Bar Ilan Study Buddy CD-ROM" (Ramat Gan: Bar Ilan University and Monsey, NY: Torah Educational Software, 1999). [2] Even-Shoshan, Avraham, _Ha-milon He-chadash_ (Jerusalem: Kiryat-Sefer Ltd., 1992). s.v. MaRaH [3] Canaani, Yaakov, _Otzar Ha-lashon Ha-ivrit_ (Jerusalem: Massada Ltd., 1969). s.v. MaRaH [4] Commentary of Rashi to the Babylonian Talmud (op cit.), tractate Brachot 16b. [5] Eidelberg, Shlomo (Trans. and Ed.), _The Jews and the Crusaders: The Hebrew Chronicles of the First and Second Crusades_ (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1977). [6] Roth, Cecil (Ed.), _Encyclopedia Judaica_ (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House Ltd., 1971). [A new edition was published in 1994; a CD-ROM version is available from TES, Monsey, NY.] See the illustration accompanying article "Ketubbot." [7] Ben Yehuda, Eliezer, _Dictionary and Thesaurus of the Hebrew Language_ (centennial edition) (New York and London: Thomas Yoseloff, 1960). s.v. MaR