Gender Diversity and Gender Relations. Insights from Rabbinic Halakha

Abstract

Genders are diverse, and the relations between them follow complex patterns. These can be internalised or prescribed in the form of (codified) rules of conduct. By precisely classifying physical characteristics, rabbinic literature created a system of six sexes, which then had to be fitted into the normative guidelines of the halacha. This article traces how rabbinic literature draws on texts from the Tanakh to develop a concept of gender diversity that goes beyond the binary concept of the pretexts. Based on this, the question of gender relations is examined. Particular attention is paid to those texts that address how these genders are integrated in the halachic system. The findings are explored in greater depth using Niddah as a case study. Early approaches to gender diversity within the tension between Torah and its practical realisation in everyday life can be seen, offering an interesting perspective for contemporary discussions.