“This world of women’s experience is part of the Jewish world, part of the fuller Torah we need to recover.”
In the book, Plaskow highlights the lack of inclusivity regarding the sexes in the Jewish religion. Therefore the lack of information on women's experiences in the Torah since the teachings and texts are very much male-oriented. She affirms that the significance of such inclusion stems from the fact that womanhood centers on scripture and religion. In the statement, she asserts Jewish women need to reclaim or recover their history towards changing the Torah to suit women. As changing the Jewish religion cannot happen without recovering such information surrounding women and their contributions to the religion.
“If sexuality is one dimension of our ability to live passionately in the world then in cutting off our sexual feelings we diminish our overall power to feel, know and value deeply.”
Though Plaskow came out as gay she affirms that the term sexuality in the book is more about sensuality and gender relations rather than sexual orientation. She emphasizes that Judaism had silenced the female voice and therefore the male and female sexualities were not a focus in the teachings. The male and female experiences are set apart in the Torah and the religion through gender separation. Consequently, sexuality becomes a less explored subject matter and gender relations are weakened or non-existent. Thus, it renders it impossible to get in touch with a part of our spirituality that would otherwise be achieved by embracing all aspects of the human experience in religion.
“When we touch the place in our lives where sexuality and spirituality come together, we touch our wholeness and the fullness of our power and at the same time our connection with a power larger than ourselves.”
Plaskow argues that spirituality and sexuality go hand in hand as they share the same vulnerability and sincerity. Thus, in presenting the feminist ethic in reworking the theology the attitude on sexuality is an aspect bound to be explored. In the Jewish religion, the dynamic of gender relations differ within the religious traditions and the secular modern society. Therefore in addressing this patriarchal tradition Plaskow insists that sexuality and women experiences are crucial starting points on embracing the wholeness of spirituality.
