The Torah (the Holy Book) contains 613 laws, of which only three pertain directly to women. Because the intended role for Jewish women as depicted in the Torah is that of a housewife and homemaker, these three laws can only be performed to their fullness when a Jewish woman is married. This indicates that a Jewish woman will not belong in Judaism until she belongs to another, indicating the importance of marriage within Jewish culture.
Having been raised within an Orthodox Jewish household, and now being considered of marital age, these conventions and expectations are making themselves evermore present within my life.
This work explores familial and generational tradition and the repetition of this role of the wife and homemaker, framed by the patriarchal borders of Judaism. This work begins with my writing titled My Savta told me once, describing how my grandmother prays for me to find my future husband.
My feet are then depicted walking forward three times, walking backward three times and lifting my heels off the ground three times. This sequence is done at the end of the Amidah, a prayer said every day. The Amidah is said to be the most powerful prayer whereby Tehillim are said afterwards as a merit to come true.
I show this through the sound piece, which is myself reciting the Tefillah, or prayer, for a husband. However, the prayer becomes more and more distorted, shifting this prayer from one of purity to one of discord.
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Prayers for my Besheret, 2021, Video