Moral literary works, written for Jewish women and by Jewish women, are treasure-houses of wise advice, both ethical and practical. The first-known Yiddish book of this genre, Meneket Rivkah (Rivkah’s Nurse), reveals a lot about 16th century Jewish women’s lives and their religious practices, yet it remains timeless. Meneket Rivkah was composed by Rivkah bat Meir, who was referred to at the time as ha-rabbonit, the female rabbi or female teacher. She died in 1605 and this work, which was published posthumously in Prague in 1609, is a veritable banquet of wisdom. Imagine a combination of Dr. Spock and “What to Expect When You Become a Wife and a Daughter-in-law and a Mother” along with excerpts from Torah, Talmud, and Midrash. It includes Rivkah bat Meir’s sermons, her interpretations of Torah, and other religious instructions that would guide women in family relationships.
Throughout the various sections, I could hear my parents’ voices giving me the same advice on how to behave toward my husband’s parents, how to teach my children to become menschen, how to be generous in giving charity, how it is better to eat moderately, etc. Sprinkled throughout are stories, fables and parables, proverbs and examples taken from Torah and Talmud and also from life experience that illustrate the specific lesson. It is no wonder that this genre of literature is also referred to as “illumination literature.” One page alone can make for a fascinating learning discussion session for women — and for men, too. Abbreviations, bibliography, introduction, scriptural index, subject index, Yiddish subject index.