This chapter develops a sense of self which is indissociable from its intrinsic generosity and re... more This chapter develops a sense of self which is indissociable from its intrinsic generosity and responsibility toward the other. This section attempts a commentary on the metaphor of the “vineyard” which, in the Song of Songs, refers to the woman’s sexuality. I show how this metaphor is used in a subversive way in our text so as to describe a novel form of freedom as consisting in being-for the other, but not in a way that is submissive or alienating, rather one that is in tune with the Shulamite’s deepest longings and desires. I conclude with a reflection on virginity as a gift of self rather than as a state of being that can be altered/taken/marred by someone else.
1. Exile and Judaism 2. Of Ethics 3. Of Society 4. Of Love 5. Of Knowledge 6. Of Spirituality 7. ... more 1. Exile and Judaism 2. Of Ethics 3. Of Society 4. Of Love 5. Of Knowledge 6. Of Spirituality 7. Of Art Conclusion Bibliography Index.
Ever since the sexual revolution when it was determined that woman would no longer passively subm... more Ever since the sexual revolution when it was determined that woman would no longer passively submit to the rigid and degrading roles inflicted upon her by patriarchy, woman has been searching for new ways to express herself and individuate as a woman. Womanhood has been in the making since then and the exploration of the endless possibilities that are open for a woman to express herself as a woman has been exhilarating. This introduction situates the book in this movement of exploration as well as explores the genre of wisdom literature to which the Song of Songs belongs.
Having explored the implications of experiencing one’s femininity as a form of generosity of self... more Having explored the implications of experiencing one’s femininity as a form of generosity of self, a gift of self that is whole-hearted and generous, I then explore, in this chapter, the structure of this gift. There is an art of giving of oneself that must be rediscovered. This is the art form that is implied in the Shulamite’s repeated warning to the daughters of Jerusalem to “not arouse or awaken love until it is ready.” This warning constitutes a sharp contrast with the generally sensual and reckless lovemaking of the Song. From this contrast, I show that two voices of wisdom are to be heard in our text: That of sensuality and that of discretion, and that the art of seduction hangs precisely on the ability to protect the delicate balance between these two voices.
This chapter is a reflection on grace in the Song of Songs. What is striking about the Song is th... more This chapter is a reflection on grace in the Song of Songs. What is striking about the Song is that the lovers endure, and this in spite of their essential differences, their irrecuperable mistakes, the depth of their betrayals and their continuous recklessness. In the end, love is said to triumph even over death! There is thus a quality of love which escapes human understanding and effort; it is a sacred flame that burns on in the heart of God even when the lovers find that their love for each other has cooled down. Our text thus seems to imply that the source of love lies beyond the lovers themselves and that it is thus that their love has been found to endure in spite of their mistakes. There is therefore an element of grace to love that is often forgotten.
The rediscovery of the voice of discretion then leads to a discussion on patience in this chapter... more The rediscovery of the voice of discretion then leads to a discussion on patience in this chapter. This section is a commentary on what constitutes the heart of the book, the failed rendez-vous between the man and the woman described in chapter five. One wonders why a failed encounter would be placed at the center of our text. Yet, there is wisdom to be gathered from this failure too, the first of which is the realization of the essential differences between the woman and the man’s timing. One of the partners is inexorably slower than the other. In our text this difference in timing leads to a failed encounter, but it need not be so in real life. The hidden lesson of our text is one of patience.
In light of the recent developments featuring women around the world reclaiming their autonomy an... more In light of the recent developments featuring women around the world reclaiming their autonomy and self-respect in the face of male domination, it is becoming increasingly urgent to rethink the ancient “curse” on woman and the way that it has not only allowed but condoned male oppression and domination over women throughout the centuries. Rather than read the text through the traditional Aristotelian lens used by Church fathers to describe woman as the seductress and man as the legitimate authority over woman’s corrupt nature, this paper proposes a radical re-reading of the “curse” of Genesis 3:16 as a redemptive rather than a punitive moment wherein the woman is given back her power as the ezer kenegdo of man, and man is given back his kingdom lost and his reign over the whole of Creation, or mashal, through the woman’s love, or teshuqah. This will entail that the two key concepts mashal and teshuqah be profoundly re-interpreted from a Hebrew inter-textual perspective rather than t...
This essay proposes to interpret the significance of the so-called immigration crisis in the ligh... more This essay proposes to interpret the significance of the so-called immigration crisis in the light of the ancient story of Cain and Abel. Much more than a mere conflict between brothers, this essay will argue that the story of Cain and Abel presents two archetypal ways of dwelling in the world: the sedentary and the nomadic. As such, the story sheds a shocking new light on our present crisis, deeply problematizing the sedentary and revealing in an amazing tour de force, the hidden potentialities of the nomadic and the powerful rejuvenating force that comes with its inclusion and welcoming in the sedentary landscape that characterizes our Western societies.
A reading of the Song which does not include a note on its traditional mystical interpretation wo... more A reading of the Song which does not include a note on its traditional mystical interpretation would not be complete. And so, in this chapter, I suggest an alternative mystical reading of our Song. While traditional mystical readings have interpreted our Song as playing out the deeper drama of a romance between God (the man) and his people (the woman), I suggest in this chapter that God is better embodied by the woman of our Song than by the man. Doing this, however, reveals a whole new facet of the persona of God. No more endowed with the traditional male traits of aggressivity, power and control, we meet, through the traits of this African woman, a passionate, reckless, yet shy God.
This chapter develops a sense of self which is indissociable from its intrinsic generosity and re... more This chapter develops a sense of self which is indissociable from its intrinsic generosity and responsibility toward the other. This section attempts a commentary on the metaphor of the “vineyard” which, in the Song of Songs, refers to the woman’s sexuality. I show how this metaphor is used in a subversive way in our text so as to describe a novel form of freedom as consisting in being-for the other, but not in a way that is submissive or alienating, rather one that is in tune with the Shulamite’s deepest longings and desires. I conclude with a reflection on virginity as a gift of self rather than as a state of being that can be altered/taken/marred by someone else.
1. Exile and Judaism 2. Of Ethics 3. Of Society 4. Of Love 5. Of Knowledge 6. Of Spirituality 7. ... more 1. Exile and Judaism 2. Of Ethics 3. Of Society 4. Of Love 5. Of Knowledge 6. Of Spirituality 7. Of Art Conclusion Bibliography Index.
Ever since the sexual revolution when it was determined that woman would no longer passively subm... more Ever since the sexual revolution when it was determined that woman would no longer passively submit to the rigid and degrading roles inflicted upon her by patriarchy, woman has been searching for new ways to express herself and individuate as a woman. Womanhood has been in the making since then and the exploration of the endless possibilities that are open for a woman to express herself as a woman has been exhilarating. This introduction situates the book in this movement of exploration as well as explores the genre of wisdom literature to which the Song of Songs belongs.
Having explored the implications of experiencing one’s femininity as a form of generosity of self... more Having explored the implications of experiencing one’s femininity as a form of generosity of self, a gift of self that is whole-hearted and generous, I then explore, in this chapter, the structure of this gift. There is an art of giving of oneself that must be rediscovered. This is the art form that is implied in the Shulamite’s repeated warning to the daughters of Jerusalem to “not arouse or awaken love until it is ready.” This warning constitutes a sharp contrast with the generally sensual and reckless lovemaking of the Song. From this contrast, I show that two voices of wisdom are to be heard in our text: That of sensuality and that of discretion, and that the art of seduction hangs precisely on the ability to protect the delicate balance between these two voices.
This chapter is a reflection on grace in the Song of Songs. What is striking about the Song is th... more This chapter is a reflection on grace in the Song of Songs. What is striking about the Song is that the lovers endure, and this in spite of their essential differences, their irrecuperable mistakes, the depth of their betrayals and their continuous recklessness. In the end, love is said to triumph even over death! There is thus a quality of love which escapes human understanding and effort; it is a sacred flame that burns on in the heart of God even when the lovers find that their love for each other has cooled down. Our text thus seems to imply that the source of love lies beyond the lovers themselves and that it is thus that their love has been found to endure in spite of their mistakes. There is therefore an element of grace to love that is often forgotten.
The rediscovery of the voice of discretion then leads to a discussion on patience in this chapter... more The rediscovery of the voice of discretion then leads to a discussion on patience in this chapter. This section is a commentary on what constitutes the heart of the book, the failed rendez-vous between the man and the woman described in chapter five. One wonders why a failed encounter would be placed at the center of our text. Yet, there is wisdom to be gathered from this failure too, the first of which is the realization of the essential differences between the woman and the man’s timing. One of the partners is inexorably slower than the other. In our text this difference in timing leads to a failed encounter, but it need not be so in real life. The hidden lesson of our text is one of patience.
In light of the recent developments featuring women around the world reclaiming their autonomy an... more In light of the recent developments featuring women around the world reclaiming their autonomy and self-respect in the face of male domination, it is becoming increasingly urgent to rethink the ancient “curse” on woman and the way that it has not only allowed but condoned male oppression and domination over women throughout the centuries. Rather than read the text through the traditional Aristotelian lens used by Church fathers to describe woman as the seductress and man as the legitimate authority over woman’s corrupt nature, this paper proposes a radical re-reading of the “curse” of Genesis 3:16 as a redemptive rather than a punitive moment wherein the woman is given back her power as the ezer kenegdo of man, and man is given back his kingdom lost and his reign over the whole of Creation, or mashal, through the woman’s love, or teshuqah. This will entail that the two key concepts mashal and teshuqah be profoundly re-interpreted from a Hebrew inter-textual perspective rather than t...
This essay proposes to interpret the significance of the so-called immigration crisis in the ligh... more This essay proposes to interpret the significance of the so-called immigration crisis in the light of the ancient story of Cain and Abel. Much more than a mere conflict between brothers, this essay will argue that the story of Cain and Abel presents two archetypal ways of dwelling in the world: the sedentary and the nomadic. As such, the story sheds a shocking new light on our present crisis, deeply problematizing the sedentary and revealing in an amazing tour de force, the hidden potentialities of the nomadic and the powerful rejuvenating force that comes with its inclusion and welcoming in the sedentary landscape that characterizes our Western societies.
A reading of the Song which does not include a note on its traditional mystical interpretation wo... more A reading of the Song which does not include a note on its traditional mystical interpretation would not be complete. And so, in this chapter, I suggest an alternative mystical reading of our Song. While traditional mystical readings have interpreted our Song as playing out the deeper drama of a romance between God (the man) and his people (the woman), I suggest in this chapter that God is better embodied by the woman of our Song than by the man. Doing this, however, reveals a whole new facet of the persona of God. No more endowed with the traditional male traits of aggressivity, power and control, we meet, through the traits of this African woman, a passionate, reckless, yet shy God.
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Papers by Abi Doukhan