Shabbat 65: A Few Words About Lesbianism

Some of what we learn today includes:

• the rabbis disagree about whether or not we can dry our clothes by laying them out in the sun (unusual manner) where people cannot see and/or assume that we actually washed them on Shabbat
• a woman can go out with a cloth in her ear or her sandal when they will not be removed/carried
• women can go out with cloths between her legs when menstruating whether or not it is tied because it is understood that it will not fall
• pepper is held in the mouth to prevent odour; salt treats a toothache
• ginger or cinnamon may be held in the mouth on Shabbat
• the rabbis disagree about whether or not a woman can go out with a gold tooth but most agree a silver tooth is permitted
• anything that makes a woman unappealing when removed should not be removed
• using a bundle of fragrant herbs/ a flask of balsam oil is not prohibited for it is used to mask foul odour and it will not be removed and carried to show others
• anything worn beneath a hair net is permitted because a woman will not uncover her hair to show an ornament
• anything worn over a net, including an ornamental hat, cannot be worn out because she might remove and carry it

A new Mishna teaches us that a young girl may go out with a sela coin tied onto a wound on her foot.  As well, young girls may go out with strings and wood chips in the holes in their ears.  Ears were pierced but not adorned with earrings until later.  Jewish women in Arab countries were permitted to go out with their faces veiled.  Jewish women in Media may go out with cloaks fastened with stones.  Any person anywhere was permitted to go out on Shabbat clothed in that way, but the Sages spoke in the present to address current questions.  They said that a woman may fasten her cloak on a stone by inserting a small stone, a nut or a coin, and wrapping her cloak around it like a button. This was permitted on Shabbat unless it was done in advance of Shabbat.

The Gemara notes that the rust from copper might help with healing.  Regarding strings in their nose ring holes, in is notes that Shmuel's father did not allow his daughters to do this.  He also did not allow them to lie next to each other and he made ritual baths for them in Nisan and mats in the Euphrates River in Tishrei.  This would allow them to immerse without getting dirty.  

Why no strings?  Perhaps because they were made of beautiful colours and could be removed to show to each other.  Why no lying beside each other?  Rav Huna sad that Women who rub against one another are disqualified from marrying into the priesthood as they are categorized as zonot, prostitutes.  The Gemara rejects this and suggests that they should not become accustomed to sleeping with another person which could stimulate sexual desire.  Here is proof that while there is no Torah law that explicitly prohibits lesbian acts, some rabbis are eager to discourage any lesbian behaviours.  Interestingly, Rav Huna and his sun tried to equate these behaviours to zenut, sexual promiscuity, their opinions were rejected.