{"id":52924,"date":"2019-04-02T17:19:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-02T14:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=52924"},"modified":"2022-10-25T17:43:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T14:43:08","slug":"helpful-harlotry-then-and-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/helpful-harlotry-then-and-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Helpful Harlotry \u2013 Then And Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[363,856,807,627],"acf":{"old_id":"52924","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"189","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Midrashic expansions on the character of Rahab","content":"

In our chapter, Joshua sends two unnamed spies to clandestinely assess the first city in the Promised Land that the Israelites were to conquer: \u201cAnd they went and came into the house of a harlot, whose name was Rahab, and lay there\u201d (2:1). <\/span><\/p>\n

It is no surprise that these spies should have taken shelter in such a place where unannounced visitations by men would normally not arouse suspicion. However, Rahab is told by the king of Jericho to bring forth Joshua\u2019s spies, who have been discovered in \u201csearching out all the land\u201d. Courageously, Rahab hides the two spies on her roof and sends the king\u2019s men on a wild-goose chase, telling them that the Israelite spies had already left the city after dark. Rahab explains her dangerous decision not to expose the spies: \u201cI know the Lord has given you the land\u2026For the Lord, your God, is He who is God in Heaven above and on earth beneath\u201d (verses 9-11). <\/span><\/p>\n

Rahab and the spies make a pact that in return for her help, she and her family will be dealt with kindly when the Israelites conquer Jericho (verses 12-14). Rahab then helps the spies make their escape from the city by means of a scarlet rope hung from her window, to also be used to identify her home and family to the conquering Israelite troops (verses 15-21). <\/span><\/p>\n

The Rabbinic Sages generally regard Rahab in a positive light. She is included among the upright (mesharim) of the non-Jewish nations (Pesiqta Rabbati 40:3). The Shekhinah (\u201cDivine Presence\u201d) is said to have rested on her (Ruth Rabbah 2:1), suggesting that she had prophetic powers. Having engaged in prostitution for many years, at the age of fifty, Rahab converts to Judaism. According to Rabbinic tradition, Rahab eventually marries Joshua (Talmud Bavli, Megillah 14b), and eight priestly prophets are descended from her (Sifre on Numbers, Chapter 78). <\/span><\/p>\n

Rahab is said to have been one of the most beautiful women in the world. Rahab\u2019s allure was such that anyone just mentioning her name twice might experience a seminal emission \u2013 though this was limited to those who actually \u201cknew\u201d her (Talmud Bavli Megillah 15a, Ta\u2019anit 5b). <\/span><\/p>\n

Rahab has the perhaps dubious distinction of being the original model for what has become known in our day as the \u201cHooker with a Heart of Gold\u201d archetype. However prostitution is presented in literature and other media, in contemporary reality, sex trafficking continues to be a serious problem. Significantly, recent Israeli legislation places criminal onus on the patrons of prostitution. The bill will also be accompanied by a proposed plan to rehabilitate those currently trapped in the sex industry. <\/span><\/p>\n

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