On Marta, the Daughter of Boethus

TALMUD WATCH: The Inspiring Teaching of the Talmud’s Tragic Woman. As analyzed by Gila Fine in her recently published "The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic: Rereading the Women of the Talmud," Marta’s ancient story offers a surprising sliver of hope amidst despair. (Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, Jewish Journal).

At first glance, Marta’s undoing reads like that of so many other delicate prima donnas getting their just desserts — a talmudic Marie Antoinette ending up without her cake and without her life. But as Fine astutely notes, one can see in the story a determination to overcome her horrific circumstances that inspires others even if Marta herself does not recover.

I guess she should have kept her shoes on.

You can read the full text of the story of Marta, the Daughter of Boethus, in b. Gittin 56a.11 at the Sefaria website. Sefaria also collects additional sources on Marta here.

For more on Fine's book, The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic, see here and links.

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