The Lamed-Vovniks - Paperback

In the Talmud, Rabbi Abaye says, "The world has no fewer than thirty-six righteous people in each generation who greet the Divine Presence every day." Who are these righteous ones? Are they still present in the modern world? Drawing on the rabbinic tradition and infusing it with feminist and lesbian sensibilities, poet Julie R. Enszer responds in The Lamed-Vovniks. Enszer imagines the lamed-vovniks as all women for the first time in history. Exploring what constitutes righteousness in the world today, these poems unfold as a series of dramatic monologues. The Lamed-Vovniks captures the voices of righteous women and offers glimpses into their daily lives. These contemporary lamed-vovniks are single mothers, low wage workers, community organizers, and women defying limitations of gender and sexuality. Their voices are in conversation with the voice of Tirza, the angel ultimately responsible for them. Tirza narrates a larger cosmology of the hidden righteous ones in the Jewish tradition as explained by Maimonides. Tirza together with the lamed-vovniks offers commentary on the works of angels and G!d, inviting new queer imaginaries into the Jewish tradition. Julie R Enszer, PhD, is the author of five poetry collections, including The Pinko Commie Dyke.