Asenath Barzani

Asenath (Asnat) Barzani is considered by many modern scholars to be Judaism’s first female rabbi. At a time in which few women were afforded access to a Jewish education, Asenath’s depth of learning became legendary throughout Mosul, in present-day Iraq where she was from as well as throughout the Jewish world.

Asenath Barzanni was born in Kurdistan in 1590 CE, the only child of the famed Rabbi Shmuel Barzani. In sharp contrast to the vast majority of her contemporaries, Asenath Barzani was raised in an environment steeped in Torah. Her father insisted that she dedicate herself exclusively to Torah study and that she be excused from performing domestic duties which was the expectation of women of her day. Her father, who was the head of several yeshivot throughout his lifetime, was incredibly devoted to his daughter’s education. The title of Tan’it, the female equivalent of the term Tana was given to her. Asenath possessed a thorough knowledge of the Talmud, halakhah (Jewish law) and Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) which was very uncommon for a woman of her era. Most women were not afforded a Jewish education and the handful who did have access to Jewish learning generally received their education rather informally. Her breadth and depth of knowledge soon became legendary throughout the Jewish community in Mosul, where she spent much of her life and beyond.

Asenath Barzani married a cousin, Jacob ben Abraham Amidiyah, with whom she had two children, a son and a daughter. Upon Jacob’s untimely death, Asenath assumed the role of rosh yeshiva (head of the yeshiva) in Mosul and soon became its primary teacher as well. Despite her fame and renown, Asenath Barzani and her children faced a great deal of economic hardship throughout their lives.

Although little exists by way of her writings, we do know that Asenath Barzani was one of the first and one of the few women to write poetry in Hebrew. As she became more famous, legends grew up around her, which purported that she possessed supernatural or magical abilities. It is interesting to note that many of these legends placed a great deal of emphasis on the fact that she was a woman whereas in the day-to-day running and teaching at a yeshiva, this appeared to pose little if any barriers for her, despite the fact that she was a tremendous trailblazer for women.

Asenath Barzani died in 1670 CE. For many years, her grave in Amidiyah became a place of pilgrimage.

Many scholars consider Asenath Barzani to be Judaism’s first female rabbi. She is undoubtedly the first woman ever to be a rosh yeshiva and her access to a Jewish education was incredibly unique for a woman of her time. Nonetheless, her example and story can serve as tremendous inspiration for contemporary female Torah scholars and rabbis today.