Tumtum (Judaism)

Abraham and Sarah visited by Three Angels,painted between 1581 and 1642 CE. According to the Talmud, both Abraham and Sarah were born tumtum.

Tumtum(Hebrew:טומטום,"hidden" ) is a term that appears in JewishRabbinic literature.It usually refers to a person whosesexis unknown because their genitalia are hidden, undeveloped, or difficult to determine.

Although they are often grouped together, the tumtum has somehalakhicramifications distinct from those of theandrogynos(אנדרוגינוס), who has both male and female genitalia.

Althoughtumtumdoes not appear in the Scripture, it does in other literature.ReformRabbiElliot Kuklawrites, "Thetumtumappears 17 times in theMishna;23 times in theTosefta;119 times in theBabylonian Talmud;22 times in theJerusalem Talmud;and hundreds of times inmidrash,commentaries, and halacha. "

In the Babylonian Talmud,Yevamot64a-b,Rabbi Ammisays that the Biblical figures "AbrahamandSarahwere originally tumtumin "and infertile, and then miraculously turned into a fertile husband and wife in their old age. Rabbi Ammi points to theBook of Isaiah51:1–2, saying that the references to "Look to the rock from where you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from where you were dug [...] Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you" explains their genitals being uncovered and remade.

Etymology

The eleventh century dictionary, theAruch,says the wordtumtumcame fromatum(אטום) "sealed."

Physical characteristics

The classical description of the physical characteristic oftumtumsays they have a membrane of skin hiding female or male genitals. One form of atumtumhas exposed testicles and an unexposed penis.As long as the skin covers their genitals, they are considered doubtful men and women. As long as the skin is present, they are not able to be circumcised or have sex. Their status astumtumcan be changed by surgery, though they will still always have different rights and duties than those of other men and women. In the Talmud, one adulttumtumfrom the town of Bairi had surgery to cut away this skin, so he was able to be re-categorized as a man. He later fathered seven children. Rabbis differ in whethertumtumare legally obligated to have that surgery.

This description does not exactly match anyintersexcondition known today.

Gender role

Scholars today differ in whether they seetumtumas a distinct gender. The second century CE Mishnah, the oldest compendium of theOral Torah,brings the opinion ofRabbi Meirthattumtumis not a distinct gender but a state of doubt between male and female - "sometimes he is a man and sometimes he is a woman".This is the position of traditional Judaism.According totransgenderReformRabbiElliot Kuklatumtumis one ofsix genders in classical Judaism,along withmale,female,androgynos,ay'lonit(a person who was assigned female at birth, but is barren and perhaps masculinized), andsaris(aeunuchby birth either through human intervention, or a person who wasassigned male at birthbut later became feminized).This, he claims, is an example of how the Westerngender binaryis not universal to all cultures.

Although the definition oftumtumis based on physical characteristics, this is used as a basis for social roles, duties, and prohibitions. This can be considered effectively agender role.The strictest gender-dependent obligations or prohibitions apply totumtum,because if thetumtummight really be a man or woman, laws for neither men nor women should be broken. Positive commandments from which women are exempted are considered binding on atumtum.The Mishnah (Zavim, 2, 1) says thattumtumandandrogynoshave both men's and women'skhumrot,meaning that where the law is stricter towards men than women, they are treated as men, but where the law is stricter towards women, they are treated as women.

See also

• Androgynos
• Gender and Judaism
• Intersex people and religion
• Intersex people in history

Further reading

• Rabbi Elliot Kukla. "A Created Being of Its Own: Toward a Jewish Liberation Theology for Men, Women and Everyone Else." 2006.TransTorah.[1]