> It is reasonable to look at the practices of ancient Judaism for > cultural considerations on the proper age for marriage. According > to tradition, boys were not considered “men,” and therefore not > marriageable, until the age of 13. Girls were not considered > “women” until age 12."
The supposedly Jewish tradition that girls were not women is far from ancient. Nineteenth century at earliest.
Ancient Judaism, fourth century, had no lower age limit on marriage, and generally dealt with sexual misconduct by shotgun marrying the offenders, ("sanctifying" them) regardless of age, including female offenders as young as three. It was youthful male offenders who were excused from marriage on the grounds that it was obviously physically impossible for them to have done what they seemed to be doing.
On 11/12/2018 07:29, Razer wrote:
Girls are Bas Mitzvah-ed at 14.
That supposedly ancient tradition is twenty first century. It is not even twentieth century. Rabbis are always inventing ancient traditions as of last week, and falsely attributing them to some ancient source.
The Sadducees were complaining about this rabbinical creativity back in second temple times, and the rabbis have been at it ever since the Maccabees lost their grip, endlessly and rapidly re-inventing the past of judaism, usually in accord with current year values.
