@article{jbp:/content/journals/10.1075/rein.00044.toh, author = "Tohar, Vered", title = "The dog and the adulteress: The meaning and context of a tale of adultery in a Jewish ethical work", journal= "Reinardus. Yearbook of the International Reynard Society", year = "2020", volume = "32", number = "1", pages = "181-195", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1075/rein.00044.toh", url = "https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/rein.00044.toh", publisher = "John Benjamins", issn = "0925-4757", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Abstract

This article discusses a well-known Hebrew folktale about an adulterous couple in which the man is turned into a wild dog in punishment for his sin and attacks his married mistress. This story is found in the popular ethical work Kav Ha-yashar (The Just Measure) which was first printed in 1705. Using this story, I will demonstrate how folktales are used as a means of instilling fear of horrific punishment for breaking the social convention of monogamous marriage, and as a way of expressing misogyny. At the same time, the story provides a platform for expressing deviant sexuality, which is, of course, a taboo in everyday life. The transformation into a dog is based upon well-known canine images in Jewish culture.", }