_(studio_of)_-_Abraham_and_Sarah_Visited_by_Three_Angels_-_1401272_-_National_Trust.jpg)
Tumtum (Hebrew:טומטום, "hidden") is a term that appears in JewishRabbinic literature. It usually refers to a person whosesex is unknown because their genitalia are hidden, undeveloped, or difficult to determine.[2][3][4]
Although they are often grouped together, the tumtum has somehalakhic ramifications distinct from those of theandrogynos (אנדרוגינוס), who have both male and female genitalia.[5]
Althoughtumtum does not appear in the Scripture, it does in other literature.[3]ReformrabbiElliot Kukla writes, "Thetumtum appears 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."[6]
In the Babylonian TalmudYevamot 64a–b,Rabbi Ammi says that the Biblical figures "Abraham andSarah were originally tumtumim" and infertile and then miraculously turned into a fertile husband and wife in their old age. Rabbi Ammi points to theBook of Isaiah 51:1–2, saying that the references to "Look to the rockfrom 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.[1]
The eleventh century dictionary, theAruch, says the wordtumtum came fromatum (אטום) "sealed."[1][3]
The classical description of the physical characteristic oftumtum says they have a membrane of skin hiding female or male genitals. One form of atumtum has exposed testicles and an unexposed penis.[5][3] 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 astumtum can 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 adulttumtum from 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 whethertumtum are legally obligated to have that surgery.[3]
This description does not exactly match anyintersex condition known today.[1]
Scholars today differ in whether they seetumtum as a distinct gender. The second-century CE Mishnah, the oldest compendium of theOral Torah, brings the opinion ofRabbi Meir thattumtum is not a distinct gender but a state of doubt between male and female: "Sometimes he is a man, and sometimes he is a woman."[7] This is the position of traditional Judaism.[8] According totransgenderReform rabbiElliot Kuklatumtum is 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 (aeunuch by birth either through human intervention, or a person who wasassigned male at birth but later became feminized).[9][10] This, he claims, is an example of how the Westerngender binary is not universal to all cultures.[9]
Although the definition oftumtum is 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 thetumtum might genuinely be a man or woman, laws for neither men nor women should be broken. Positive commandments from which women are exempt are considered binding on atumtum.[8] In Tractate Zavim 2, the compiler of the Mishnah says thattumtum andandrogynos have both men's and women'skhumrot, meaning that where the law is stricter towards men than women, they are treated as men. Still, where the law is more stringent towards women, they are treated as women.[11]
| Human rights andlegal issues |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and biology | ||
| Society and culture | ||
| History and events | ||
| Rights by country | ||
| See also | ||
