Did the ancient rabbis protect or oppress women? In *Rereading the Rabbis: A Woman's Voice*, Judith Hauptman challenges simplistic interpretations by examining the Talmud's treatment of women through a feminist scholarly lens. Rather than isolating individual statements, Hauptman contextualizes talmudic texts within their original dialectical constructs, proposing a "dynamic" perspective that evaluates rabbinic legislation against Torah law. Across ten areas of Jewish law—including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and ritual—she reveals a complex picture of "benevolent patriarchy" where rabbis upheld male authority while demonstrating sensitivity to women's circumstances. The analysis shows how rabbis transformed Jewish marriage from outright purchase to a contractual relationship and instituted protective measures like the reformed ketubah system, even as they maintained hierarchical gender relations. While Hauptman's methodology occasionally draws interpretive questions, particularly regarding women's participation in betrothal ceremonies, her work compellingly demonstrates that meaningful engagement with patriarchal texts requires recognizing both their limitations and their progressive elements within historical context.