ירמיהו, פרק מ״ד, פסוק י״ט

The exiled women of Judah living in Egypt openly confront the prophet Jeremiah, stubbornly defending their idol worship. They present a united family front, making it clear that their devotion to the Queen of Heaven is not a secret, isolated act, but a public practice fully supported by the male heads of their households. The primary approach among commentators is that the women are the central speakers and the main activists in this ritual [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. They boldly declare that they did nothing without the knowledge and explicit approval of their husbands [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. In doing so, they challenge the prophet directly, questioning why he singles them out for rebuke when the men are full partners in their actions [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ].

Taking this defense further, another perspective suggests a deeper philosophical claim. The women argue that since their wise husbands approved of the practice, it cannot be dismissed as the foolish mistake of uneducated women. Instead, they view it as a calculated ritual designed to capture and bring down the bounty of the stars [מלבי״ם]. Interestingly, while the men later tried to avoid responsibility and shift the blame entirely onto the women, the prophet ultimately determined that everyone was equally guilty [אברבנאל].

As part of their defense, the women describe the specific rituals they performed. They prepared special foods and cakes, which were likely shaped like stars, baked with intense focus and strict care specifically for the goddess [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. A discussion arises regarding the exact nature of this preparation. One approach suggests that the text uses a deliberate reversal of meaning. While the recorded description implies sadness, the women's actual intention was to bring joy and please the goddess [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק]. It is probable that the women originally used a word expressing happiness, but the biblical author replaced it with a derogatory term, following the common practice of mocking idol worship [שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, a second approach connects the description directly to the physical creation of idols. According to this view, the women crafted the food or used special molds to perfectly replicate the shape of the idol or the star, worshiping the false deity through that specific physical form [רש״י, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].