Tumtum (Judaism)

Tumtum (טומטום in Hebrew , meaning "hidden") is a term that appears in Jewish Rabbinic literature and usually refers to a person whose sex is unknown, because their genitalia are covered or "hidden." Although they are often grouped together, the Tumtum has some halachic ramifications distinct from those of the Androgynos (אנדרוגינוס) , who has both male and female genitalia. It is not clear what the actual anatomy of a Tumtum is; however, it would seem that according to medieval commentator Rashi , a Tumtum may have exposed testicles and an unexposed penis. The Mishnah (Zavim, 2, 1) says that Tumtum and Androgynos have both men's and women's Chumras , meaning that where the law is stricter towards men than women, they are treated as men, but where the law is stricter towards women, they are treated as women. Tumtum is not defined as a separate gender, but rather a state of doubt. A Tumtum must be either male or female, but since we do not know which one, the strictest gender-dependent obligations or prohibitions are taken on. To this end, positive commandments from which women are exempted are considered binding on a Tumtum. Nathan ben Jehiel says on his book Aruk (on ערך טם) that the word Tumtum came from the word Atum which means blocked or covered.

Tumtum ( , "hidden") is a term that appears in Jewish Rabbinic literature . It usually refers to a person whose sex is unknown because their genitalia are covered or "hidden" or otherwise unrecognizable. Although they are often grouped together, the tumtum has some halachic ramifications distinct from those of the androgynos ( אנדרוגינוס ), who has both male and female genitalia. It is not clear what the actual anatomy of a Tumtum is; however, it would seem that according to medieval commentator Rashi , a Tumtum may have exposed testicles and an unexposed penis. The Mishnah (Zavim, 2, 1) says that Tumtum and Androgynos have both men's and women's khumrot , meaning that where the law is stricter towards men than women, they are treated as men, but where the law is stricter towards women, they are treated as women. Tumtum is not defined as a separate gender, but rather a state of doubt. A tumtum must be either male or female, but since we do not know which one, the strictest gender-dependent obligations or prohibitions are taken on. To this end, positive commandments from which women are exempted are considered binding on a tumtum. Nathan ben Jehiel says in his book Arukh that the word "Tumtum" came from the word "Atum", which means blocked or covered.

Person whose sex is unknown in Judaism Abraham and Sarah visited by Three Angels , painted between 1581 and 1642 CE. According to the Talmud, both Abraham and Sarah were born tumtum. Tumtum ( , "hidden") is a term that appears in Jewish Rabbinic literature . It usually refers to a person whose sex is unknown because their genitalia are hidden, undeveloped, or difficult to determine. Although they are often grouped together, the tumtum has some halakhic ramifications distinct from those of the androgynos ( אנדרוגינוס ), who has both male and female genitalia. Although tumtum does not appear in the Scripture, it does in other literature. Reform Rabbi Elliot Kukla writes, "The tumtum appears 17 times in the Mishna ; 23 times in the Tosefta ; 119 times in the Babylonian Talmud ; 22 times in the Jerusalem Talmud ; and hundreds of times in midrash , commentaries, and halacha." In the Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 64a-b, Rabbi Ammi says that the Biblical figures " Abraham and Sarah were originally tumtumin" and infertile, and then miraculously turned into a fertile husband and wife in their old age. Rabbi Ammi points to the Book of Isaiah 51:1–2, saying that the references to "Look to the rock from 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. Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics .