The Jewish tradition regarding women, once far ahead of other cultures, has now fallen disgracefully behind in failing to come to terms with developments of the past century. Accepting the age-old concept of role differentiation on the basis of sex, Judaism saw woman’s role as that of wife, mother, and home-maker. Her ritual obligations were domestic and familial: nerot [candles], challah, and taharat ha-mishpachah [family purity, i.e. laws of mikveh and sexual purity].