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Pictured above is a statue 2500 BCE of a woman in the Temple of Ishmar in Syria. The veil looks like a pot of flowers flowing, The woman is sitting on a throne. This Goddess and her veil which spouts out as a river flowing of life.
I attended a really interesting Fireside Sunday evening called My Mother’s Veil. I didn’t have the speakers full name. they referred to her as TK she was a professor of Ancient and Religious studies at BYU and was elaborating on her research of the veil. It was really insightful to me . The title came from an experience of this woman and her putting on her mother’s veil after she was dressed in her temple clothing for the funeral services, and the powerful experience she had as she said goodbye and to honor her mother there.
“ True symbolism is not make believe or mummery it’s reality distilled.” Herman Woulk . It’s true that when the impurities are taken away we can finally understand the pure meaning. It is a hope that I have come across more positive and ancient meaning to this tradition of veils that has over time been misinterpreted and used differently in various faiths today that evoke both positive and negative associations.
I admit. The only reason that compelled me to come to this fireside, was the fact that the veiling in the temple has always perplexed me, because I was never taught why we did it. The previous things I read about the endowment and veiling of women prior to the change in 1989, seemed to be explained by others that a woman obeys her husband as her husband obeys Jesus Christ. When I was first married, Jay’s mission president had a meeting with his previous mission companions and their spouses. In the temple before we went through the session President Poll specifically mentions women and the veiling of their faces and he wanted us to listen and come to an understanding of why we do this. But he never tells us the answer afterwards, and it REALLY bugged me. It is my assumption from what I’ve heard other priesthood tell sisters and it is my understanding that he too probably, misunderstood it as a fact of mere honoring of the husband’s role as head, that the act of uncovering the head anciently meant dishonoring the husband and his role of priesthood. The fact that the husband is the only one who can take you through the veil, that Eve was the first to take the fruit etc., the gender separation throughout the endowment, left me feeling isolated, confused and even after attending the temple on a weekly basis for the first year of my temple marriage, I never really came to the deeper understanding I desired.
The speaker TK mentions that there was a cultural shift and gap from the ancient veiling to the patterns that were established from the Quran and Talmud in the 5th century AD. Namely seclusion, separation, oppression and male hierarchy and dominance. Today, this is what we think of when we see a veil.
The veil is an article of clothing that has significance. It covers all or part of the face. The act of veiling, is to cover the full face. Different cultures veil their faces still today, not just Islam. It is a tradition that is full of powerful religious symbolism. “there are people who see veils as a way to keep something secret, hidden, and untouched. Yet the truth is that such interpretations of veils are exactly opposite from what I think they really symbolize, that the veil was a symbol of power and authority. she is literally ‘covering up’ (or denying) the idea that man is her head. When the woman chooses to veil, she is choosing to exercise power or control over her head–physical and metaphorically the content of praying or prophesying, a veiled woman is one in direct relationship with God- man is no longer her head.
Old Testament veiling practice used 5 types of veils.
The redhidh (radyid) which is fashion status. Women who were veiled either were of a higher class and it symbolized their personal right to keep their children and property. Wives were veiled not concubines. You were to never wear a veil unless you were veiled. If you wore it without being veiled you were impersonating. The veil had significance in society. Solomon 5:7
The miTpachath which is made out of strong material that women like Ruth used as a bag to harvest grain in the field.
The Macweh was worn by Moses to conceal the brightness of his face after speaking to God.
The Tsa’iph was a cloth used to cover the face for the etiquette of courtesans of future brides. In Genesis 24:65 in the Masoretic text is says that Rebekah took THE veil and covered herself. There was a difference from using the word the vs. a
The Veil of the Tabernacle/Temple
The Rebirth of Israel and Solomon’s Temple rituals parallel birth. Ancient temples mirror the birth process. Exodus 24:6 where the blood is marked. Exodus 29:12, Psalm 58:4
Zion is always referred to as feminine. 2 Kings 19:3, Isaiah 37:3, Hosea 9:10-11
The Ancient Veil and Rebekah’s Veil John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
In Hebrews 10:17-20 Trough the veil of the Temple we see a symbol of Christ’s flesh being born to a new life and rebirth. Rebekah gives birth to Israel, and we, as women are continuing this cycle of life.
“Women, specifically their divine role as life givers, are a type for the role of the Savior. The union of the husband and wife through a righteous covenant relationship becomes a metaphor and a type of the roles of the Father and the Savior, in bringing about life and delivering spirits from one existence into the next. The woman is to Christ, as the man is to God the Father. The marriage covenant and relationship in righteousness is a witness of the roles of God the Father and Jesus Christ.This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” I’m not sure who said this but it was from one of her slides. I really thought it shared an important meaning of how we should view this union.
We see the veil as life coming through a woman’s flesh. She suffers with her body, blood, and life. She becomes a source of life, and nurtures. Which is similar to Christ. Covenant women are a type of Christ. Bringing to pass the immortality of life to man.
“The veil of the Temple sets the boundary for the Holy of Holies as he most sacred precinct. It is where the Lord communes with Israel. It is only the High Priest who is allowed to penetrate the veil and commune with God. the Holy of Holies is associated in design as well as biblical text as the anatomical womb of Israel. The Low of Moses requires the print to smear sacrificial blood on the latter and the Ark of the Covenant likely symbolizing the very act of sacrificing for life, making the womb of Israel sacred. Just as the veil marks the holy of holies as most sacrosanct, the act of Rebekah taking the veil and covering herself, is identifying her as holy and sacred. She becomes the sacred center for the union with Isaac, the very meeting point that brings forth life.”
Only the most sacred was veiled. So the woman was the holiest of the union. By veiling she becomes the sacred space for the divine union. She is the vessel of new life. She becomes a partner with the Savior just as the Savior brings out life eternally.
There are some Parallels that the speaker points out.
Woman’s labor= Pain Christ suffered in Gethsemane Luke 22:44, Matt 26:40
Delivery= Crucifixion shown in John 19:29, 23, Mark 15:38
Delivery of the Placenta= Savior’s After Birth John 19:34
No one can deliver the child but the woman, the doctors can assist but/ The Savior had to come to earth and die through the Atonement.
There is a process of progression through mortality. We can’t progress without the sacrifice of the mother and of the Savior. The mother gives life, and the Savior gives birth to eternal life.
The fireside ended ubruptly as the research was unfinished. The speaker asks herself where does she fit in with the set up of the church...she doesn't know yet? Where are her role models? She bears testimony of the church but does not have answers. She hopes to find answers and just continues on the note that she will find her place and uncover the truth in light of what she has learned. I am reminded at this time, that I personally believe that the a church and the gospel are two separate things, and that authority in the scheme of things is not really that important. What is important though is a churches ability to help souls come unto the living Christ. With all the recent excommunications of my church, they seem not to care what you believe anymore as long as you pray, pay, and obey. The church is a vehicle and subject to misinterpretations from the fallible human mind depending on a persons best understandings at the time.
Today, I see a priesthood that has become the chief idol of the modern church because it is the object we are asked to give allegiance to, above Christ himself. “If the temple, the scriptures, the priesthood, or any other gift from God is seen as more holy than God or the individual members in whom the Spirit of God dwells, then they are idols which must be torn down, rent like the veil of the temple. The priesthood, the temple, the church must be taken down stone by stone and rebuilt again on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ and his love which calls for the spiritual equality of all members.” Mary Toscana, historian.
"Under our current system of church governance (and of many other faiths), a woman's assessment of her own personal worthiness carries less weight than the conclusions of male priesthood leaders," Bennett wrote. "Local priesthood leaders have a great deal of authority to enforce their personal interpretations of worthiness standards, leaving women susceptible when leadership rotates to new men with differing opinions." I myself experienced the effects of power abuse from church leaders. The truth is that the ultimate judge in the end will be yourself, not your bishop or eclesiastical leader, they have no power over you. There will be a point upon the entrance into the next life where you are faced with who you are and what you love most, and what you have done for others. This will be evident to all, and will be physically visable in your countenace. It would be my hope as so many have stated that the gospel is simple, I hope that we keep it that way, and move towards that.
(Talking about the relationship between exclusivism and Priesthood). "When Joseph Smith had that final key of vicarious work for the dead, the authority question, interestingly enough, became less important, because the ordinances are available to all and there's no question that they will be available to all. It's a given gift. What is the importance, then, of authority, if eventually everyone's going to have it available to them? I then went back in my thought to say, "Hmmm - authority tied to ordinances is NOT where Mormonism really goes at the deep level of theology... and that is in the 121st section {D&C} where authority is redefined, in my opinion, unlike any other place in any religious text of any religion that I have so far studied. Authority...is not vested by some divine investiture in the King or in the prophet -- authority comes from the people who follow the leader - it is granted by those who are affected by it and therefore, when you look at the 121st section we see boldly.
"God himself describing his OWN power. Not a delegated power to men like we usually think of, 'the priesthood is the power of God delegated to men" - that's not there. The language is 'This is MY power, and the power is by love unfeigned, kindness, persuasion, real knowledge - that's my power. And only by that power do I get what I want, which is other free beings to love and respond to me without compulsory means. And that's the power of God - that IS the priesthood. Any other power that we think we have when we're invested with it only by ordination by laying on of hands, is a false power! Amen to that power - Many are called, many are given this calling to act in this way - but few, after they act, are chosen by those who would follow them. In other words, it is we the followers who give the authority to God and to each other. And with that idea of authority all of a sudden the exclusivity of Mormonism (or any religion) is based on our exclusive, if you will, esoteric knowledge of this very fact that we are all eternal beings, co-equal with God, co-equal in authority in the sense that it's up to us to grant our allegiance to whomever we desire. Worlds without end. All the way down and all the way up. And God would have it no other way because our God is a God of Love.
I think Randy has a great understanding of the difference between priesthood "power" and priesthood "authority." The first is God's power and only is in effect when a person is virtuous, loving, influencing through persuasion, etc.--basically in alignment with how God acts. All of this is independent of the church or any organization. "Authority" is only in effect within a church organization and boils mostly down to who gets to direct ordinances, etc. Only the church grants this authority, but who is the church?: Us!. Like Scott says above, we empower our leaders to act in their offices, and if we choose not to sustain them, we disempower them."
So, in conclusion, what I'm trying to say here is that women have a great authority and purpose anciently symbolized through the veil in the power of love in giving life and that the priesthood and it's power is simply defined as Gods love and the power/divine presense that flows through individuals as it is shared in communities.