Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2, 1986 Page 17
norms. The nature of power relations between the rabbi and his followers is adequately
described by the fact that he referred to them as slaves and that they regarded themselves
as such. Satyr relied on Rachel to assist him in the socialization of new members and in
their management. She enjoyed a higher status than the other female members but had no
independent authority.
The Social Organization of Eve’s Recruitment
Marital Authority
Saul,5 Eve‘s husband, had been consulting Rabbi Satyr because his marriage had become
strained. He was concerned that Eve complained too much. Eve felt that she was suffering
―cabin fever,‖ virtually imprisoned as she was by bitter winter weather in a very small
apartment with two small children.
One Saturday afternoon, Saul ordered Eve to go to see the rabbi for personal counseling.
The rabbi was expecting her. Eve knew that Saul relied on Satyr to an extreme degree and
that their marriage was strained. She correctly assumed that her husband and Satyr had
made plans. During her meeting with Satyr, the rabbi offered his help. He insisted,
however, that in order for them to work together, she ―had to be willing to do everything he
said‖ and ―be under his direction.‖ At this meeting, and subsequently, Satyr explained that
Eve would be obliged, in her relationship with him, to be absolutely obedient and
unquestioning. Satyr told her about the benefits others had supposedly received from his
work with them. According to Eve, these people were described as having ―grown and
developed, and how magnificent they were as people and how capable they were.‖ Eve
agreed to accept Satyr‘s assistance, and conditions, because she ―felt desperate to change
the situation [with her marriage, and felt] that this was the only avenue open ...at the
time.‖ Rabbi Satyr instructed Eve not to discuss with her husband, or anyone else, the
nature of their work together. He also told her that her husband had agreed not to discuss
the teaching with her.
Community Norms, Status, and Expertise
Eve was in many ways disadvantaged by her social circumstances. Her status as a female
within orthodox Jewish culture placed her in a position in which obedience to her husband
was expected. Saul ordered her to go to the rabbi for assistance. Eve correctly believed that
Saul expected her to be obedient to the rabbi and to defer to his judgment. Saul‘s desire
that she submit to Satyr‘s guidance reinforced Eve‘s general willingness to do so.
When their special association began, Satyr enjoyed the status, respect, and deference to
expertise traditionally associated with a cleric‘s position in Jewish culture. In addition to
strong traditional support for deference to a rabbi‘s judgment, Satyr had an unusual
relationship with his congregation. He was the organizer of the fundamentalist youth group
that had introduced many of the congregation to orthodox Judaism. Eve, for example, had
had no prior experience with orthodox traditions. As she recalled:
In the beginning, when I started going to the school that he ran, I learned
what it was to be modest ...dressing modestly and behaving modestly and
[recognizing] and the values that went into a strict orthodox upbringing.
Although in most respects Satyr‘s teachings were unremarkable, there were points on which
he differed with other clerics. Not surprisingly, his youthful followers preferred his views on
the points of difference and judged Satyr to be especially brilliant, scholarly, and able to
understand things other scholars missed. In short, he was something of a ―guru.‖
When Satyr agreed to help Eve, he claimed to have the ability to benefit her quite
substantially. He said that his power to transform Eve‘s personality and to enhance her
abilities came through his special and advanced studies of the Cabala. The assertion that
norms. The nature of power relations between the rabbi and his followers is adequately
described by the fact that he referred to them as slaves and that they regarded themselves
as such. Satyr relied on Rachel to assist him in the socialization of new members and in
their management. She enjoyed a higher status than the other female members but had no
independent authority.
The Social Organization of Eve’s Recruitment
Marital Authority
Saul,5 Eve‘s husband, had been consulting Rabbi Satyr because his marriage had become
strained. He was concerned that Eve complained too much. Eve felt that she was suffering
―cabin fever,‖ virtually imprisoned as she was by bitter winter weather in a very small
apartment with two small children.
One Saturday afternoon, Saul ordered Eve to go to see the rabbi for personal counseling.
The rabbi was expecting her. Eve knew that Saul relied on Satyr to an extreme degree and
that their marriage was strained. She correctly assumed that her husband and Satyr had
made plans. During her meeting with Satyr, the rabbi offered his help. He insisted,
however, that in order for them to work together, she ―had to be willing to do everything he
said‖ and ―be under his direction.‖ At this meeting, and subsequently, Satyr explained that
Eve would be obliged, in her relationship with him, to be absolutely obedient and
unquestioning. Satyr told her about the benefits others had supposedly received from his
work with them. According to Eve, these people were described as having ―grown and
developed, and how magnificent they were as people and how capable they were.‖ Eve
agreed to accept Satyr‘s assistance, and conditions, because she ―felt desperate to change
the situation [with her marriage, and felt] that this was the only avenue open ...at the
time.‖ Rabbi Satyr instructed Eve not to discuss with her husband, or anyone else, the
nature of their work together. He also told her that her husband had agreed not to discuss
the teaching with her.
Community Norms, Status, and Expertise
Eve was in many ways disadvantaged by her social circumstances. Her status as a female
within orthodox Jewish culture placed her in a position in which obedience to her husband
was expected. Saul ordered her to go to the rabbi for assistance. Eve correctly believed that
Saul expected her to be obedient to the rabbi and to defer to his judgment. Saul‘s desire
that she submit to Satyr‘s guidance reinforced Eve‘s general willingness to do so.
When their special association began, Satyr enjoyed the status, respect, and deference to
expertise traditionally associated with a cleric‘s position in Jewish culture. In addition to
strong traditional support for deference to a rabbi‘s judgment, Satyr had an unusual
relationship with his congregation. He was the organizer of the fundamentalist youth group
that had introduced many of the congregation to orthodox Judaism. Eve, for example, had
had no prior experience with orthodox traditions. As she recalled:
In the beginning, when I started going to the school that he ran, I learned
what it was to be modest ...dressing modestly and behaving modestly and
[recognizing] and the values that went into a strict orthodox upbringing.
Although in most respects Satyr‘s teachings were unremarkable, there were points on which
he differed with other clerics. Not surprisingly, his youthful followers preferred his views on
the points of difference and judged Satyr to be especially brilliant, scholarly, and able to
understand things other scholars missed. In short, he was something of a ―guru.‖
When Satyr agreed to help Eve, he claimed to have the ability to benefit her quite
substantially. He said that his power to transform Eve‘s personality and to enhance her
abilities came through his special and advanced studies of the Cabala. The assertion that
