ersonal wisdom passed on to one's children along with instruction for one's burial and the disposition of one's goods." Being a businesswoman was very common for many Jewish widows and wives. As Gluckel refers to it in her book to be a business women was considered to be that of a prestigious role, since a wife was helping her husband, or was working to support her family. Among the German Jews throughout seventeenth and eighteenth century it was expected that women worked. In the case of Gluckel and the passing of her husband in 1689, Gluckel is left managing the family business while taking on the role of businesswomen. Gluckel writes in her fifth book, "As for the family business, Haim had felt no need to make any executor or guardians." Therefore Gluckel assumed responsibility herself. Throughout her novel Gluckel emphasizes that many German Jewish women were left minding the family business. In book five she discusses other resourceful matrons such as Esther Mattie who Gluckel describes as, "A pious, honorable woman who always went to fairs." Gluckel continues to give examples of other widows such as the Baruch of Berlin, "who still remained fully in business after her husband's death." Jewish businesswomen were assumed to be honorable for travelling to the fairs abroad to sell their merchandise. Contrary to Jewish ways, Davis argues that Christian women in renaissance Germany ordinarily stayed within the city walls, playing an active role in the retail sector. However, in 17th and 18th century a few Christian women in Hamburg did attend to their husbands' firms until their sons were old enough to take over. But it was very unlikely that a business as extensive as Haims' (Gluckel's first husband) would have been left to a woman. Rather it would be left to male workers/ relatives while women themselves used their time to take part in leisure activities such as taking care of the household or going to Church. It was...
