What does the Talmud list as one of the plagues of Israel?
According to the Talmud, one of the plagues that could be laid upon the Jewish people is the talkative widow and the virgin who wastes her time in prayers. This quotation reflects the negative attitude toward women prevalent in Paul's era, which the context says the Talmud listed among several plagues.
Les explains that the Talmud was really a commentary, a book of Jewish writings, and that it lists several plagues that could be laid upon the Jewish people. He reads one of them: "The talkative widow and the virgin who wastes her time in prayers are one of the plagues of Israel." He stresses that he is not promoting this, but is showing the attitude prevalent when Paul was writing, especially regarding women in Corinth and the early Church. He also notes that Sophocles, a Greek philosopher before Paul's time, expressed a similar view when he said, "silence confers grace upon a woman."