Editing Eunuch (section)

===In Judaism===
{{main|Gender and Jewish studies}}
Eunuchs are mentioned many times in the Bible, such as in the [[Book of Isaiah]] (56:4) using the word סריס (''saris''). Although the Ancient [[Hebrews]] did not practice castration, eunuchs were common in other cultures featured in the Bible, such as [[ancient Egypt]], [[Assyria]] and [[Babylonia]], the [[Achaemenid Empire]], and [[ancient Rome]]. In the [[Book of Esther]], servants of the [[Harem#The Median and Achaemenid Empires|Persian harem]] of [[Ahasuerus]], such as Hegai and Shashgaz, as well as other servants such as Hatach, Harbonah, Bigthan, and Teresh, are referred to as ''sarisim''. Being exposed to the consorts of the king, they would likely have been castrated.

The [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word ''saris'' ({{langx|he|סָרִיס|sāris}}) derives from ''ša-rēši'', the [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] word for eunuch, and thus has been generally understood by scholars as referring to eunuchs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bible.heartlight.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=05631 |title=The Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon |website=Heartlight's Search Gods Word |access-date=April 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144242/http://bible.heartlight.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=05631 |archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gendertree.com/Eunuch%20Biblical.htm |title=Eunuch Biblical |website=Gender Tree |access-date=April 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818052534/http://www.gendertree.com/Eunuch%20Biblical.htm |archive-date=18 August 2019}}</ref> However, its technical meaning is a male who has not shown signs of typical sexual maturity by the age of 20.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} Per the [[Talmud]], only one known as a ''saris adam'' – a castrated male; one made sterile intentionally or via accidental injury – might be considered a eunuch (a ''[[Saris (Judaism)|saris]] ḥama'' is one who is congenitally sterile, and is not considered a eunuch).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Freundel |first1=Shoshana |title=Six Sexes of the Talmud SF ByShoshana Fendel |url=https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/196414.5?lang=en&with=all&lang2=en |website=Sefaria |access-date=24 January 2023}}</ref>