Questions about or that apply specifically to women.
7
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1answer
190 views
Where does our blessing for daughters come from?
In many Jewish homes on Shabbat, the head of the household would bless his sons to be like Ephraim and Menasheh but would bless his daughters to be like the matriarchs . What is the source, if any, ...
7
votes
3answers
156 views
Why was Kozbi not an eshes yefas toar?
Why was Kozbi bas Tzur not considered an eshes yefas toar (a non-Jewish woman who is taken captive during wartime and is permitted to her captor) who would then be permitted to Zimri? This question ...
7
votes
1answer
125 views
Who is obligated in Pidyon HaBen?
A woman I know mentioned that she is redeeming her firstborn son. This got me thinking. A Pidyon HaBen is mandated for the first male child to "open" the mother's womb. But whose Mitzvah is it?
The ...
7
votes
3answers
138 views
Why does the census “of all who are able to go forth to war” include a few women?
The census in Bamidbar 26 is directed thus:
Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' houses, all that are able to go ...
7
votes
2answers
205 views
May a woman freeze her ova?
Is a woman allowed to freeze her own ova if she is coming to the later years of her life and is afraid she will miss her opportunity to have her own children naturally or otherwise, or is that frowned ...
7
votes
1answer
89 views
Why does Yalkut Yosef recommend women not do “tashlich”?
I read in Yalkut Yossef that women don't need to go to Tashlikh and the Rav Y. Yossef shlit"a concludes with "Shev Veal Tasse Adif" (trans. it's better to do nothing).
Does anyone know the reason ? I ...
7
votes
3answers
319 views
Is mixed gender volleyball permissible?
Are men and women permitted to play volleyball against each other, with each team only one gender?
Does it make a difference if they are separated by an opaque wall or a regular net?
7
votes
3answers
416 views
Which communities accept sheitels (wigs) as adequate hair coverings for married women?
Assuming that married women need to cover their hair today (I'm not going into that discussion), which communities accept that a sheitel is considered a covering?
7
votes
1answer
274 views
Why “new-mother bat her-father” for a woman who gives birth?
When we pray for the healing (refuah) of a woman or girl, we refer to her as "(patient's name) bat (patient's mother's name)", for example "Shoshana bat Michal" or "Rivka bat Shifra Aviva". This is ...
7
votes
1answer
76 views
Prenatal testing
I've been hearing that some people are discouraging prenatal testing for halachic reasons but it seems pretty important to me.
Does anyone know if there's actually something halachicly wrong about ...
7
votes
1answer
199 views
May a non-Jew have an abortion?
Are non-Jews permitted to have abortions? (Consider the gemara in Sanhedrin 57b where "a baraita brings in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that a Ben Noach gets capital punishment if he intentionally ...
7
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0answers
93 views
Tznius of the times [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the sources for women to wear/ not wear pants?
Why cant women wear baggy pants when now-a-days women who are "tznius" wear tight skirts or skirts above the ...
7
votes
0answers
151 views
Criteria for the list of Nashim Kesheiros (Medrash Breishis Rabsi)
The Medrash Breishis Rabsi Parshas Chaya Sara 23:1 lists 22* Nashim Kesheiros.
כ"ב נשים כשרות היו בעולם ואלו הן שרה, רבקה, רחל, לאה, סרח בת אשר, יוכבד, מרים, בתיה בת פרעה, דבורה, צללפונית אשת מנוח, ...
6
votes
4answers
470 views
6
votes
3answers
190 views
Rashi's Daughters wearing Tefillin
There is a commonly held "tradition" that Rashi's daughters wore Tefillin.
One highly educated rabbi/professor has publicly stated that he's spent 35 years searching for a source but to no avail.
...
6
votes
3answers
366 views
Baby boy's MOTHER as the sandek(et)
I have recently come upon historical evidence of the mothers of baby boys serving as the sandek(et) during the brit milah.
From page 18 of The Orthodox Jewish Woman and Ritual: Options and ...
6
votes
2answers
122 views
Who was Cain's wife?
I saw this problem on reddit today and I think that we cursorily covered this in Tanach class. Who was Cain's wife? In בראשית ד' י"ז it says " וַיֵּדַע קַיִן אֶת-אִשְׁתּוֹ" but it never says who she ...
6
votes
2answers
191 views
May a woman look at a man for pleasure?
It's ossur for a man to look at a woman for pleasure. Even to look at her small finger with the intention of having pleasure from it (See EH"E Siman 21 Sif 1.)
Is there any prohibition for a woman to ...
6
votes
1answer
96 views
Negative commandments that only apply to women?
Are there any mitzvos lo sa'aseh that only apply to women?
6
votes
4answers
637 views
why do jewish women wear so much black?
Usually, the color white is associated with purity (as indicated by the kittle). I don't know if the opposite color in the spectrum represents the opposite of purity (yes, I know it's not technically ...
6
votes
1answer
76 views
Why can't we Mafkiya kiddushin?
According to DoubleAA, R' Shechter says that any three people have a right to declare items hefker through Hefker Beis Din Hefker.
According to that, why doesn't an average Beis Din have a power to ...
6
votes
3answers
246 views
Bringing little girls into the men's section in Shul
It has become the norm in mosts shuls I've been to, that fathers bring little girls into the men's section of synagogues on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Until what age should girls still be allowed to ...
6
votes
1answer
68 views
Does a lady count as a Panim Chadashos?
Even Ha'Ezer 62:7 says that in order to say Sheva Brachos at the meals that are made for the week after the wedding for the Chassan and Kallah there needs to be a Panim Chadashos (new face) present. ...
6
votes
1answer
116 views
What opportunities do Orthodox women have to learn and participate in their communities outside the home?
I've visited several Orthodox communities but never been part of one. One of the things that has always been a stumbling-block for me is the role of women. Here are two things I've observed about ...
6
votes
1answer
104 views
What does one do when one needs to bentch gomel?
One who has recovered from a serious illness or accident is supposed to bentch gomel during the torah service. What do you need to know to do this? Specifically:
When is the right time -- the ...
5
votes
1answer
167 views
Is a bat kohen allowed to go to cemetery?
Besides the permitted reasons for male kohen, is a bat kohen allowed to go to cemetery for other reason?
5
votes
1answer
431 views
May a woman shave her legs on Chol hamoed?
The Shulchan Aruch tell us that one may not shave on Chol Hamoed (Orach Chaim 531:2). Does this prohibition apply to women as well? Is a woman allowed to shave her legs on chol hamoed?
5
votes
2answers
154 views
My father-in-law was a Cohen. Are my children Cohanim?
I seem to recall that Kehuna passes from father to son. Does it pass through the mother as well?
My father-in-law was a Cohen. That makes my wife Bat-Cohen, but what does it make my children?
...
5
votes
2answers
65 views
Saying Baruch Shepatrani for a girl
Do you say Boruch Shepatrani for a girl at her Bas Mitzva? If not, why not?
5
votes
2answers
114 views
Taharas hamishpacha practices during pregnancy
I am basing this question on this quote from the Wikipedia page on Hasidic childbirth customs:
At the beginning of pregnancy, a woman's separation behavior depends
on the regularity of her ...
5
votes
2answers
146 views
Formal Hebrew honorific for one's mother
Many men, when going up for an aliya, tell the gabbai their name as, e.g. "Reuven ben Rav Yaakov", even if "Yaakov," the father, isn't actually a Rabbi." I believe the reason for this practice is to ...
5
votes
2answers
172 views
Fasts for pregnant women and new mothers
What fasts are pregnant women and women right after childbirth obligated to keep?
Thanks.
5
votes
2answers
345 views
Modesty: What is the difference between Conservative and Modern Orthodox?
What are the differences between female Modern Orthodox/Modern Orthodox Liberal Jews and Conservatives in terms of women's modesty? My question applies both to dress and social interaction - shaking ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
5
votes
4answers
352 views
How assur is mixed dancing?
What is the level of the issur on mixed dancing? Minhag? D'Rabanan, D'oraita, etc.?
What about separate dancing but without a mehitza?
5
votes
1answer
96 views
Women and Tefillah - per the Rav
I remember a long time ago hearing that the Rav (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903–1993)) held that women should pray three times a day.
Can anyone verify this, and what is the reason/source ...
5
votes
1answer
173 views
5
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1answer
150 views
Can a man fulfill his obligation by listening to a woman's Birchos HaShachar?
Can a man fulfill his obligation by listening to a woman's Birchos HaShachar (morning blessings)? What about vice-versa?
I suppose my question breaks down into three parts:
Do women have a lesser ...
5
votes
3answers
392 views
Horse back riding for women
Is it permissible for an Orthodox woman to do horseback riding in an ordinary saddle, or does she have to use a sidesaddle? Furthermore, would she be able to use women's trousers made for horseback ...
5
votes
2answers
184 views
Why is age 3 the age at which a girl is able to have intercourse?
In msh210's answer to this question of mine, he stated that:
women...who physically could be [intimate with men], which is those who had reached their third birthday.
In comments, he mentioned ...
5
votes
0answers
182 views
Woman wearing her husband's comfortable clothing
Is there any printed discussion about a woman wearing her husband's comfortable clothing?
While there is an Isur for a woman to wear a man's clothing, I've read in several places that this is about a ...
4
votes
4answers
408 views
Matrilineal Descent
I have heard that matrilineal descent (i.e. having Judaism passed down through the mother) comes from the Roman period when women were raped by Roman soldiers and the babies were then said to be ...
4
votes
1answer
110 views
The (female) name Freeda amongst Sefardim
I am under the impression that the name Freeda is a female Yiddish name. For some reason it seems to be very popular amongst the Sephardim. How did this happen?
4
votes
1answer
157 views
Tearing keriyah for ladies mourning in public
Is it considered to be "un-tznius" (immodest) for ladies to tear keriyah (rip their clothes in mourning) in public?
4
votes
2answers
121 views
What is the story of Yehudit which takes place during the Chanukkah Story?
I have heard many varying and conflicting stories about Yehudit and her effect on the war with the Greeks at Chanukkah time and was wondering if anyone has sources for her story and what it truly is.
...
4
votes
2answers
176 views
arachin: dependance on age and sex
Why is the erech (Vayikra 27:1–8) of a woman less than that of a man? And why does erech depend on age? Sources, please.
4
votes
3answers
138 views
Do the Gemara and the Rema prohibit, or encourage, women putting on talit and/or tefillin?
An article in Ynet Judaism (in Hebrew) addresses the resent controversy regarding the prayer of Women of the Wall at the western wall. And claims the following claims:
אף אחד גם לא הקריא להן את ...
4
votes
1answer
77 views
Why not do as Avraham and Sara did w.r.t. conversion
Rashi to B'reshis 12:5 quotes Rav Huna: "... whom they brought [to Judaism]. Avraham was converting the men and Sara the women...".
My understanding is that nowadays female prospective converts study ...
4
votes
4answers
320 views
Hair Covering Before Marriage?
Are there any communities in America or Israel where women cover their hair before marriage? Do Satmar women cover their hair before marriage?
4
votes
2answers
81 views
Does the rebbetzin (rabbi's wife) have a special seat in the ezras nashim (women's side of the synagogue)?
Usually the rabbi gets a special seat. I'd seen the Pnei Yehoshua's contract in Berlin 200+ years ago specify a special seat for his wife as well, but is anyone aware of shuls today that do that?
