Questions about or that apply specifically to women.
13
votes
3answers
237 views
Halachic Source for Women-Only Mikvaoth?
Some (actually many) Mikvaoth are designated for women's use only, generally for reasons of cleanliness.
Is there Halachic literature supporting (or urging) this?
(This question is not asking for ...
15
votes
4answers
365 views
How does an outsider know how to dress for a particular Orthodox community?
Standards of dress (at least for women) aren't nearly as consistent within Orthodoxy as we might wish. Wearing exactly the same halachically-correct clothing I have been under-dressed in some places ...
6
votes
4answers
469 views
8
votes
2answers
167 views
Can a woman drink the Kos Shel Bracha?
After saying Birkat HaMazon with a cup of wine, the Shulchan Aruch rules in OC 190:3, that at least a cheekful of wine must be drunk. If this was at a zimmun and the leader of the zimmun does not want ...
1
vote
0answers
148 views
Must a woman cover her hair during childbirth?
Does a woman need to cover her hair during childbirth or other major medical procedures?
13
votes
2answers
321 views
Why is hair sometimes considered *erva* (nakedness) but sometimes not?
Why do people say that the hair of a married woman is considered as nakedness, but not the hair of a single woman? Isn't hair just hair? What if a man grew his hair long - would it also be ...
11
votes
3answers
360 views
Woman's hair covering in the home or in private
Trying to sort out my question, I came across this one, which is closely related, but it is not an exact duplicate.
According to those who say a woman must cover her hair, not just her head (those ...
5
votes
1answer
171 views
7
votes
4answers
244 views
When can you count ladies towards a Minyan?
I've heard that there are situations in which one can count the ladies towards a Minyan. Is that true? Which situations?
-2
votes
1answer
164 views
1
vote
2answers
116 views
Women lighting Chanukah
Even thought Chanukah is one of the Yom Toivim where we say
"Af Hen Hayu B'oso Hanes" (women were included in the miracle)
women still do not light their own candles even according to the way of ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
5
votes
1answer
95 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 ...
10
votes
2answers
203 views
What is a woman's obligation when it comes to T'fillah?
In Orthodox practice it is commonly thought that women are not obligated in T'fillah (parts of it anyway) due to its time-bound nature. However, what is a woman's obligation? Which prayers must she ...
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 ...
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?
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Does the status “mal v'lo taval” apply to women?
In a number of circumstances, the halachic status of מל ולא טבל ("circumcized but not immersed in a mikveh") takes on significance.
For instance, regarding a nochri touching wine, the Shulchan Aruch ...
9
votes
1answer
289 views
How were men allowed to watch an execution?
It says in Maseches Sota (8a) that that if a woman would be punished by stoning, she would be stoned virtually unclothed, and men would be allowed to attend. The Gemara says that there is no concern ...
10
votes
3answers
488 views
What is the original halachic source for a woman covering her collarbones out of modesty (tznius)?
Many contemporary instructions on women's modesty (tznius) say that necklines have to be high enough to cover the collarbones.
I can certainly accept that if this is the communal standard, it should ...
3
votes
1answer
89 views
Reason why women are obligated to eat Matza
Pesachim 43: says that women are obligated in the Mitzva of Matza since they are obligated in the prohibition of not eating Chametz. Why do we not say that the reason is since they were part of the ...
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?
7
votes
1answer
198 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
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
2answers
153 views
When did Achashverosh stop rounding up fair maidens?
So first Achashverosh was married to Vashti. Then no more Vashti. Then he's rounding up all the fair maidens in the land to um, "meet" them, one per night, but they're still stuck in one of his royal ...
3
votes
1answer
162 views
What kind of Mechitza is required when the women daven on the second floor?
Many times I have seen Shuls where women pray on a balcony on the second floor.
What kind of Mechitza do they need?
Is it enough if one can't see them (for example, if the angle is such that they ...
18
votes
2answers
763 views
What are the sources for women to wear/ not wear pants?
I have heard that the argument is beged ish / kli gever, and I have heard people say that even if that was once a real reason for it it doesn't apply today for various reasons.
I understand that the ...
11
votes
2answers
366 views
Why don't brides (always) cover their hair for their weddings?
Why don't brides (always) cover their hair for their weddings? I understand that in some ultra-religious groups they do, but there seem to be many groups within Orthodoxy where they do not cover their ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
women's saying a b'racha on s'firas haomer
Mishna B'rura 489:3 says women do not say a b'racha on s'firas haomer; Aruch Hashulchan 489:4 says they do. What is the practice of various Ashk'nazi communities (for example, chassidic (various ...
12
votes
2answers
318 views
Bootstrapping problem: havdalah ends shabbat (for one who didn't daven ma'ariv) but lighting the candle is melacha?
This answer to a question about melacha before havdalah notes that in that situation one should say "baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol" first. Does that apply to lighting the havdalah candle? I ...
9
votes
3answers
174 views
Uman for Rosh Hashanah?
Why do people leave Eretz Yisroel to go to Uman for Rosh Hashanah? (It seems to me like leaving America for July Fourth.) In general what is the reason people go: is it Just a festival in the ...
19
votes
3answers
260 views
Female praying in masculine language
When women daven (pray), even by ourselves, it is convention to daven with male-gendered words ("modeh" vs "moda" as one of many examples). Why is this; are there sources that say we should be doing ...
10
votes
2answers
150 views
Nursing in the bathroom
Per Food in bathroom it is forbidden to eat in the bathroom. Can a lady nurse in the bathroom or is it considered like eating in the bathroom? (sources)
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 ...
10
votes
3answers
483 views
Can a female be a Shochet? (slaughter animals)
Can a female slaughter animals according to Halacha? (sources)
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.
...
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 ...
8
votes
2answers
264 views
How can I determine if someone is Shomer Negiah?
I am not Shomer Negiah. However, I have been in mixed social situations where I was unsure if the person I was meeting was Shomer Negiah. I don't want to offend anyone, so I'm wondering if there is a ...
7
votes
4answers
208 views
Moshe's divorcing Tzipora
Moshe refrained from marital relations with Tzipora for almost forty years, so as to be able to receive prophecy at any moment (Shabas 87:1). 1. Did he divorce her? 2. If not, why not?
14
votes
3answers
515 views
The laws behind the separation of men and women
In Israel there is a hot debate because of instances on some communities where extra steps are taken to separate men and women in every day life. For example in some bus lines women seat in the back ...
11
votes
4answers
600 views
Why are women exempt from (many) time-bound mitzvot?
I have heard two reasons for women being exempt from time-bound mitzvot and both seem problematic, so either there are additional explanations or I am not properly understanding these two:
Women ...
2
votes
1answer
231 views
Are women exempt from Tachanun and discouraged from saying it?
My brother heard from someone that she heard that women are exempt from saying Tachanun and therefore discouraged from saying it. Is this so? If so, why? Do you know sources for this?
UPDATE: I ...
7
votes
1answer
272 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 ...
11
votes
2answers
668 views
Why do divorced or widowed women still need to cover their hair?
I was recently reading the latest edition of Halachically Speaking. It says:
A woman who is a widow r”l or divorcee still has an obligation to cover her hair.
But why is this so? Why should they ...
8
votes
2answers
213 views
Should women eat in the Sukkah?
Is there any inyan for a woman to eat in the sukkah. I know they're not required (after all, it's a mitzvas asei shehazeman grama [מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא]), but I still know many women who do.
Is this ...
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 ...
5
votes
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 ...
3
votes
0answers
61 views
Stepping back, forward and bouncing 3 times, after Shmoneh Esrei [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
"Jumping" at the end of Shemoneh Esrei
As a female davener, who is very slow, I have never seen what men do at the end of Shmone Esrei. But my husband assures ...
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 ...
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
147 views
Chamisha Asar B'Av - when did the Minhag stop?
The Gemara Taanis 31. says אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל לא היו ימים טובים לישראל כחמשה עשר באב וכיוה"כ שבהן בנות ירושלים יוצאות ... וחולות בכרמים ומה היו אומרות בחור שא נא עיניך וראה מה אתה בורר לך אל תתן ...
