Questions about or that apply specifically to women.
18
votes
13answers
1k views
How to tactfully circumvent opposite-gender handshake
Say you're a man in a professional setting, and a woman who isn't used to dealing with observant Jews stretches out her hand to greet you -- but your practice is to avoid shaking hands even in ...
18
votes
3answers
852 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
5answers
646 views
Is a mechitza required for dancing at Jewish weddings? Why?
If the men and women aren't dancing together, is it strictly required that there also be a mechitza between them? If so, why? What guidelines would this mechitza have to meet?
Or is it simply a smart ...
12
votes
2answers
332 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 ...
11
votes
1answer
186 views
Woman and Zimun: What is the requirement?
What is a woman's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of women?
What is a women's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of men?
14
votes
1answer
926 views
Mixed swimming in a pool?
What are the issues with mixed swimming, from a tzniut point of view? Does it make a difference if the swimmers are or aren't Jewish? For example, are there issues with me swimming with my wife and a ...
10
votes
2answers
206 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 ...
6
votes
4answers
479 views
4
votes
4answers
423 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 ...
16
votes
4answers
373 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 ...
13
votes
3answers
239 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 ...
11
votes
4answers
647 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 ...
8
votes
1answer
330 views
Married woman covering hair
Is it strictly necessary for a married woman to keep her hair covered in the following situations? If not, how important is it?
1) When alone in the house
2) When alone (or with husband) in the ...
8
votes
2answers
218 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 ...
5
votes
4answers
380 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?
19
votes
3answers
261 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 ...
14
votes
3answers
529 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 ...
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, ...
5
votes
1answer
99 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
174 views
3
votes
2answers
214 views
Food cooked by woman during Niddah?
If according to my Bible translation - please correct me if it is wrong - anything a woman in niddah or a state of tumah, or 'impurity', touches or sits on becomes 'impure', can food cooked by her be ...
2
votes
1answer
237 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
222 views
What is the source for a woman's voice as ervah?
What is the source that a woman's (singing) voice is considered ervah?
11
votes
3answers
371 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 ...
10
votes
1answer
740 views
Can you see your wife unclothed?
I think someone in another question here (or on another site?) said he was told by his "chassan teacher" not to look at his wife unclothed. It seems like this is not the real halacha to me, or at ...
3
votes
1answer
174 views
Should a woman wear a gartel?
My understanding of the halachic need for a gartel is very limited; is there any reason a woman should or should not wear one during prayer?
14
votes
1answer
461 views
What was daily life like for Jewish women living in al-Andalus in the 10th/11th centuries?
The emir of Al-Andalus (approximately the Iberian peninsula) declared himself a new caliph, breaking off from the caliphate in the east, circa 950 CE. I have read that the next couple hundred years ...
12
votes
2answers
425 views
Do Shaving Restrictions Apply to Bearded Women?
For example, if a woman were to have a beard, would she be permitted to shave it off with a razor or otherwise destroy it, or do these restrictions apply to both men and women?
11
votes
2answers
378 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 ...
9
votes
2answers
213 views
If women are not obliged to daven maariv, should they daven if they wish to?
This source says that women are not obliged to daven maariv but may do if they wish.
Although the Shulchan Aruch (108:7) allows one to recite a Tefilat Nedava in a certain case, Halacha Berura (22nd ...
9
votes
3answers
177 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 ...
9
votes
1answer
277 views
May a lady take a pregnancy test on Shabbos?
Are there any issues with taking a pregnancy test (non-electronic) on Shabbos?
8
votes
3answers
185 views
Why was there a distinction made for women captives?
In Numbers 31, God tells the Israelites to wipe out the Midianites (and incidentally, Balaam) by killing every male. But they spared certain women (v17-18):
Now therefore kill every male among the ...
8
votes
2answers
136 views
Is there value in gender-adapted names?
There are various Hebrew names in use that are feminizations of pre-existing masculine names. (The opposite case may exist as well, but I can't think of any examples.)
Examples:
Yaakova
Rafaella
...
8
votes
2answers
471 views
Are Jewish women permitted to use birth control that stops menstruation?
Is there any reason that a Jewish woman who has permission from her Rabbi to use birth control could not choose a pill that stops her from menstruating? Although certain birth control pills are ...
8
votes
2answers
168 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 ...
8
votes
2answers
101 views
V'Al Brischa SheChasamta Bivsoreinu - ועל בריתך שחתמת בבשרנו - does a lady say this?
In Bentching (grace after meals) - both in the Ashkenazic and in the Sefardic version - we say V'Al Brischa SheChasamta Bivsoreinu - ועל בריתך שחתמת בבשרנו - "and for Your covenant, which you sealed ...
7
votes
1answer
191 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
1answer
77 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
150 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 ...
7
votes
3answers
432 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?
6
votes
3answers
215 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
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
374 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
172 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
2answers
150 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
1answer
437 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?
4
votes
3answers
218 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
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
177 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.
