Hot answers tagged

35 votes

Does Judaism consider women inferior?

This is a fair question. You are far from the only person who feels this way. As an Orthodox woman who respects the traditional prohibition on Talmud study for women, as well as the many other Jewish ...
SAH's user avatar
  • 19.6k
32 votes

Does Judaism consider women inferior?

In addition, women are exempt and even discouraged from a large number of mitzvas that are central to Jewish practice, such as praying three times a day and laying tefillin. This is close to ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 97.4k
27 votes
Accepted

Is it forbidden for a woman to learn Gemara?

It doesn't seem that anyone attempted to address this in a comprehensive manner, so I will try. There might be slight overlap with some of the other answers here, and with my answer to this question. ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.1k
17 votes
Accepted

Is a female Torah scholar accorded the same honors as a male?

R. Yehuda Aiash (Shut Beit Yehuda YD 28) rules that in general any honour which one must accord a male (such as standing up for an older man), one must accord an equivalent female as well: פשוט דכל ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.4k
17 votes
Accepted

Why sell chametz to a woman?

R. Hershel Schachter has discussed this issue a number of times, and explains it thus: It is based on technicalities of kinyanim. One of the kinyanim that is used for selling chametz is a kinyan ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.1k
17 votes
Accepted

Historically, were women trained for obligatory wars? Or did they serve some other military function?

In his commentary to Rambam's codification of this law (Hilchot Melachim 7:5), R. David Ibn Zimra asks: “Is it the way of women to wage war?” And he cites the verse (Psalms 45:14) "All glorious ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.1k
16 votes

Can a woman write a megillah?

There is a long list of decisors who permit a woman to write a Megillah R Eliezer Melamed, author of Peninei Halakha, (here, note 10) writes The Aĥaronim debate whether a woman may write a Megilla. ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.9k
15 votes
Accepted

Why can't a woman demand a divorce?

The woman can ask but the torah specifies that the man must write (order the writing of) the divorce document and deliver it to her. There are cases in which the court can order the man to write the ...
sabbahillel's user avatar
  • 42.9k
15 votes

Where in the Tanakh is the subject of head-covering or hair-covering for females taught or hinted?

The Talmud in Ketubot 72a cites Numbers 5:18 as a Scriptural source/derivation: ראשה פרוע דאורייתא היא דכתיב ופרע את ראש האשה ותנא דבי רבי ישמעאל אזהרה לבנות ישראל שלא יצאו בפרוע ראש [Is not the ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.1k
14 votes

How Do Modern Orthodox Women Typically Dress?

There is a wide variety out there. I'd recommend Googling some synagogues that you might visit post-pandemic, and often there are photos there of its members. That should give you some sense. If you ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 131k
13 votes

Is there a female equivalent of Z"l?

I have seen Z"L used routinely for both men and women.
Isaac Moses's user avatar
  • 47.8k
13 votes
Accepted

Hormonal manipulation: Taharas hamishpacha vs. the woman's health

If I understand correctly, your argument goes something like this: A.) The Halacha is to always wait (>=5) + 7. B.) Doing so on a natural routine can be inconvenient, e.g. for vacations. C.) ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 131k
12 votes

Why don't brides (always) cover their hair for their weddings?

The answer is that the Mishna (Ketubbot 2:1) says that a Betula goes to the Chuppah with her hair uncovered. So what is there to talk about? Well, there's a responsum (#9) of Mahari HaLevi (the Taz's ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 97.4k
12 votes
Accepted

Is there a constant Mitzvah for women?

There are six commandments applicable to males at all times: Know there is God. Don't believe in other gods. Belief in unity of God. Love God. Fear God. Don't be lead astray by your eyes and heart. ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.4k
12 votes

Why is a Torah written by a woman not considered a kosher Torah?

The Talmud (Gittin 45b) says: תני רב המנונא בריה דרבא מפשרוניא ס"ת תפלין ומזוזות שכתבן אפיקורוס עובד כוכבים ועבד אשה וקטן וכותי וישראל מומר פסולין שנאמר וקשרתם וכתבתם כל שישנו בקשירה ישנו בכתיבה ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 97.4k
12 votes
Accepted

Can a woman be a Nazir?

Yes! It says so explicitly in the Torah. Numbers: 6:2 דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר לְהַזִּ֖יר לַֽיהוָֽה׃ Speak ...
alicht's user avatar
  • 12k
11 votes
Accepted

Are women allowed to write a commentary on a book of Tanakh in Orthodox Judaism?

Women are indeed able to teach and write commentaries on Tanakh. There are many such examples. One of the most famous is Nechama Leibowitz who taught Torah for more than 55 years and was awarded the ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.9k
11 votes

May a woman be appointed as CEO of a Jewish company or principal of a Jewish school

There has been heavy discussion on the proper understanding of the Rambam you start with. I will bring a number of opinions, from rishonim to aharonim, who strongly limit its scope and thereby explain ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.9k
11 votes
Accepted

Does a pregnant or nursing woman fast on a postponed Tish'ah B'Av?

The Tosefta (Taanit 2:12) cited in part in the Bavli (Pesachim 54b) says that pregnant and nursing women must fast on Tisha Bav (in contrast to other minor fast days). No distinction is made for a ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 97.4k
11 votes

Historically, were women trained for obligatory wars? Or did they serve some other military function?

Yachin there: אשה לאו בת מלחמה. רק לספק מזון ולתקן הדרכים אף היא יוצאת. ‏ A woman is not able to combat, she did only provide food and repair roads.
kouty's user avatar
  • 22.7k
11 votes
Accepted

Why is it that you are not allowed to be intimate with your wife during niddah, but you are allowed to eat food prepared by a niddah?

You have correctly identified the flawed premises in your argument. Premise 2 is technically incorrect. One who is intimate with a niddah has the status of an av hatum'ah (source of impurity) on a ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 41.8k
10 votes
Accepted

Is there a feminine equivalent of Zt"l?

If you search Google for "Mrs. * ZT-L", you'll find many instances of this honorific used for couples, and a few for women. Here are some examples of it used for women by various Jewish news or public ...
Isaac Moses's user avatar
  • 47.8k
10 votes

Why is wearing a sheitel not marit ayin?

Per this analysis: R. Moshe Feinstein responds to the maris ayin argument in multiple ways: 1. A woman covering her hair is an obligation, not a prohibition (it is an issur aseh) 2. Someone, ...
SAH's user avatar
  • 19.6k
10 votes

Would a woman be permitted to write a sefer Torah?

The Shulchan Aruch (YD 281:3) writes that a woman who writes a Torah scroll invalidates it: ‏ספר תורה שכתבו מסור, עבד, אשה, קטן, כותי, ישראל מומר פסולין. The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 281:1) writes the ...
sam's user avatar
  • 41k
10 votes
Accepted

Why the lack of hesitance to wear pads on the sabbath?

At Yoatzot.org here, they answer as follows: If the sole purpose is to protect the woman's clothing, the sanitary napkin should not be worn. But generally speaking, most women are also concerned ...
רבות מחשבות's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

How was the concubine of givah killed

On verse 19:26 the Metzudat David states that she died from the exhaustion of the multiple raping. ותפול. מחמת חולשת רוב הבעילות נפלה בפתח ולא הוסיפה לקום, ושכבה עד אור הבוקר, ומתה:‏ He says ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
10 votes

Bat mitzvah - I'm female aged 50. Never been taught or had a bat mitzvah

Welcome and congratulations on your search and efforts! First and foremost you should approach the rabbi in a local synagogue or Chabad house. Beyond that, there is a wonderful organization called ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.9k
9 votes
Accepted

a girl marrying against her parents wishes

Tzitz Eliezer 14:73 spells this one out very explicitly: it's identical for sons and daughters -- the parents can't force them to marry or not-marry someone if they don't want to. (Though he adds that ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 131k
9 votes

Is there a female equivalent of Z"l?

You ask what's appropriate. I don't see why z"l (or ז״ל) would be inappropriate. Nonetheless, I have often seen a"h (or ע״ה) for a woman where the same text included z"l (or ז״ל) for a man.
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.6k
9 votes
Accepted

Are Tallis and Tefillin considered beged ish?

The Targum Yonasan to the verse prohibiting a woman to wear men's gear says specifically it includes Tallis and Tefilin. However, that doesn't seem to be the prevailing opinion. The Aruch HaShulchan ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 131k

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible