By Sarah Schneider
 | The Torah's account of the petition presented to Moses by the daughters of Zelophehad is relevant both to women seeking Halachic support for change, and to the rabbis who are ruling on their questions
19 Comments Posted
Thank you for addressing this important topic! My deep desire for study is easily met with my husband or with other women, it is a longing for involvement in communal life I find so difficult to navigate. I don't desire this for myself but my developing daughter finds exclusion off putting. I want her to love Judaism and not feel alienated. Finding ways to include women is vital to the fight against assimilation. Arguments like Mrs Schneider's will move us forward. I especially appreciate the encouragement of historically placing this struggle near the messianic age.
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Susan Schneider's reasoning concerning the "creative tensions" between the people and its leaders due to the peoples' "piece" of the Torah, I found to be an empowering statement not only for women to stand up and boldy, yet respectfully engage in dialogue, but also for the empathic men who are presently "sideliners" regarding the evolution of progressive revelation. That paragraph needs to be etched in stone it was penetratingly powerful, as was the whole essay!
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I agree - it is very challenging to be an educated woman who learns and takes care of her family at the same time. It is very rewarding to have those rare opportunities to share knowledge and do mitzvos in the community as my own person. It is maybe even more rewarding, though, to watch my children learn and do mitzvos.
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I am sitting here weeping because I just received the answers my soul has cried out for most of my 56 years. I now know why I have had such a longing for the Jewish Torah study and I now know that my Rabbi will accept me as a full member of the community. Though all of my natural relatives are deceased G-d has provided me with the greatest family of all and a true inheritance. Thank you so much for such a gift and such hope. What blessings I have received today.
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This is a wonderful article, by a wonderful author, who clearly loves and has labored in Torah.
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I found out late in life I was Jewish because at birth I was given up for adoption. All my life I knew I was Jewish and waited over 30 yrs to have this truth confirmed. I am the only member of either of my birth blood lines to return to Judaism in only Ha'Shem knows how long. I have endured struggle after struggle just to get a copy of Torah let alone be able to study.
My path has lead me to the Black Hills of SD, where my oldest daughter & I are the only Jews within miles. This mirrors our place w/in our families - the only Jews.
This essay strengthened me because one step at a time we are regaining what has been lost and know that even though our immediate families don't care and want no part of our heritage - our larger Jewish Family does.
Ha'Shem is Blessed...
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Thank you for this article.
I have always thought that the daughters of Tzelophehad are probably the role models that us, as women, can use to question rabbinic law, in a kosher way, but I never knew the midrash behind it. I just figured that these ladies asked clearly and respectfully and were ready to accept whatever verdict was given -- as we should do today.
I started my journey toward a Torah-observant life by wanting to become a Rabbi. I learned, along the way, that there are many ways to serve my community, and I didnt need the title. I am still open to that role evolving for women, perhaps called something different, but I believe the progress toward anything of that nature SHOULD be slow -- and that we should ask intelligently, respectfully and be prepared to accept whatever answer we get. (and then ask again :)
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A very thorough and smooth explanation of the daughters of Tzelofchad, and how they parallel the situation of many Jewish women today. What a great article for Chabad houses to have on hand, college campuses, urban/professional areas,.. well, all of them-- we need every Jewish woman out there, with a full heart, to help "dance" us out of galus, with our tamborines in hand! Ya'sher koach!
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Thank you for this most intriguing article. As a fellow woman I'd be grateful if the author could give examples of the contemporary issues or halachic rulings to which she is referring.
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Thank you Sarah for such a wonderful d'var Torah which I will take to heart and share in many ways. I love your points for social action and your poetic metaphor that "Every new concept or Halachic decision to become part of Torah is a “convert” of sorts" and a holy spark seeking entry.
Shabbat shalom
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I felt empowered by this article.
Both a desire to learn Torah and a deep sense of pride of being a woman in the messianic era.
A sens of duty also , to claim my rights but to do so in an educate way; one of patience and of self-confidence which has to be learned.
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how wonderful and well documented piece. i thoroughly enjoyed it! thanks.
Just curious, do you know if the daughters of Zelophehad had any children? We know they married their first cousins, but how about any progeny? That would make their case stronger. any feedback would be apprecitated
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The Talmud (Baba Basra 119b) tells us that Zelophehad's daughters were very righteous, and therefore only wanted to marry men of high caliber. Because they were waiting until "Mr. Right" came along, none of them got married younger than 40. Despite their advanced age, they miraculously bore children.
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A very powerful piece of writing. I always knew that this incident held the answers for Jewish women but you have drawn out the important details so we can apply it to our own lives. Certainly the women's lib movement can learn a lot from this. They often sacrifice truth and their own dignity and destiny in order to achieve their sought after goals which often didn't turn out to the "pot of gold" that they thought it would be.
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Please give me some insight to find the ages of the daughters. Some say they were teenagers, and I have read (and agree) with them being at 'least' 40. Where can I find the answer?
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If you don't become more open to the role of women beyond the traditional standard, you're going to lose some of your best to the Conservative. Reform, or Reconstructionist movements. Worse, some - like my grandfather - may turn their backs on the faith for the seeming freedom of the secular society.. But what do I know? I'm just a convert that the Orthodox establishment would not even consider Jewish. Oh well, some questions the L-rd will decide. If not in this world but the next. We pay a high price if we allow the living oral law to become a non-living dogma, just to maintain an establishment's power.
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Is there anything in halakah that forbids a woman to be part of a minyan? As your article points out, Judaism is rapidly losing observant Jews. The daughters of Zelophehad were equal before G-d. How can this equality not extend to women for a minyan?
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The minyanim I know of that began counting woman ended up with almost no men. It's not a solution--on the contrary: counting men only is a great way to get men who otherwise would never attend to get involved.
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Science today is showing that boys and girls who attend separate classes achieve much higher grades than when mixed together. The interesting thing, is that boys really improved, way and above over girls, when separated. Why? I don't know, but it is something to note.
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