Why aren't women and men treated the same in Judaism?
 | 
Question: Why aren't women and men treated the same in Judaism?
Answer: In Torah, a woman has every obligation of a man, and a man every obligation of a woman.
Torah doesn't know of man and woman as separate beings. They are a single whole, whether they are cognizant of one another or not. Each act is performed once through a single body. A body that in our world may appear as two, but to the Torah is seen as one.
This is actually a statement of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the greatest of the kaballists. He explains that the man and woman are a single body--and that is how they are considered in halacha, as well. So, for example, a woman also puts on tefillin--only that she puts them on with her male body. If everything is working right, that should be her husband.
| |
|
Latest Comments:
Hmmm, a woman's body is male when he puts on tefillin?
That is a no-no in the bible.
There are certainly sexist remarks and deeds ... but, as far as I'm concerned, it's up to a woman to teach her son the value of women, definitely, and all others, for sure.
No boy should be taught that he isn't a man unless he makes his 'wife' diaper the child or wash dishes and floors.
It doesn't take a man to make a baby - it takes a man to diaper a baby!!
|
“Tradition does not "allow" women to wear Tefilin or a Talit, because they do not need it.”
The divine 'wings' are said to have the power to protect our divine souls and guard us against evil. Since when is man allowed to go against G-d's command? 'All of the Children of Israel' is further clarified in the Talmud concerning the tzitzit, “G-D commanded all the Children of Israel--Kohenim, Leviyyim, Yisraelim, converts, women and slaves.”
(Tractate Menachot 643a)
|
Interesting question.
In a world of cloned women, and no men, would the halachah change such that women would lay tefillin?
Or would laying tefillin become irrelevant?
Hard to say.
|
Rabbi Tzvi said,
In Torah, a woman has every obligation of a man, and a man every obligation of a woman. Torah doesn't know of man and woman as separate beings. They are a single whole, whether they are cognizant of one another or not. Each act is performed once through a single body. A body that in our world may appear as two, but to the Torah is seen as one. This is actually a statement of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the greatest of the kaballists, who explains that the man and woman are a single body--and that is how they are considered in halacha, as well. So, for example, a woman also puts on tefillin--only that she puts them on with her male body. If everything is working right, that should be her husband.
So said Rabbi Tzvi. But as a widow with no husband, how does she "put on tefillin with her male body"? The remarks of Anonymous are not in consonance with Rabbi Tzvi's presentation. Let's hear what Rabbi Tzvi says
|
To Charlotte:
There is no need for you to "experience this mitzvah". The reason that women are not required to do so is that they do not need it. Men do need it, however.
Halacha states that men MUST wear tefilin. It does NOT state, "women are not allowed". This is a very common misconception, which should be stopped here.
Tradition does not "allow" women to wear Tefilin or a Talit, because they do not need it. By doing so anyway, a woman can literally take away a man's ability to be spiritual, himself. Then where are we? Surely, you do not believe that the world needs no men?!
|
To Lisa:
I don't know where you attend shul, but reform does NOT treat both genders equally. Where I am, they treat the men like dirt and the shul is extremely out of balance in favor of women. Women get first choice at anything and everything. Women in charge purposefully leave men out of requests for assistance to lead services, chant Torah, etc.
The women believe that they are "making up" for years of imbalance, but they only thing they are accomplishing is destroying the community and Judaism, when they behave like that!
The end result: Almost none of the men come to the synagogue any more....
|
Well, I don't have a male body. I'm a widow, for starters, but when he was alive he never once put on tefillin, rest his soul. At my age, half the men are dead and the rest are married, except for a few diehards who never did marry and never will. So there is no way for me to put tefillin on "my" male body. The ONLY way for me to experience this mitzvah is on my own body. What do you say to that, Rabbi Tzvi?
|
I always got the idea that the men were considered more important in Orthodox Judaism. I read that the men are in charge of the synagogue and the women are in charge of the home.
I'm glad I'm Reform, where BOTH genders are treated 100% equally!
|
I think that women also if they have taught the Torah should be eligible to wear a tefillin and a tallit. By merit she will have earned it .
|
1. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch makes no mention of women putting on tefillin. (Apparently, because it is an "abridged" Code of Jewish Law, it makes no mention of a theoretical practice which was non-existent in the 19th century.)
2. The concept of doing something three times constituting a vow does not apply to everything. If you wear red shoes three days in a row, that doesn’t obligate you to continue to do so... It also certainly doesn’t apply to a deed -- such as women wearing tefillin -- which Jewish law frowns upon.
3. You write: "Therefore their example does not parallel this one about tefillin, where it used to be one way." a) It NEVER "used to be" that women put on tefillin. Throughout history it happened only as very isolated occurrences, practiced by extremely saintly women. b) There were many, many individuals who followed the rulings of Shammai -- and that was perfectly fine. Then the halachah CHANGED, and REQUIRED everyone to follow the rulings of Hillel.
4. Anyways, I think this discussion has progressed far enough. The bottom line remains, and this must be perfectly clear, that women putting on tefillin is in defiance of the wishes of established and accepted halachah.
|
|
|  |
|
LOGIN
ASK THE RABBI
30 Comments
