Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #1
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg Boca Raton Synagogue
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #2
I. Women and Torah Study
a. Gemara Kiddushin – Women are exempt b. Birchas Ha’Torah
i. Rama – Women recite ii. Magen Avraham – Women obligated to study laws that apply to them
iii. Gra – No obligation, women can volunteer like time bound mitzvos iv. Beis Ha’Levi – Difference between study of Torah and knowledge of Torah
c. Rama – Women must learn that which applies to them
II. Women and the Study of Talmud a. Gemara Sotah – teaching women Talmud is teaching tiflus. b. What is tiflus?
i. Yirmiyahu, Rashi, Yerushalmi – Torah knowledge could lead to immorality and promiscuity
ii. Iyov, Rambam – Superficial learning without depth. “Little knowledge is a dangerous thing”
iii. R’ Moshe – Halacha l’maaseh, women should not study mishna c. Women’s initiation
i. Perisha – distinction between a women who initiates an interest to learn and a father teaching
ii. Torah Temimah – “women whose hearts motivate them” d. Scholarly women –
i. Eruvin, Pesachim – Beruriah, wife of R’ Meir ii. Nechama Lebowitz
iii. Rayna Batya
III. The Times, They are A’Changin a. Chafetz Chaim – women are literate in secular subjects b. R’ Twersky explains his grandfather, the Rav’s approach to teaching Talmud to
women c. Rabbi Soloveitchik – men’s Torah and women’s Torah d. Lubavitcher Rebbe – need to know Torah’s view e. R’ Aharon Lichtenstein and R’ Moshe Meiselman – women’s higher education
IV. Opportunities at BRS for Women’s Learning:
a. Rabbanit Rock – Sefer Bamidbar b. Mrs. Malka Morris – Book of Shmuel c. Rebbetzin Yocheved Goldberg – Taharas Ha’Mishpacha review d. Rebbetzin Fay Greene – monthly Women’s spirituality class e. Mrs. Anne Deakter – Parsha f. Women’s Beis Midrash – NEW g. Women’s Rosh Chodesh Inspirational Lecture Series h. BRS/GPATS classes
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #3
See the Agur whose opinion is unacceptable for a number of reasons. The Torah itself shouts to us, “And you shall teach your sons” and not your daughters. So how could women possibly say, “Who has commanded us” or “Who has given us the Torah?” Clearly, the matter must be explained according to what is written in Tosafos and the other poskim that women are permitted to recite a beracha whenever they choose to perform a mitzvas asei she’hazman grama (positive time point commandments). Although the Rabbis have taught “whoever teaches his daughter Torah it as if he has taught her tiflus,” this statement was only made in connection with Oral Torah.
Women must recite the blessing on the Torah
[Women recite the blessing on Torah] because they are obligated to study the laws relevant to them
1. Kiddushin 29b
3. Magen Avraham R’ Avraham Gombiner
(1633-1683)
2. Shulchan Aruch o.c. 47:14
4. Vilna Gaon – Gr”a R’ Eliyahu b. Shlomo Zalman Kremer
(1720-1797)
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #4
Women must study the laws relevant to them. Women are not obligated to teach their children Torah however if they enable their sons or husbands to study they receive reward.
7. Yirmiyahu 23:13
6. Sota 20a
5. Rama R’ Moshe Isserles (1520-1572)
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #5
Our Rabbis commanded us not to teach women Mishnayos which
is Torah Sh’b’al peh and falls under the category of tiflus. Therefore, we should prevent women from studying it. Only Pirkei Avos which deals with matters of morals and ethical behavior, should be taught to women in order to inspire in them love of Torah as well as noble characteristics. Other tractates may not be
A woman who studies Torah will receive reward. However, that reward will not be [as great] as a man's, since she was not commanded [in this mitzvah]. Whoever performs a deed which he is not commanded to do, does not receive as great a reward as one who performs a mitzvah that he is commanded to do.
Even though she will receive a reward, the Sages commanded that a person should not teach his daughter Torah, because most women cannot concentrate their attention on study, and thus transform the words of Torah into idle matters because of their lack of understanding.
[Thus,] our Sages declared: "Whoever teaches his daughter Torah is like one who teaches her tales and parables." This applies to the Oral Law. [With regard to] the Written Law: at the outset, one should not teach one's daughter. However, if one teaches her, it is not considered as if she was taught idle things.
11. Igros Moshe R’ Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986)
8. Rashi
10. Rambam Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:13
9. Iyov 6:6
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #6
The minds of most women are not adapted to be taught Torah. However, if a woman has taught herself, it is apparent to us that she is no longer included in the category of most women. Therefore, the Rambam wrote that she is rewarded. This refers to a woman who has studied Torah properly and consequently will not turn the words of the Torah into words of nonsense. A father is forbidden to teach his daughter Torah lest she turn the words of Torah into words of nonsense since he does not know what lies in her heart.
12. Perisha 246:6 R’ Yehoshua Falk (1555–1614)
13. Torah Temimah R’ Baruch Ha’Levi Epstein
(1860-1941)
14. Eruvin 53b 15. Pesachim 62a
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #7
On weekday afternoons, we would spend a half hour with Abba during lunchtime. The radio would be on, and we would listen to
Professor Nechama Leibowitz, z”l, explain the Tanach. He would say, “Learn from her, children; see what a wise woman she is. Learn the Tanach
well, so that in twenty or thirty years from now, I will be privileged to hear you on the radio explaining the Tanach.” Indeed, today several of my brothers deliver regular shiurim on Israeli
16. Jewish Action Adina Bar Shalom
“My Abba, Rav Ovadia”
17. Rabbi JJ Schacter “Facing the Truths of History”
Torah U’Mada 8 (1998)
18. Chafetz Chaim R’ Yisroel Meir
Kagan
Anyone who has but a fleeting insight into the life and work ofRabb. Hirsch will realize that his Torah im Derech Eretz formulawas never intended by him as a hiw tarvh.
He continues, “We ask: are the conditions which led Rabb. Hirschand the rabbinical leaders to the supposed hiw tarvh of Torah imDerech Eretz any less valid in our own time? Are they not rathermore acute and far more pressing?”80
• Sefer Mekor Barukh, the memoirs of R. Barukh Halevi Epstein,most well known as the author of the Torah Temimah commentary onthe Torah, contains a great deal of information about Jewish life inEastern Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century. Particu-larly valuable are his descriptions of the leading gedolei Yisrael of thetime, especially that of his uncle, R. Naphtali Z. evi Yehudah Berlin (theNez. iv) and the members of his family. This book contains an entirechapter on Mrs. Rayna Batya, daughter of R. Iz. ele Volozhiner, grand-daughter of R. H. ayyim Volozhiner and first wife of the Nez. iv.81 At thebeginning of his presentation, R. Epstein describes the books that sheread:
,Xyqh ymyb Mgv ,lkvah tybb rwa Prvch rvntl tvkymsb dymt tbwl hkrd 'yh Kkvtrvnm ,Mynvw Mywrdm ,bqiy Nyi ,tvynwm ,K"nt :Mynvw Myrps rvbx Nclw hynplv yrpsmv hla Mynymm Myrps hmkv hmk dviv ,hdvhy ebw ,dvd cmx ,rwyh bq ,rvamh
82.hdga
An English “rendering” of this volume appeared in 1988 which con-tains the following version of this statement: “It was her habit to sit bythe oven in the kitchen—even in the summertime—next to a tablepiled high with seforim. These included a Tanach, Ein Yaacov, vari-ous midrashim, Menoras HaMaor, Kav HaYashar, Tzemach Dovid,Shevet Yehudah, and many other books of this nature.”83 Conspicuousby their absence are the references to Mishnayot and sifrei Aggadah.While the subject of women studying Torah she-be‘al peh is still a con-troversial one in the Orthodox community, there is no doubt that thisgreat woman—wife, daughter and granddaughter of the most illustri-ous rashei yeshiva of the greatest yeshiva in nineteenth century Eu-rope—at least read, if not studied, that literature.84
• It has been commonly accepted that the Nez. iv decided “to closethe doors of the famed Volozhiner Yeshiva rather than introducingsecular studies into its program.” In an earlier article I have demon-strated that “There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the Nez. ivallowed secular studies in Volozhin,” the yeshiva he headed with greatdistinction and mesirat nefesh from 1853 until its closing in 1892. At
Jacob J. Schacter 217
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #8
TRA
ITIO
N
appe
ar to
con
fuse
righ
t and
left.
Crie
s of c
onde
mna
tion
are
raise
d an
dsla
nder
ous e
pith
ets h
urle
d-'re
form
ist!,'
'mod
erni
st!,'
etc.
Tho
se h
akh-
mei
haM
asor
a w
ho st
and
in th
e va
ngua
rd o
f the
figh
t aga
inst
assim
ila-
tion
and
per n
eces
sity
spea
k th
e la
ngua
ge o
f the
alie
nate
d an
d co
nfus
edm
asse
s are
mos
t vul
nera
ble.
The
trou
ble-
fille
d ca
reer
of t
he M
albi
m,
inte
r alia
, im
med
iate
ly c
omes
to m
ind.
Thi
s spi
ritua
l gia
nt w
ho in
the
eyes
of t
he B
eit h
aLev
i and
Rav
Cha
im c
omm
ande
d th
e re
vere
nce
due
to o
ne o
f the
rish
onim
was
the
obje
ct o
f mer
cile
ss, v
itrio
lic a
ttack
. How
bitte
rly ir
onic
: he
devo
ted
his l
ife to
com
batin
g th
e pe
rnic
ious
dan
gers
of re
form
, and
him
self
had
to s
uffe
r acc
usat
ions
of b
eing
a 'r
efor
mis
t.'Sa
dly,
the
Mal
bim
was
nei
ther
the
first
nor t
he la
st am
ongs
t ged
olei
Yis-
rael
to
suff
er s
uch
a fa
te.
Such
are
the
bur
dens
of
lead
ersh
ip.
The
Rav
exer
cise
d re
mar
kabl
e le
ader
ship
and
also
bor
e w
ith g
reat
dign
ity th
e bu
rden
s and
indi
gniti
es o
f lea
ders
hip.
The
subt
le tr
uth
is th
is: o
ur M
asor
a is
eter
nally
bin
ding
and
un-
changing. "This Torah shall not be altered, and there wil be no other
Tora
h fo
rthco
min
g fro
m th
e Cr
eato
r, m
ay H
is na
me
be b
less
ed. "
47Re
gard
less
of t
heir
inte
nsity
or v
eloc
ity, w
inds
of c
hang
e ar
e po
wer
less
agai
nst a
div
ine,
ete
rnal
Mas
ora.
Ext
erna
l cha
nge
or a
ccom
mod
atio
n is
anat
hem
a. H
owev
er, M
asor
a do
es p
osse
ss a
n in
tern
al d
ynam
ic. T
heTo
rah
inte
rnal
ly d
icta
tes,
in so
me
case
s, th
at c
hang
ing
circ
umsta
nces
elic
it di
ffere
nt d
irect
ives
and
resp
onse
s. Th
e To
rah,
abs
olut
e an
d un
-ch
angi
ng, i
tself
prov
ides
indi
vidu
aliz
ed g
uide
lines
for d
iffer
ent e
poch
s.Th
e fir
st R
ebbe
of G
er, t
he le
gend
ary
Hid
ushe
i haR
im, u
nequ
ivoc
ally
form
ulat
ed th
is ca
rdin
al tr
uth:
"In
ever
y ge
nera
tion
(new
) Tor
ah in
ter-
pret
atio
ns c
ome
to li
ght i
n ac
cord
ance
with
the
(peo
ple
of th
e) g
ener
a-ti
on a
nd t
he n
eed
to d
irec
t th
em.
"48
Thes
e in
terp
reta
tion
s ar
e di
vine
d,of
ten
times
intu
itive
ly, b
y th
e ha
khm
ei h
aMas
ora.
IVTO
RAT
HA
VLe
t us,
with
the
bene
fit o
f car
eful
retro
spec
tive
refle
ctio
n, w
hile
reje
ct-
ing
revi
sioni
sm, s
tudy
som
e of
the
Rav'
s tea
chin
gs, e
spec
ially
thos
ewh
ich
resp
onde
d to
the
con
fron
tati
on o
f To
rah
and
mod
erni
ty.
TALMUD TORA FOR WOMEN AND THE
MEI
IITSA
CO
NTR
OV
ERSY
The
Rav
advo
cate
d te
achi
ng T
orah
she-
BaJa
l Pe
to w
omen
. He
pers
onal
-ly taught Torah she_BaJal Pe to his daughters, on his initiative and
96
Maye
r Tw
ersk
y
auth
ority
Gem
ora
has b
een
taug
ht to
girl
s in
Mai
mon
ides
Sch
ool,4
9 an
dhe
del
iver
ed a
shiu
r ina
ugur
atin
g a
Talm
ud p
rogr
am fo
r wom
en a
t Ste
rnCo
llege
. At f
irst g
lanc
e, th
e Ra
v's a
ctio
ns se
emin
gly
besp
eak
a m
oder
nin
stin
ct a
nd re
form
ist p
rocl
iviti
es.
This
supe
rfici
al a
nd si
mpl
istic
inte
rpre
tatio
n, h
owev
er, i
s cle
arly
be-
lied
whe
n w
e fo
cus o
n an
othe
r vita
l con
tem
pora
ry is
sue.
In th
e 19
50's
nasc
ent p
ost-w
ar A
mer
ican
orth
odox
y sto
od a
t a fa
tefu
l cro
ssro
ad. I
n-cr
easin
gly
acce
ding
to so
ciet
al a
ssim
ilatio
nist
forc
es, b
oth
rabb
inic
and
lay
lead
ers w
ere
rem
ovin
g th
e m
ehits
a fro
m sy
nago
gues
and
aba
ndon
ing
sepa
rate
seat
ing,
in th
e na
me
of a
llege
d eg
alita
riani
sm. T
he sa
cred
ness
and
invi
olab
ilty
of
hala
kha
were
thr
eate
ned.
50
The
Rav
resp
onde
d ve
ryfo
rcef
ully
, dec
ryin
g th
e Ch
ristia
niza
tion
of th
e sy
nago
gue,
bea
utifu
llyar
ticul
atin
g th
e ra
tiona
le fo
r a m
ehits
a, a
nd a
bsol
utel
y pr
ohib
iting
ent
ryin
to su
ch a
"mod
ified
" syn
agog
ue, e
ven
if it
prov
ided
the
only
opp
or-
tuni
ty to
fulfi
ll th
e m
itsva
of s
hofa
r on
Rosh
HaS
hana
. Her
e ar
e th
e'Ra
v's i
mpa
ssio
ned
wor
ds a
s he
spok
e to
that
vita
l iss
ue:
In p
artic
ular
, I w
ish to
cal
l the
atte
ntio
n of
the
conf
eren
ce to
the
meh
i-ts
a pr
oble
m .
. .
many
of
our
coll
eagu
es c
hoos
e th
e de
rech
ket
zara
hva
'aru
cha,
the
easy
way
whi
ch le
ads
to d
oom
and
dis
aste
r. I d
o he
reby
reite
rate
the
stat
emen
t I h
ave
mad
e on
num
erou
s oc
casi
ons,
bot
h in
writ
ing
and
oral
ly, t
hat a
syna
gogu
e w
ith a
mix
ed se
atin
g ar
rang
emen
tfo
rfeits
its s
anct
ity a
nd it
s hal
akhi
c sta
tus o
f mik
dash
me'a
t (sa
nctu
ary
inm
inia
ture
), an
d is
unfit
for p
raye
r and
avo
da sh
e-be
lev
(the
serv
ice
of th
ehe
art).
I kn
ow b
efor
ehan
d th
e re
actio
n to
my
lette
r on
the
part
of o
urap
ostle
s of r
elig
ious
"mod
erni
sm" a
nd "u
tilita
riani
sm."
They
will
cer
-ta
inly
say
that
sinc
e a
grea
t maj
ority
of t
he re
cent
ly c
onstr
cted
syna
-go
gues
hav
e ab
ando
ned
sepa
rate
d se
atin
g, w
e m
ust n
ot b
e ou
t of s
tep
with
the
mas
ses.
This
type
of r
easo
ning
cou
ld w
ell b
e em
ploy
ed w
ithre
gard
to o
ther
relig
ious
pre
cept
s, su
ch a
s the
obs
erva
nce
of th
e Sa
b-ba
th, a
nd th
e di
etar
y la
ws.
How
ever
, we
mus
t rem
embe
r tha
t an
ethi
cal
or h
alak
hic
prin
cipl
e de
cree
d by
God
is n
ot re
nder
ed v
oid
by th
e fa
ctth
at p
eopl
e re
fuse
to a
bide
by
it. It
s cog
ency
and
ver
acity
are
per
enni
alan
d in
depe
nden
t of c
ompl
ianc
e on
the
part
of th
e m
ultit
udes
. If t
heet
hica
l nor
m, '
Thou
shal
t not
kill
,' ha
s not
lost
its v
alid
ity d
urin
g th
eda
ys o
f ext
erm
inat
ion
cam
ps a
nd g
as c
ham
bers
, whe
n m
ilion
s of p
eopl
ew
ere
enga
ged
in ru
thle
ss m
urde
r, bu
t on
the
cont
rary
, has
bee
nim
preg
nate
d w
ith d
eepe
r mea
ning
and
sig
nific
ance
, the
n ev
ery
hala
khic
max
im a
ssum
es g
reat
er im
port
in ti
mes
of w
ides
prea
d di
sreg
ard
and
unco
ncer
n. T
he g
reat
er th
e di
ffcul
ty, t
he m
ore
bitin
g th
e rid
icul
e an
dsa
rcas
m, a
nd th
e m
ore
num
erou
s the
opp
onen
t-the
n th
e ho
lier i
s the
97
TRA
ITIO
N
prin
cipl
e, a
nd th
e m
ore
sacr
ed is
our
dut
y to
def
end
it. In
my
opin
ion,
the
hala
khic
dic
tum
, bish
eJat
gez
erat
ha-
mal
khut
affl
u m
itsva
kal
lah
kego
n le
-shi
nuye
(ar
keta
de-
mesa
na,
yeha
reg
ve'a
l ya
'avo
r (a
t a
time
of
relig
ious
per
secu
tion
thro
ugh
gove
rnm
enta
l dec
ree,
eve
n fo
r a m
inor
custo
m, s
uch
as o
ne in
volv
ing
chan
ging
a sh
oela
ce, l
et o
ne su
ffer d
eath
soon
er th
an tr
ansg
ress
it) r
equi
ring
of u
s a h
eroi
c sta
nd in
tim
es o
fad
vers
ity, a
pplie
s not
onl
y to
pol
itica
l and
relig
ious
per
secu
tion
orig
i-na
ted
by so
me
paga
n ru
ler,
but a
lso to
situ
atio
ns in
whi
ch a
smal
l num
-be
r of G
od-fe
arin
g an
d To
rah-
loya
l peo
ple
is co
nfro
nted
with
a h
ostil
eat
titu
de o
n th
e pa
rt o
f th
e m
ajor
ity d
omin
ated
by
a fa
lse p
hilo
soph
y.5
The
Rav
from
his
ear
liest
you
th w
as tr
aine
d to
be
exce
ptio
nally
sen
-si
tive
and
disc
iplin
ed in
mat
ters
ofla
ngua
ge. A
n ex
tra w
ord
in R
amba
m's
Mis
hne
Tora
h co
uld
prom
pt p
rofo
und
nove
llae.
Rav
Cha
im re
wro
te h
isow
n hi
dush
im a
hun
dred
tim
es,
ever
y wo
rd w
eigh
ed a
nd m
easu
red.
52
The
Rav
imbi
bed
and
lived
this
hallo
wed
trad
ition
. How
strik
ing
and
reve
alin
g th
en is
his
lang
uage
in h
is d
evas
tatin
g cr
itiqu
e of
relig
ious
"mod
erni
sm" a
nd "u
tilita
riani
sm."
The
desc
riptio
n of
the
path
of d
oom
and
disa
ster,
the
anal
ogy
to th
e N
azi a
band
onm
ent o
f the
pre
cept
agai
nst m
urde
r! Th
e cl
ario
n ca
ll to
mar
tyrd
om ra
ther
than
sur
rend
er to
am
ajor
ity d
omin
ated
by
a fa
lse p
hilo
soph
y! L
et o
ne su
ffer d
eath
soon
erth
an a
cqui
esce
to re
mov
ing
the
meh
itsa
from
a sy
nago
gue!
In th
is co
n-te
xt, t
he R
av a
ppea
rs a
s the
ulti
mat
e id
eolo
gue,
aut
hor o
f ext
rem
e rig
ht-
win
g rh
etor
ic.
The
"thi
rd v
erse
" whi
ch re
conc
iles t
he a
ppar
ent c
ontra
dict
ion
isth
is: T
ruth
and
men
of t
ruth
tran
scen
d fa
cile
cla
ssifi
catio
n an
d de
fysu
perfi
cial
ster
eoty
ping
. The
Rav
was
nei
ther
left
nor r
ight
win
g, m
od-
ern
nor
ultr
a or
thod
ox.
He w
as a
man
of
Tora
h, tr
uth.
Tru
th, i
ts un
der-
lyin
g un
ity u
ncom
prom
ised,
ofte
n un
derg
oes a
pro
cess
of d
iffra
ctio
nan
d m
anife
sts it
self
in a
var
iety
of g
uise
s. Th
e Ra
v's p
ositi
on, l
ike
thos
eof
the
Haf
ets
Hayi
ff a
nd o
ther
hak
hmei
haM
asor
a) r
egar
ding
wom
en's
educ
atio
n re
flect
ed h
is in
tuiti
ve u
nder
stand
ing
Of w
hat t
he in
tern
al d
y-na
mic
of M
asor
a pr
escr
ibes
for t
he c
onte
mpo
rary
pre
dica
men
t.Pr
e W
orld
War
II E
urop
ean
Jew
ry h
ad b
een
in th
e th
roes
of a
reli-
giou
s cris
is, a
fact
om
itted
in o
ur ro
man
ticiz
ed h
istor
ies o
f the
per
iod.
The
forc
es o
f ass
imila
tion
wer
e ve
ry st
rong
, and
man
y su
ccum
bed.
The
cris
is w
as m
ost a
cute
in th
e ar
ea o
f Tor
ah e
duca
tion
for w
omen
.53
Pro-
foun
d co
rrect
ive
educ
atio
nal m
easu
res w
ould
hav
e be
en n
eces
sary
inEu
rope
, the
bas
tion
of o
rthod
oxy.
A fo
rtior
i in
the
Uni
ted
Stat
es.
The
hala
kha
proh
ibiti
ng T
orah
stu
dy fo
r wom
en is
not
indi
scrim
i-na
te o
r all-
enco
mpa
ssin
g. T
here
is c
ompl
ete
unan
imity
that
wom
en a
re
98
TRA
ITIO
N
prin
cipl
e, a
nd th
e m
ore
sacr
ed is
our
dut
y to
def
end
it. In
my
opin
ion,
the
hala
khic
dic
tum
, bish
eJat
gez
erat
ha-
mal
khut
affl
u m
itsva
kal
lah
kego
n le
-shi
nuye
(ar
keta
de-
mesa
na,
yeha
reg
ve'a
l ya
'avo
r (a
t a
time
of
relig
ious
per
secu
tion
thro
ugh
gove
rnm
enta
l dec
ree,
eve
n fo
r a m
inor
custo
m, s
uch
as o
ne in
volv
ing
chan
ging
a sh
oela
ce, l
et o
ne su
ffer d
eath
soon
er th
an tr
ansg
ress
it) r
equi
ring
of u
s a h
eroi
c sta
nd in
tim
es o
fad
vers
ity, a
pplie
s not
onl
y to
pol
itica
l and
relig
ious
per
secu
tion
orig
i-na
ted
by so
me
paga
n ru
ler,
but a
lso to
situ
atio
ns in
whi
ch a
smal
l num
-be
r of G
od-fe
arin
g an
d To
rah-
loya
l peo
ple
is co
nfro
nted
with
a h
ostil
eat
titu
de o
n th
e pa
rt o
f th
e m
ajor
ity d
omin
ated
by
a fa
lse p
hilo
soph
y.5
The
Rav
from
his
ear
liest
you
th w
as tr
aine
d to
be
exce
ptio
nally
sen
-si
tive
and
disc
iplin
ed in
mat
ters
ofla
ngua
ge. A
n ex
tra w
ord
in R
amba
m's
Mis
hne
Tora
h co
uld
prom
pt p
rofo
und
nove
llae.
Rav
Cha
im re
wro
te h
isow
n hi
dush
im a
hun
dred
tim
es,
ever
y wo
rd w
eigh
ed a
nd m
easu
red.
52
The
Rav
imbi
bed
and
lived
this
hallo
wed
trad
ition
. How
strik
ing
and
reve
alin
g th
en is
his
lang
uage
in h
is d
evas
tatin
g cr
itiqu
e of
relig
ious
"mod
erni
sm" a
nd "u
tilita
riani
sm."
The
desc
riptio
n of
the
path
of d
oom
and
disa
ster,
the
anal
ogy
to th
e N
azi a
band
onm
ent o
f the
pre
cept
agai
nst m
urde
r! Th
e cl
ario
n ca
ll to
mar
tyrd
om ra
ther
than
sur
rend
er to
am
ajor
ity d
omin
ated
by
a fa
lse p
hilo
soph
y! L
et o
ne su
ffer d
eath
soon
erth
an a
cqui
esce
to re
mov
ing
the
meh
itsa
from
a sy
nago
gue!
In th
is co
n-te
xt, t
he R
av a
ppea
rs a
s the
ulti
mat
e id
eolo
gue,
aut
hor o
f ext
rem
e rig
ht-
win
g rh
etor
ic.
The
"thi
rd v
erse
" whi
ch re
conc
iles t
he a
ppar
ent c
ontra
dict
ion
isth
is: T
ruth
and
men
of t
ruth
tran
scen
d fa
cile
cla
ssifi
catio
n an
d de
fysu
perfi
cial
ster
eoty
ping
. The
Rav
was
nei
ther
left
nor r
ight
win
g, m
od-
ern
nor
ultr
a or
thod
ox.
He w
as a
man
of
Tora
h, tr
uth.
Tru
th, i
ts un
der-
lyin
g un
ity u
ncom
prom
ised,
ofte
n un
derg
oes a
pro
cess
of d
iffra
ctio
nan
d m
anife
sts it
self
in a
var
iety
of g
uise
s. Th
e Ra
v's p
ositi
on, l
ike
thos
eof the Hafets Hayiff and other hakhmei haMasora) regarding women's
educ
atio
n re
flect
ed h
is in
tuiti
ve u
nder
stand
ing
Of w
hat t
he in
tern
al d
y-na
mic
of M
asor
a pr
escr
ibes
for t
he c
onte
mpo
rary
pre
dica
men
t.Pr
e W
orld
War
II E
urop
ean
Jew
ry h
ad b
een
in th
e th
roes
of a
reli-
giou
s cris
is, a
fact
om
itted
in o
ur ro
man
ticiz
ed h
istor
ies o
f the
per
iod.
The
forc
es o
f ass
imila
tion
wer
e ve
ry st
rong
, and
man
y su
ccum
bed.
The
cris
is w
as m
ost a
cute
in th
e ar
ea o
f Tor
ah e
duca
tion
for w
omen
.53
Pro-
foun
d co
rrect
ive
educ
atio
nal m
easu
res w
ould
hav
e be
en n
eces
sary
inEu
rope
, the
bas
tion
of o
rthod
oxy.
A fo
rtior
i in
the
Uni
ted
Stat
es.
The
hala
kha
proh
ibiti
ng T
orah
stu
dy fo
r wom
en is
not
indi
scrim
i-na
te o
r all-
enco
mpa
ssin
g. T
here
is c
ompl
ete
unan
imity
that
wom
en a
re
98
19. “
A Gl
imps
e of
the R
av”
R’ M
ayer
Twer
sky
Tadi
tion
30:4
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #9
Mayer Twersky
obligated to study halakhot pertaining to mitsvot which are incumbentupon them.
54 Clearly men are allowed to provide instruction in theseareas. A father's obligation of hinukh relates equally to sons and daugh-ters.55 The prohibition of teaching Torah she-BaJal Pe to women relates tooptional study. If ever circumstances dictate that study of Torah she-BaJalPe is necessary to provide a firm foundation for faith, such study becomesobligatory and obviously lies beyond the pale of any prohibition.Undoubtedly, the Rav's prescription was more far-reaching than that ofthe Hafets Hayim and others. But the difference in magnitude shouldnot obscure their fundamental agreement: intuitively, it is clear that theguidelines of the Talmud in Masekhet Sota were never intended for ourepoch. This is not an instance of modernism, but Torah intuition.
Similarly, Torah intuition and reasoning dictated a firm, resolutestand in the mehitsa controversy. Firstly the requirement for a mehitsa isabsolute. Moreover, any horaJat shaJah would be dangerously misguid-ed because succumbing to a religiously and culturally hostile environ-ment, compromising principles and distorting halakha can not preservebut only distort Torah. As the Rav underscored, the mehitsa issue wasrepresentative. If orthodoxy would not remain true to its principles onthis issue, no precept would be immune to such religious accomoda-tionism. The Rav keenly perceived and forcefully articulated this truth,and was instrumental in stemming the tide of assimilation and rescuingnascent post-war orthodoxy.
INTRA-FAITH CO-OPERATION ANDINTERFAITH DIAOGUE
Juxtaposing the Rav's positions on membership in the SynagogueCouncil, on the one hand, and inter-faith dialogue, on the other, is sim-ilarly ilumining. For many years the Union of Orthodox Congregationsand the Rab binIcal Council of America belonged to the SynagogueCouncil, an umbrella body comprised of orthodox, conservative, andreform organizations. The Rav approved of their ongoing participation.His ruling was not rooted in "tolerance" or "pluralism." Nor did itreflect his alleged modernity.
The Rav's firm stand banning inter-faith dialogue suffices to dispelany such ilusions. In the early 1960's in the aftermath of the Vatican'sEcumenical Council, many Jewish groups were eager to engage theChurch in dialogue. The Rav adamantly opposed this, eloquentlyexplaining the impossibilty of such a venture and subtly exposing theVatican's invitation as a veiled form of assimilationist entrapment. His
99
People are mistaken in thinking that there is only one masorah, and only one masorah community, the community of the fathers. It is not true. We have two masorot, two traditions, two communities, two shalshalot ha-kabbalah [chains of tradition]- the masorah community of the fathers and that of the mothers. "Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob [=the women] and tell the children of Israel [=the men]" [Exodus 19:3], "Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father [mussar avikha], and forsake not the teaching of thy mother [torat imekha]" [Proverbs 1:8], counseled the old king. What is the difference between these two masorot, these two traditions? What is the distinction between mussar avikha and torat imekha? Let us explore what one learns from one's father and what one learns from one's mother.
From one's father one learns how to read a text- the Bible or the Talmud, how to comprehend, how to analyze, how to conceptualize how to classify, how to infer, how to apply, etc. One also learns what to do and what not to do, what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Father teaches son the discipline of thought as well as the discipline of action. Father's tradition is an intellectual-moral one. That is why it is identified with musar, the biblical term for discipline.
What is torat imekha? What kind of a Torah does the mother pass on? I admit that I am not able to define precisely the masoretic role of a mother. Only by circumscription may I hope to explain it. Permit me to draw upon my own experiences. I used to have long conversations with my mother. In fact, they were monologues rather than a dialogue. She talked and I "happened" to overhear. What did she talk about? I must use a halakhic term in order to answer this question. She spoke of inyana de-yoma [the affairs of the day]. I used to watch her arranging the house in honor of a holiday. I used to see her recite prayers. I used to watch her recite the sidra [weekly Torah portion] every Friday night; I still remember the nostalgic tune. I learned much from her.
Most of all I learned that Judaism expresses itself not only in formal compliance with the law but also in living experience. She taught me that there is flavor, a scent, and a warmth to mitzvot. I learned from her the most important thing in life- to feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of His hand resting upon my frail shoulders. Without her teachings, which quite often were transmitted to me in silence, I would have grown up a soulless being, dry and insensitive.
The laws of Shabbat, for instance, were passed on to me by my father; they are part of musar avikha. The Shabbat as a living entity, as a queen, was revealed to me by my mother; it is a part of torat imekha. The fathers knew much about the Shabbat; the mother lived the Shabbat, experienced her presence, and perceived her beauty and splendor.
The fathers taught generations how to observe the Shabbat; the mothers taught generations how to greet the Shabbat and how to enjoy her twenty-four-hour presence.
20. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (1903-1993)
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #10
21. Lubavitcher Rebbe
R’ Menachel Mendel
Schneerson zt’’l (1902-1994)
22. Lubavitcher Rebbe Igros Kodesh 7:247
Women and Torah Study: Obligations and Opportunities – Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
Boca Raton Synagogue -‐ Page #11
24. R’ M
oshe M
eiselm
an
“Jew
ish W
omen
in Je
wish
Law”
23. R’ A
haro
n Li
chten
stein
“T
orah
Stu
dy fo
r Wom
en”
Ten
Da’a
t 3:3