fox@ozone.DEC (10/01/85)
Now that things have settled down in home, job, and life, I
have resumed pursuing my interest with the role of women in Judaism,
specifically in terms of spiritual needs. So my eye was caught
by a letter in _The_Jewish_Week_, written by Lifsa Schacter in
response to a recent ruling by five Orthodox rabbis that women's
prayer groups were not halachically valid. I quote from the
letter:
"My father came to this country in the early years of this
century. In the shtetl in which he grew up, his mother was one
of the very few women literate in Hebrew. She was known as a
'_zugger-ke_'.
"In the shtetl synagogue, on the other side of the partition
separating the men from the women, she would follow the service
and say it aloud (_zug_) so that the other women could
participate and respond. My father told me that the women would
press so close that she would sometimes faint. A barrel-type
contrivance with a seat in it was constructed for her to prevent
this from happening. A professor of Talmud recently told me that
he saw such structures in synagogues in Eastern Europe. He had
not been able to figure out their purpose until he heard the
story of my grandmother."
Ms Schacter goes on to say that this vignette
"...casts a different light on the legitimacy of women
seeking forums for participating in public prayer services.
Contrary to the claim of the five rabbis, the inability of the
traditional male service to satisfy the spiritual needs of Jewish
women is not a new phenomenon that developed only in response to
the women's liberation movement of our times.
"When I think of my grandmother and the women who pressed
around her I am overwhelmed by the spiritual greatness that made
it possible for them to continue to try to find ways of
participating in aspects of our tradition that ignored them and
their needs. I believe that women who today organize and
participate in women's _tfilla_ groups and egalitarian services
are the spiritual descendants of the 'zugger-kes' and their
coteries."
I have become part of a (small) mailing list (USPS,not
electronic) of women who are seeking to find new ways to meet the
spiritual needs of Jewish women. We are a diverse group,
interested in developing prayers and ceremonies within the
tradition (for example, shedding light on the Rosh Chodesh, a
traditional, and in this country, ignored, half holiday for
women), and to expand on it, or create new traditions.
I would be interested in a discussion with other Jewish women
about these subjects, either on the net, or through personnel
correspondence. I'm including my U.S. address for those who are not
"connected" to the net.world (please pass this on). I'd also be
happy to send a copy of the full text of Ms. Schacter's letter
(preferably electronically) to individuals who request it.
B'shalom,
Bobbi
USPS: 252 Aspinwall Ave, Brookline, MA 02146
UUCP: ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-nimbus!fox
ARPA/CSNET: fox%nimbus.dec@DECWRLmam@primesun.uucp (10/13/85)
There is a short paragraph concerning the law with respect to women's prayer in the new ART SCROLL SIDDUR. It quotes several opinions which range from -- women should pray once a day with any words that they desire to use -- to -- women should pray almost the same things a man does --. These are not exact quotes and may be slightly inacurrate. I have known the wife of a chasidic rebbe who prayed almost if not all that the men did. She was also an expert in customs and often said Tehillim (Psalms). There could be a women's minyan but the law does not sanction a mixed minyan. I have not read the law (Halacha) on this but I am told that a woman can put on Tephillin (Phylacteries) but that if she undertakes to do so, she must continue and may not then arbitrarily change her mind or do so only irregularly. A competent (Halachalically knowledgeable) rabbi should be consulted on this as well as the other questions raised. Many women form study groups and there are many learned women today as well as schools which teach all levels of Jewish subjects. It is not necessary for any woman to feel spritually deprived. There are many opportunities to raise ones spiritual level for anyone who sincerely wish do do so. Find other likeminded people. Start a study group. There are many many books in English, Hebrew and both which are inspiring and informative. Moshe Meer :wq ls i i
mls@ittvax.ATC.ITT.UUCP (Michael Schneider) (10/21/85)
I know of only one question asked regarding a woman performing an action associated with men: saying Kaddish. The wife of a friend of mine (who is an Orthodox Rabbi with smicha from the Rav) asked if she would be permitted to say the Kaddish for the 11 months following the death of her father (there were no sons). The answer was yes. But it must be done at the same time as a valid minyon davened and she should do it three times a day, as is required by a man. She did. To some extent, this points out some of the problems that can arise with women participation. They must assume ALL the obligations associated with the act they wish to perform. If, for example, a woman wished to be counted as part of a minyon, then should she not be required to perform all the mitzvot associated with this action? I expect someone will say "but not all men pray three times a day." Yet, a man does not voluntarily choose to take upon himself this obligation; in this case a woman does. I am unable to state the halacha regarding a woman's minyon. But, from what I have seen and heard, it appears to occur only on Shabbat. Note in the situation of a woman saying the Kaddish, it was not only on Shabbat, but for the full period required of a man. I sometimes wonder if women realize the obligations they wish to take on. Michael L. Schneider *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***