New York – Last week the Five Towns Jewish Times published an article reposted by VIN News here] lauding the “successful new initiative” at a number of synagogues allowing their members to benefit from a “yoetzet halachah,” a “female halachic advisor.” This innovation was ostensibly established to “assist any woman who is more comfortable discussing certain personal issues with another woman rather than with a male rabbinical advisor.” Since this was reported without critical comment or dissent, I feel that an alternative view must be presented to your readers. So please consider this article a macha’ah—one man’s protest and disagreement with the “rave reviews” this project has reportedly received.
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Now, what could possibly be wrong? An educated woman, trained in a highly specialized and sensitive field, listens carefully to another woman; guides, advises, and eventually confers, if necessary, with a rav; and transmits the final decision back to the questioner. On one level, this was a wonderful idea, conceived out of concern and compassion. On another level, however, I believe this to be an insidious incursion into our time-honored mesorah.
Please allow me to explain.
The Torah was given to us with both a form and substance. Most Torah-true Jews agree that the substance of the Torah is sacrosanct. It may not be altered, distorted, or misrepresented. When tampered with in any way, Orthodox Jews generally agree that one is dangerously entering the precincts of the Reform.
What is not as generally well known is that Torah has a form, as well. The gestalt of Torah is as much part and parcel of Mattan Torah as its substance. Gedolei Yisrael through the ages were moser nefesh for the form as much as for the substance. The institution of a chavrusah, learning at a shtender, the format of a shiur are all time-honored and hallowed. An assault upon the process has always been treated as seriously as an attack upon the Torah itself. For instance, the Netziv closed the great Yeshiva of Volozhin rather than introduce government-mandated innovations. Torah giants insisted on the tzuras ha’daf—the exact printed format of a page of the Talmud and myriad details of the transmission of Torah from a rebbi to a disciple.
The relationship between a rav and those who ask a she’eilah has remained a fundamental component of the “Torah from Sinai” continuum for over three millennia. Each person develops a bond with his or her poseik. Over the years, innumerable often subtle details contribute to the total picture presented to a poseik, especially in this most personal area of life. The interposition of a new “expert” into this equation undercuts the time-honored process developed by the Torah ever since Dovid haMelech (see Berachos 4b).
There is an irony to the “creation” (their word) of a yoetzet at this stage of Jewish history. In ancient times, women were in fact very private people, rarely venturing forth into any kind of public venue. Many halachos, in areas such as tzedakah, inheritance, and business law took this fact into consideration. Yet, women were comfortable asking a she’eilah of their rav or sending their husbands. Today, when women are full members of every area of commerce and society, when they travel the world and are elected to the highest positions in government, it seems a bit incongruous to belatedly claim discomfort with a man. A rav is as much a professional as a physician or attorney, and conducts himself with discretion and consideration. One cannot help but detect an influence of modern feminism and societal pressure rather than a true problem in the comfort level of 21st-century Jewish women.
If you reread the opening sentence of this article quoting the originators of yoatzot, you will note that they refer to a “male rabbinic advisor.” This diminishing term reduces a rav to a “male advisor” and a poseik to one who makes successful suggestions. This is not the role of the poseik, and nothing can replace him.
There is, however, a female player in all this, who has surprisingly been left out of the process. This is the rebbetzin. For many centuries, women who preferred to speak to another woman approached a truly trusted advisor—the rabbi’s wife. She will be familiar with all the contextual facts mentioned earlier and is in the best position to transmit these details to the rav.
All in all, Jewish tradition has provided K’lal Yisrael with a wonderful process for resolving all issues. We would do well to take advantage of it. Nothing is broken and no fixing is necessary
Rabbi Yaakov Feitman of Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi
devorah nevi’ah. case closed
sarah, rivkah, leah, rachel, dina, yocheved, miriam, tziporah , chana, yeal, devorah ,ether
the yoatzot halacha are a necessity of modern times, much more than we need people like certain rebbetzins who lecture to rich people in manhattan
You expect people who read blogs to understand what you mean?
I’m shocked since I know Rabbi Feitman, but this is a form of continuation of kallah classes. Should a Rav give women kallah classes too? This yoetzet halachah allows women to comfortably ask questions & be more specific then they would be asking a Rav. Early on in my marriage I called my kallah teacher with questions that I was embarresed to ask my Rav.
This is lunacy. Most rebbitzen in the frumme and chasidish olams are wonderful women with great neshamas but generally have a hard time getting the chulent to the rebbe’s tish on time; their “expertise” in clinical and halachic matters is somewhere between minimal and nil. The idea of having professionally trained and certified women available to do this job is a threat to only one group of people==Rabbonim such as the heilege rav Feitman who fears losing some of his status if women had an alternative source of definitive advice they felt comfortable talking to.
The relationship between a rav and those who ask a she’eilah has remained a fundamental component of the “Torah from Sinai” continuum for over three millennia. Each person develops a bond with his or her poseik.
Woman have grave difficulty setting up appointments or getting to personal ask Rabbanim their questions. Today’s society would not encourage woman to visit a Rav at home/shul and ask him a question. Additionaly a majority of Rabbanim/Poskim DO NOT and WILL NOT met with women. Even though our holy mesorah encourages a bond and relationship to develop, it is an improbability of modern day society.
at least these women are looking towards torah somewhere—maybe if rabbis like this author were more easy to talk to, approachable and professional the women would be comfortable. But b”h b’nos yisroel are seeking derech hashem somewhere.
so long as the women responders are in touch with rabbonim on halachic issues — this is good and a no brainer. who is this “rabbi” anyhow [b’m’chilas k’vodcaha to him and his community — seeems all stories that are not on derech ha’yoshor are coming out of five towns — money and marterialism are krypptonite to torah]
How is the Rebitzen any different than the Yoetzet Halacha. The latter is even better because she is required to undergo specific training, while a rebitzen gets her authority simply because of whom she married.
Tanach, as others have said, has many exmaples of outstanding women leading.
I am completely moden, but I think each group – from M/O to Satmar, should have their own female halachic advisor to handle sensitive questions pertaining to the sensitive mitzvot given to women.
The Rabbi would be more convincing if he actually cited some sources other than his own opinion. He is correct about the role of the rebbitzen, however. The difference is that the yoetzet is far more learned than the traditional rebbitzen. I don’t see the problem.
rabbis are simply scared of women knowing too much .
Rabbi Feitman talks about the Rebbitzen being the person to speak too.
When a young Rabbi marries does he ensure that his wife is ready for that job, and can continue to be an adviser while bringing up a large family?
Rabbi Feitman further states that tampering with the “mesorah’ is a slippery slope to reform. ( I hate those hysterics in arguments)
He brings an example of Volozhin closing rather than introducing secular studies. Yet today most Yeshivos have secular studies. Are they refom?
A better example would be the Bais Yakov system. That was a real revolution in the mesorah yet didn’t lead to reform but rather led to more observance among women.
Rabbi Feitman argues that the motives of woman are not because they are uncomfortable with males but rather something more sinister. Being that discussing sensitive issues with males is inherently uncomfortable ,I feel it’s simply unacceptabe to question the motives of the women.
Maybe Rabbi Feitman is interested in taking the kallah classes away from the women who give them. Maybe the kallahs shoulds it in with their chasanim in the yeshiva classes given by a male mashgiach. Or maybe we just change the name of the female madrichos who give the kallah classes to yoetzet halacha. Does Rabbi Feitman take umbrage at the name or at the female? Hey Rabbi Feitman, females have been yoetzet halacha for many years, all al pi torah. In all sects of klal yisroel, sefard, aschkenaz, chasidish, litvish etc. I’m not saying get with the times. I’m saying that these newly named women have been around for generations, just as Rabbi Feitman demands that our halacha advisors have been age old.
This is an embarrassing article.
Rabbi Feitman misrepresents the facts of the closing of the Volozhin Yeshiva. He creates new “hallowed items” like “learning at a shtender, the format of a shiur” that do not exist in psak at all. I challenge Rabbi Feitman to name a Gadol who was “moser nefesh” for a shtender in preference to a table and to cite the exact format of a shiur that is acceptable vs. one that isn’t.
The argument that over time a person develops a relationship with their posek holds equally true with a trained woman answering these shailos.
While there may be legitimate reasons for chareidim to argue against yoatzot, this article does not provide one. Instead, its ahistorical and unfounded assertions serve to bolster those who wouldn’t give the chareidi viewpoint credibility. Sometimes, its better not to say anything.
I have to express extreme disappointment with this article from many perspectives. Most importantly, Rabbi Feitman dishonors himself by claiming their discomfort a woman experiences showing her bloody underwear to a Rabbi is somehow illegitimate. His comment that a rabbi is similar to a doctor only undermines his point. Many women choose to see female physicians for personal matters. No doubt, were the Rabbi required to take his underwear to a rebbetzin he’d understand. His claims that, “it seems a bit incongruous to belatedly claim discomfort with a man” must be one of the least sensible things I’ve read in quite some time. Is this a court case? Were women historically asked how comfortable they were? Clearly, were women to have historically made this “claim,” they would have been ignored by the likes of Rabbi F.
Second only to the insensitivity is the ignorance displayed. Rabbi Feitman deludes himself into thinking “forms” are halachah limoshe misinai. Does he really believe Moshe used a shtender? Reading Tanach, gemarah, the moreh nevuchim, and the brisker rav, does he really not realize how much this form changes with time? And as long as we’re on the subject, the Rabbi ought to take a few minutes of his time to learn more about the closing of volozhin.
I have to express extreme disappointment with this article from many perspectives. Most importantly, Rabbi Feitman dishonors himself by claiming their discomfort a woman experiences showing her bloody underwear to a Rabbi is somehow illegitimate. His comment that a rabbi is similar to a doctor only undermines his point. Many women choose to see female physicians for personal matters. No doubt, were the Rabbi required to take his underwear to a rebbetzin he’d understand. His claims that, “it seems a bit incongruous to belatedly claim discomfort with a man” must be one of the least sensible things I’ve read in quite some time. Is this a court case? Were women historically asked how comfortable they were? Clearly, were women to have historically made this “claim,” they would have been ignored by the likes of Rabbi F.
Second only to the insensitivity is the ignorance displayed. Rabbi Feitman deludes himself into thinking “forms” are halachah limoshe misinai. Does he really believe Moshe used a shtender? Reading Tanach, gemarah, the moreh nevuchim, and the brisker rav, does he really not realize how much this form changes with time? And as long as we’re on the subject, the Rabbi ought to take a few minutes of his time to learn more about the closing of volozhin.
With all due respect, the reality is that woman are often forgoing going to the mikvah rather than asking their Rav a she’eilah. I also doubt that this is the first time in Jewish history that woman have felt uncomfortable going to a male Rav with questions pertaining to Niddah. This solution is halachicly acceptable and encourages woman to go to other woman to ask private questions which not only open up the possibility that some woman will now feel more comfortable asking these she’elos, but it heightens the levels of tznius. The women involved in these programs are as well trained as the rabonim and often can be more sensitive towards the people asking the she’elos. This may not be for everyone but why not at least have the option available to those who would benefit from it?
This article is rife with inaccuracies, misstatements and flat out ignorance from beginning to end. The most glaring example being his repetition of the long discredited myth of why Volozhin was closed. This article could have just as easily been written about the Bais Yakov movement when it first started. What’s more, the unmitigated gall of a *man* to declare whether a *woman* feels uncomfortable is stunning. I know Rabbi Feitman. I am surprised that he could be so ignorant about history and hashkafa and can turn his personal biases into a quasi-coherent tirade that only discredit his arguments. This article is just plain ignorant and silly.
The closing of Volozhin was akin to the concept that yeharog v’al yavor during times of shmad includes tying your shoes also. Anything becomes relevant at that time. We can hardly consider giving a mechaneches a new title as yeharog v’al yavor or our generation as a time of shmad. Shtenders and official Yeshivos were a particular way of learning in Lithuania. In Poland everybody learned at a table in a shtiebel with older men or beis medrash with the town rov. Rabbi Feitman’s perspective is quite narrow minded and seems quite intolerant of any other sect of klal yisroel but his way of thinking. Torah Vodas never had shtenders. Was Rav Pam Ztzl an apikores chas v’sholom? Do all the bochurim currently learning in chssideshe yeshivos not learn properly because they don’t sit at shtenders? Wake up Rabbi Feitman and smell the roses in the rest of klal yisroel.
I believe that there is a clear difference between a Yoetzet and a Poisek. A Yoetzet serves a clear purpose for the women that have difficulty and/or are uncomfortable expressing or discussing specific details with a Rabbi. Some details may not properly be presented to the Rabbi and may thus result in a skewed P’sak. The Yoetzet, trained in specific areas can provide clear responses to limited questions that have clear responses. Women are responsible and relied upon for Kashrus in their homes. Mikveh Ladies are specifically trained on spefic halachos and are relied upon for specific issues. They consult the Rov as necessary. If and when a Shailoh arises beyond the limited scope of clear Halachik basic parameters, the Yoetzet would clearly consult with a Rov and not become the local Poisek. She would be in a better position, similar to an interpreter to properly present the Shailoh to a Rov on behalf of the shy and uncomfortable Bas Yisroel. Many women are uncomfortable presenting shailos to the Rov they regularly meet in their community. This should not be viewed as the woman Rabbi; that is clearly improper.
It seems that many of you have been hitting the bottles early this year. What Rabbi Feitman is so clearly saying is so elementary to the Jewish faith, and so simple to understand that it is sad, so very sad that so many people commented here to the contrary.
While usually it is prudent to argue against ideas, rather than the people who present them, I will not hold back from saying that those that support this idea and think Rabbi Feitman is out of touch, you’re yiddishkeit is lacking, as well as your ability to comprehend ideas.
If you think I’m passing judgement and being insulting- I am, and that’s that.
I daven in the red shul in cedarhurst and Rabbi Feitman spoke about this during his speech on Shabbos, he was very strongly against it. His main point then was that if someone is only knowledgable in one section of the halachah (shulchan aruch), they shouldn’t paskin because many times halachah in one part is very inter-connected with other parts of halachah.
For example (this my example based on what I understood him to mean, not his), if one has a question about a halachah for shabbos, the answer may be derived from a halachah about succah. If someone only knows the laws of shabbos, they may incorrectly decide to apply one law from shabbos when they really need to apply a law from succah. If someone knows the entire shulcan aruch then they will know which law to apply.
IMHO – I know that many people ask friends and relatives questions about halachah for certain things (kashruth probably the most common – if I cut a milchig thing with a fleishig fork, what do I do?) and I don’t think that is going to stop. However for niddah, most of the halachah was made by the Rabbi’s (“hirchakos”, 7 clean days, etc), so a Rabbi may take that into consideration and be lenient. However, someone that is not a Rabbi really should not be the one to decide to be lenient. For example, if on the 5th day there is a spot that may be tamei, the rabbi may decide to see if the 6th day is clean and if is he will say it is fine. Even if the 5th day is possible to be tamei a Rabbi has a standing to be lenient and decide that as long as by mikvah time the woman is clean, it is fine. However a non-rabbi doesn’t really have standing to do that, so for niddah laws this kind of sheilah should always be asked to a Rabbi.
Sounds as if purim is on TUESDAY hit the bottle already without asking the yoetzet for her solution.
To # 27. How typical of you and your extremist taliban ilk not to know how to debate … Instead you hurl insults.
just another example how women are trying to hijack the jewish religion, are they e ready to shtaig 8-12 hours a day , we have to be vigilant
“There is an irony to the “creation” (their word) of a yoetzet at this stage of Jewish history. In ancient times, women were in fact very private people, rarely venturing forth into any kind of public venue. Many halachos, in areas such as tzedakah, inheritance, and business law took this fact into consideration. Yet, women were comfortable asking a she’eilah of their rav or sending their husbands. Today, when women are full members of every area of commerce and society, when they travel the world and are elected to the highest positions in government, it seems a bit incongruous to belatedly claim discomfort with a man. A rav is as much a professional as a physician or attorney, and conducts himself with discretion and consideration. One cannot help but detect an influence of modern feminism and societal pressure rather than a true problem in the comfort level of 21st-century Jewish women.”
Chochom — he goes on for half a paragraph about how women are so much a part of the regular world today, as a justification for why they could and should easily talk to a Rav about niddah — then turns right around and accuses women of being influenced by “feminism.”
Is it a maaylah, or a chisaron? Make up your mind, but you can’t have it both ways.
I find it very hard to believe that 29 out of 30 comments disagreed or worse, mocked this writer’s views. As a married woman, a graduate of the Bais Yaakov school system, sure I had hesitations about approaching a Rav for a psak of a personal nature. In the beginning, I would send my husband. Later on, I learned to call myself. I found that my Rabbi, a man more comfortable with yiddish than English, was the most approachable, considerate avenue to clarity on these questions – and others.
Are there options for women who are uncomfortable? Sure – find a rabbi who does not make you feel that way. Many have a system where a woman can drop an envelope in the mailbox with just a phone number written outside. Alternatively – take a deep breath and grow up – a visit to the ob-gyn is not comfortable either – no matter the gender!
I believe that this is a stepping stone to women rabbis, and while I believe a woman can do just about anything a man can do, she cannot pasken sheilos.
“Torah giants insisted on the tzuras ha’daf—the exact printed format of a page of the Talmud”
I didn’t know that Tzuras Hadaf was part of our mesorah!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Actually, DB said much more here at http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2009/03/mind-boggling-post.html. I hope the editor of VIN is kind enough to let me share the link with his readers.
Rabbi Feitman makes it sound as though the Volozhin Yeshiva and Mt Sinai are the same thing!
Young men and women today are not all in the same category as were the students in Volozhin, nor even in Rabbi Feitman’s category. Many things that are actually muttar eg. women getting called up to the torah, making kiddush, reading the Megilla (EVEN FOR MEN), are looked down upon (perhaps rightly) as a step towards Reform. Who knows if some concessions, in accordance with Halacha, made 150 years ago, might not have nipped Reform in the bud. So, the Rabbinic authorities assered and assered, even permissible things, and now 90% of world Jewry is more or less, lost from a Torah perspective. Go ahead, stand your ground, and turn enough another few thousand MO girls!
From my experiences, the basic premise of the Yoatzot is that they confer with a Rav for any question beyond what they cab answer based on the printed word that any Kallah studies. This even applies to something as seemingly trivial as asking a Rov for an appropriate timing for eyelash tinting. Their training makes them better able to phrase the shaila and helps women who are naturally squeamish or uncomfortable about speaking to a Rov such personal issues.
Long Live the Yoatzot!
Are men afraid to loose “power”?
You write ” a rav is as much a professional as a physician or attorney……”
First of all so is the Yoetzet “as much a professional as……!!! ”
Second, the same way that the wife of the gynecologist, is not a gynecologist and the wife of a lawyer is not a lawyer, the rebbetzin many times is just that, the wife of the rabbi and not necessarily prepared to give the advice required.
Third of all it depends on the rabbi or rav. (whichever way you like). You mean to tell me that every rav that you know is a learned person or as you say is “as much a professional as a physician………???
Nowadays there has been such a proliferation of institutes and yeshivos that there are many that take a fast course of rabbinical leadership or whatever they are called (orthodox places), go there for 3 months or even a year and then go out, (especially in the smaller communities or countries) dress the part (beard, black suit, hat, tzitzis in droisn) and demand to be called rabbis. Some or many of them are “baalei tshuvah ” and as praiseworthy as it might be that they became baalei tshuvah, I certainly don’t think they are prepared. I myself know at least, half a dozen of those!!
#44 what RYF doesn’t understand is that these woman aren’t issuing psak. Suppose you asked me if it ok for me to put on a light on shabbos. If I reply, is that a psak? Most of the questions a YH tackles are really that simple, and she trained to bring more complicated questions to a rav. Its exactly like relying on your rebbetzin (which RYF recommends) or relying on your kallah teacher (a widespread practice RYF doesn’t even acknowledge!
#33 Yay for you! You found a way that works, and make you happy. Why can’t other women do other things, though?
…And we ask why Rabbis are becoming more and more irrelevant to the baalebatim? There is a shtender mesorah? This guy is a nut!next he will argue that we should be wearing grey hats because that was what the bocharim wore in Veloshin.Feitman: get a life!!
It is worthwhile to peruse the site for the first program set up to train women to be come a Yoetzet:
http://www.nishmat.net/
The founder is Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin, the grandson of the great Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin z’tz’l.
This was the stupidest thing I’ve ever read
We are all here and Jewish today because so many Jewish women kept their men frum. Even the non Jewish community knows that behind every successful man there is a woman who supported and guided him.
The women should have women spokespeople; why not? It’s only fair and right that they should have equal representation. i support that idea.
Mutual respect is vital. We are not Moslems. Our women are full, complete people, not fractions.
Women having active roles in society is not a coincidence, neither is it a curse. Everthing is in the hands of HaKadosh Borchu.
What this generation needs to do is, seize the oppurtunity to bring kedushah the world.
Look to frum women who have been able to maintain the purity of tznius, true jewish womanhood and still play active roles in community leadership all leshaim shomayim.
We don’t need to reinvent women in leadership it has been part of Torah since the beginning look to the Imahos, Miriam etc..
Which Rebitzen is he talking about?!? It cannot be his.
This whole issue doesn’t start. Not only are these yoatzot allowed, but if they know how to pasken a shayla themselves there’s no need for them to consult a male rabbi. A woman who knows her stuff is perfectly capable of paskening dinim, and can get smicha of “toreh toreh”, just like 90% of male rabbonim (but she cannot get “todin todin”). See Pischei Tshuvah CM 7:5.
#33 , I agree with those who say good for you that you are happy with the system but you are in denial if you are claiming that everyone is like you. I grew up in a frum home, went to a typical bais yaakov, am nice and “yeshivishe”, with a number of children, and am not comfortable asking these shailos to rabbonim. Some of my friends are (hurray for them!) and many are not. I think we are trying to help those who are not. By the way, I, and many other frum women I know, choose to use female OB-GYNs so I’m not sure how that analogy works.
Also, just to put this information out there, Nishmat has an amazingly informative Yoetzet website where you can read previous questions and/or submit your own. You get an answer e mailed to you from the Yoetzet, reviewed by a Rav (I forgot which). Because of the level of anonymity, I have been comfortable asking them some questions that I NEVER would have asked a Rav. I can only see the postives in this!
These comments are ridiculous. Everyone is clearly thinking/reacting along party lines….and I think that’s fine. (those of you who are Charedi shame on you for bashing RYF’s position).
But let’s not get all bent out of shape. If you think R’ Elyashiv, and the rest of the Charedi gedolim have a different position the R’ Feitman then your nuts! And if you think the MO Rabbi’s agree with R’ Feitman than your also nuts. So let’s just move on.
“Please cite a source that forbids a woman from paskening shilahs. “Devorah shoftah et Yisrael.””
Charlie, I’m all for women paskening shailos, and I think the above article an embarassment, but you’re wrong about this. The gemarah does say a women cannot be a judge, and Tosfos asks your question. One answer given is that she did not pasken, rather the people simply accepted her decision. I don’t remember the second answer offhand. Now being a judge and being a yoetzet may well be two different things, but it’s not as simple as you make it out.
I’m utterly astounded by the disgraceful bizayon HaTorah on display in this thread.The Torah commands us “Lo sasur min hadavar asher yagedu lecha yamin usemol”. The Gemara explains “aphilu omer lecha al yemin shehu semol”
The Torah is obviously refering to where you think the Rabbi is nuts, and still Hashem says to listen.
Hashem yishmor.
And we have questions why bad things happen? Dvar Hashem buzuh.
The Torah was given to Klal Yisrael as two parts; biksav and baal peh. One of the reasons for this this is that not every specific Halachic scenario can be written down,and therefore Hashem gave it over in such a way that the Chachmei HaTorah who delve deeply in Torah all their lives will be able to fully understand the logic and rules of all the Halachic guidelines (I.e. Being midameh milsah l’milsah) and extrapolate (based on mesorah and the methods of their Rebbeim going back to Moshe) the proper Halacha.
Torah and its proper way of life is handed down from generation to generation through these Chachmei HaTorah. Hashem therefore encourages each Jew to develop a real meaningful relationship with these Chachmei HaTorah in order to guide us in our lives (hevai misabeik ba’afar ragleihem).
Naturally then, it makes sense to develop a kesher with a competent Moreh Horaah that you feel comfortable with – you stand to gain from it the most. There are akward shailos – perhaps those a male relative can relate to the Rav, or there are Halachic hotlines that can be called anonymously, or any one of other various methods). The main thing is not to deprive yourself of that opportunity to develop a kesher with a Moreh Horaah.
This is bowing to current social liberal factions, which generally speaking seek to undermine orthodox Judaism. If it aint broke for 3000 years, there is no reason to fix it. If it was broke but the nevi’im, shoftim, Tana’im, Amora’im, Gaonim, Rishonim, and Achronim did not feel it needed to be fixed, it still does not need to be fixed. The woman should ask her husband to ask the rav or she should ask the rebitzen to ask her husband. A true yerai shamayim doesn’t worry about asking a Rav about hama’aseh asher ya’asoon even if it concerns underwear, nor does she have to be worried the Rav will ask “What is Victoria’s Secret?”
A well written article that put forth an important consideration: Yasher Koach to Rabbi Feitman.
With all due respect, I do have a question. You stated “In ancient times, women were in fact very private people, rarely venturing forth into any kind of public venue. Many halachos, in areas such as tzedakah, inheritance, and business law took this fact into consideration.”
My question is which came first? DId halacha take the ancient times into consideration? Did the halachik process weigh the role of women in society and standards of behavior and from that derive psak halacha for tzedakah, etc.?
If so, why can’t the halachik process take into consideration the role that women have in society now? Women are not so private, they do venture into the public venue, they do receive an education, etc.
(reply to #72 ) I guess you’re one of the nuts! Let’s see…..There are schools here in the USA where the girls learn gemarra….I guess its pretty clear where american charedim stand on that issue!
Rabbi Feitman has good intentions with his essay, but… he’s missing the point. unfortuntely in today’s world every yeshiva bochur goes to kollel and alot become Rabbis, some of these guys don’t know how to make women feel comfortable especialy when it comes to Niddah issues, the women would rather talk to a trained ‘yoetzet halachah’ then go to their local community Rabbi.
There’s nothing wrong with it!! Rabbi Feitman should take his head out of the sand.
Rabbi Fietman wrote ” Torah giants insisted on the tzuras ha’daf—the exact printed format of a page of the Talmud and myriad details of the transmission of Torah from a rebbi to a disciple.”. He makes the common mistake of ignoring hisstory or is aware of historical facts unknown to the erst of us, I wasn’t aware that the printing press existed in the 5th century!!! Until the invention of the printing press, the gemarah was hand-written on scrolls! The first complete edition of the Babylonian Talmud was printed in Italy by Daniel Bomberg ( Bomberg (died 1549) was an early printer of Hebrew language books. Christian, born in Antwerp, he was primarily active in Venice between 1516 and 1549.during the 16th century. In addition to the Mishnah and Gemara, Bomberg’s edition contained the commentaries of Rashi and Tosafot. )
So, the sacred tzuras hadaf was actually created by an Italian CHRISTIAN printer.