[Avodah] Women and Torah Scholarship

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 03:02:08PM -0700, Harry Maryles wrote:
: One of the real hot-button issues in Orthodoxy today was precipitated
: by Rabbi Avi Weiss when he ordained the first Orthtodox female rabbi
: (rabba). He was immediately condemned by Agudah and the RCA followed up
: by threatening to expell him from membership.

But that's a different topic than the title, or the examples from
Maqor Barukh. The question of women learning was asked of the CC, and
by the time we get to the 1970s, RYBS gave a shiur in gemara, and the
LR allowed (a weaker position) study of gemara by those baalos teshuvah
who craved it. Of course, many hold differently, but that's not a new
topic.

Yoatzot aren't new either.

Having women serve in rabbinic or near-rabbinic roles is a whole different
discussion.

Of the examples only these two appear relevent:
: * A certain Rosh HaYeshiva in Baghdad, Rav Shmuel HaLevi had an only
:   daughter who was fuent in Chumash and Gemarah and gave Shiurim to men
:   behind a window where they could not see her.

: * The Marshal cites a similar example about his grandmother who directed
:   a Yeshiva for many years giving Shiurim to advanced students from
:   behind a Mechitza.

But then, Nechama Leibowitz (no title only because they were known to
annoy her) was of that mold. And she not only avoided anything remotely
like the rabbinate, she followed RAYK's pesaq (Maamerei haRe'ayah 189-194)
against women voting!

(Mind you RAYK also was machmir on "kol hamelamed bito Torah" and Beis
Yaaqov teaching anything but halakhah lemaaseh for homemakers. (I don't
have a mar'eh maqom, but it's in Ein Ayah discussing Yalta (R Nachman's
wife), so probably around Nidah 20b or Qiddushin 70a.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 27th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        3 weeks and 6 days in/toward the omer.
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Fax: (270) 514-1507               taking control result in relationship?