[Avodah] Schooling for women

[Mike Wiesenberg]

 I wouldn't call it a 'fear of women learning torah.' There's  a 'fear'  of
violating the halacha(which b'h still exists even today!), as , the Rambam
is pretty clear
in Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:16-17(Halacha 13 in Frankel) that one should not
teach girls torah(He does mention a fear that they will be motzai divrei
torah ledivrei havai). As to the question of when, the Rambam is pretty much
quoting/explaining the gemora.
  Who said this is against "ko tomar.." ? Are you accusing the
Rambam/Gemora/Shulchan Aruch of being against that pasuk? And of paskening
based on  'non-Jewish influence' ? That's a pretty serious charge. That
pasuk perhaps is referring to hakhel , which the Bach points out is
different, since it is not derech keva.
  As for the various nevios and other learned women in the gemora, those are
exceptions to the rule - and they might have learned on their own initiative
anyhow, which is not what this halacha is talking about(As the Prisha points
out).
  (Please note I am not coming out here against women learning torah at all
b'zman hazeh , of course. It is now considered a thoroughly necessary sha'as
hadchak, in most people's opinion. I am merely responding to the poster's
questions.)

Mike


>>So, when did the Jewish nation take on the surrounding non-Jewish
influence that led to keeping women (mostly) ignorant? Why is it so popular
even today, when we know that this is not the idea behind "Ko Tomar LeBeit
Yisrael...."?

If Hashem created the world and everything in it, and He gave the Torah, why
the fear of women learning Torah that exists even today?<<
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