[Avodah] Rav Shimon Schwab on Women Learning Torah

[Akiva Miller via Avodah]

R' Yitzchok Levine quoted:

> The following is from pages 274-275 of Rav Schwab on Chumash.
>
> Learning for the sake of learning, just to occupy one's mind
> with the intricacies of the Torah, even if the practical
> application of the law is already known, is limited to men.
>
> A woman who learns Torah does not become greater in yiras
> Shamayim because of it. True, she may become very learned
> in Torah, but this is not the object of talmud Torah.

I was taught that we must avoid saying that such-and-such ***IS*** the
reason for a certain mitzvah. Not only is it presumptuous to imagine that
we can fathom Hashem's intentions, but more than that: Once one declares
the reason for a mitzvah, he will draw false conclusions based on that
mistaken premise.

I fear that this quote is an example of this. It seems that Rav Schwab
claims to know that "the object of talmud Torah" is to "become greater in
yiras Shamayim", and he concludes that a woman would *not* become greater
in yiras Shamayim even if she learns Torah. I cannot understand how someone
can reach that conclusion.

> If a woman were to learn and know Gemara just as well as a
> man, it still would not make her one iota better than she
> is. It would have no influence on her relationship with
> Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Not one iota? Seriously? How is that possible?

You can tell me that because a woman is an Ayno Metzuveh, she will get less
s'char for her learning than a man would get. But that it has zero
influence on her relationship with Hashem? Can someone please explain this
to me?

Akiva Miller
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