[Avodah] Maharat

[Noam Stadlan via Avodah]

R. Micha disagrees with my reading of YD 242:14 and also insists on quoting
R. Shaul Lieberman as opposing.
Regarding R. Lieberman, I would point you to the statement by his talmid
muvhak(who happens to be my father in law) who does not agree with R.
Micha's interpretation:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/no-rabbi-student-professor-liebermans-responsum-does-not-apply/


Regarding the reading of YD 242, I would point you towards R. Broyde and
Brody in their article in Hakirah who admit that there are two ways to
understand the Rama, but one of them is:
"  The first and simplest view, drawing the logical conclusion from the
above depiction of semikhah and adopted by Rama in both the Darkhei Moshe
and Shulh̞an Arukh, concludes that anyone is eligible to receive semikhah
when their teacher certifies they have acquired requisite knowledge and
licenses them to issue halakhic rulings. The scope of this license may be
limited to certain areas of law (depending on the studentVs actual
knowledge and qualifications) and may be granted to one who is ineligible
to receive Mosaic ordination that was present in Talmudic times. As such,
basic contemporary semikhah is based on oneVs knowledge and competence to
answer questions of law".

the point being that those who want to outlaw ordination for women have
sources to rely upon, and those who find nothing wrong with it also have
sources to rely upon.  I suggest that, rather than nitpicking, R. Brody and
Broyde agree with me that the plain meaning of YD 242 finds nothing wrong
with semicha for women.

The other point which really hasn't been adequately unravelled is whether
semicha is synonymous with heter hora'ah? something different? can someone
have heter hora'ah and not semicha?  it seems that the concentration on the
specific issue of semicha has skirted the perhaps more important issue.
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