[Avodah] 2 Women working on Rosh Chodesh questions

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Feb 25, 2019 at 08:59:14AM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
: 1. While the Shulchan Aruch Mentions the practice of women not working
: on Rosh Chodesh in oc 417,His wording was of particular interest I
: have not found this practice mentioned the Rambam but was wondering if
: anybody else is aware of him mentioning it.

The source is Rashi and Tosafos who take Megillah 22b's discussion of
Rosh haShanah rest and relate it to women.

I didn't see anything in the Rambam.

So, perhaps the SA's "if it is a woman's minhag to rest, it's a wonderful
minhag" (very rough translation) is his endorsement of a minhag he heard
about some Ashkenazim having. The mechaber couldn't force the "minhag tov"
on Sepharadim, but he did want to encourage it.

Total guesswork, of course.

BTW, the Bach says this minhag is only lehaqeil. That women can do any
melakhos they want to do, even "melakhah keveidah". Rather, they cannot
be asked to do a melakhah they don't want to do.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "The worst thing that can happen to a
micha at aishdas.org        person is to remain asleep and untamed."
http://www.aishdas.org          - Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, Alter of Kelm
Fax: (270) 514-1507