Women’s Issues

How is the birth of a girl celebrated? An appropriate thing to do when a girl is born is a naming ceremony, corresponding to the fact that boys are named when they are circumcised.

Does the Torah teach us anything about the strength and courage of women? Women mentioned in the Torah demonstrated strength and courage on at least three occasions: 1. Shifrah and Puah defied Pharaoh's order to kill the Hebrew boy babies…

Why does a Jewish man think G-d every morning for not making him a woman? Jewish men thank G-d for many things on arising every morning. In particular, they thank G-d for giving them the opportunity to serve Him by…

Does the Torah forbid a woman to wear a man's clothes? Deut.22:5 says "A man's KELI shall not be on a woman, and a man shall not wear a woman's garment". The word "KELI", which occurs many time in the…

Where does it say that a man should not walk between two women? The source is Talmud Pesachim 111a, which lists persons of the opposite sex (i.e., a man shouldn’t pass between two women or vice versa), dogs, palm trees,…

What is a concubine? A concubine is a woman who cohabits with a man but isn’t formally married to him. Concubines and their children have lesser legal rights than wives and their children.

Where can I find information about the laws that regulate physical contact (negiah) between men and women? There is a book on the topic, called The Magic Touch, written by Gila Manolson, and published by Feldheim. The term “negiah” seems…

What is the origin of the requirement that married women must cover their hair? Married women have covered their hair since Biblical times. In Num.5:18, when a woman suspected of adultery comes to the Temple to drink the “bitter waters”,…