Women and Prayer
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“You did not make me a woman”
The Torah uses positive expressions as much as possible. Why is it that the blessing that is said in the morning reads “You are blessed .. for You did not make me a Woman” and not “… for You made…
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Yarmulkas for Women
Why don’t women wear a Kippa ( Yarmulka or skull-cap)? I am not aware of any sources that discuss this issue, but I can give a few possible suggestions. First of all, the famous Jewish philosopher Maharal, Rabbi Yehuda Lowey,…
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Where are the Matriarchs?
Why are the matriarchs not mentioned in the first blessing of the Silent Amidah prayer? What’s the reason the Rabbis who wrote the prayer did not refer to them (directly) in the first blessing along with the patriarchs? Great question!…
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Men and Women in the Synagogue
Why are men and women separated in Orthodox synagogues? Answer: According to many authorities, the source for separate seating in synagogues can be found in the design of the Temple in Jerusalem (destroyed in the year 68). The Talmud relates…
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Fringes for Women
Why don’t Jewish women wear fringes in their garments? This particular commandment is time-bound (i.e., since it’s only binding during daylight hours). There is a general principle in Jewish law that women are only required to observe those positive commandments…
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Women reading from the Torah
Why don’t Orthodox women read from the Torah? Thank you for your question. The Talmud, in Megillah 23a states that “even a woman may read from the Torah, but the Rabbis said that a woman should not do so because…
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Role of Jewish Women
My understanding of the role of the Jewish woman is placed on a higher level (spiritual) as per talmudic discussions, especially in the home. Yet in the synagogue setting they are relagated to a segregated area that is walled off.…
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The Requirement of Women to Pray
What is the basis for women being required to pray? There aren’t any explicit instances of women praying in the Torah, but in the Prophets (1 Samuel Ch.1) we find a detailed account of Hannah’s prayer for a child and…