Charedi Feminists

Charedi women that study Gemarah and their Charedi male teacher (Ha'aretz)

I have always considered myself a feminist. But I have been ridiculed by modern day feminists for making that claim. That’s because my version of feminism is about equality in the workplace and equal respect between the sexes. By today’s definition, I might even be considered a misogynist! Because I do not believe as they do - that men and women are identical in every way accept for the obvious biological differences.

As I have said many times, Judaism defines the roles of men and women differently. This issue is one of the great challenges of our time. And it is the primary cause of the divisiveness taking place in Orthodoxy. Today, Orthodox feminists will say, if a man can do it, so can a woman. Regardless of the task.

With respect to Judaism, the question is not whether a woman can do what a man does. The question is - should she? The feminist response to that is that women should be able to serve God in any way they choose. While there is some truth to that, it is of secondary importance. Because we should be looking at how God wants us to serve Him. Not how we want to serve God.

This does not mean that women cannot do the Mitzvos that specifically belong to men. Of course they can. And they should if they so choose. 

For example, the Mitzvah on Sukkos of taking the Daled Minim (Lulav and Esrog). This is one example of a Mitzvah that is required of men and not of women. Nonetheless it is universally observed by women as well. And has been for centuries. Nothing wrong with that at all. 

But not all Mitzvos of men are universally practiced by women. Until the 20^th century, the study of Gemarah was strictly a man’s enterprise. Women were discouraged from doing it. This is based on the Gemarah that says that a man who teaches a woman Torah - is teaching them ‘Tiflus’ – the most common translation of that Aramaic word is ‘immorality’.

And yet in our day this no longer seems to be the case, Rav Soloveitchik explained that since so many women now (in the 20^th century of his time) have PhDs in some of  the most difficult fields it is absurd to say they are not capable of studying Gemarah. When Yeshiva University established a Gemara class in its female division (Stern College for Women) he gave the first Shiur.

Until now this phenomenon was limited to the world of Modern Orthodoxy. But that seems to be changing. According to an article in Ha”aretz, there are Charedi women in Israel studying Gemarah now - and they have just had a Siyum upon completion of Meseches Kiddushin. They were instructed by male teacher who is himself Charedi.

The strange thing is that there seems to be little if any resistance to this in the Charedi world. My view on this is, why not? Let  people study any subject in Judaism they wish to study. It should be about capability, not gender.

And yet, there is a part of me that wonders why these women are actually doing it. Is it really because they want the knowledge? Or is it about showing that a woman can do what a man can do. Which is not a legitimate reason for doing anything in my view. The tone of the women interviewed had a decidedly feminist ring to it From Ha'aretz: 

The initiative was the brainchild of Pnina Pfeuffer, a prominent Haredi social activist who has been hosting the group once a week at her Jerusalem home. “I didn’t do this because I was trying to make a political statement, but because I really wanted to learn Gemara,” says the 40-year-old mother of two. A self-described feminist… 

She might be saying it isn't political. But she also said she is a feminist. Which may be indicative of her true motives (whether she realizes it or not). If the motivation is only to advance the cause of feminism I have to question the value of what they are doing. Because if we were to take modern day feminism to its logical conclusion we would end up with a Jewish world that is unrecognizable. A world that I do not believe God intends for us.

Just some of my off the cuff thoughts.