Sefer Halachot Gedolot 2, Laws of Kiddush and Havdalah, page 100
ספר הלכות גדולות סימן ב - הלכות קידוש והבדלה עמוד ק
ונשים ועבדים, אף על גב דקידוש היום זמנא קבע ליה וקיימא לן כל מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא נשים ועבדים פטורין, גבי קידוש היום חייבין, דאמר רב אדא בר אהבה (שם כ ב) נשים חייבות בקידוש היום דבר תורה ומפרש רבה טעמיה אמר קרא (שמות כ, ח) זכור (דברים ה, יב) ושמור כל שישנו בשמירה ישנו בזכירה ונשים ועבדים הואיל ואיתנון בשמירה דשבת איתנון נמי בזכירה
And women and slaves, even though sanctifying the [Sabbath] day has a time set for it, and it is accepted by us that women and slaves are exempt from all positive time-caused commandments, with regard to sanctifying the day, they are obligated. As Rav Adda bar Ahavah said (Berachot 20b): women are obligated in sanctifying the [Shabbat] day from the Torah. And Rabbah explained the reason: the Torah says “remember” (Exodus 20:8) and “guard” (Deuteronomy 5:12). All who are included in guarding also are included in remembering. And women and slaves, because they are included in the guarding of Shabbat, they also are included in remembering. [Translation by JOFA]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. Why might we assume that women and slaves would not be obligated in sanctifying the Sabbath?

2. Why is it important to include all members of a community, regardless of status, in the process of remembering and guarding the Sabbath? How does this make the Sabbath powerful?

Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)