Exemption of Women from Positive Time Bound Commandments

(ו) אמנם המיוחד אלינו אנחנו בעלי ברית התורה ובני ביתה הוא שנשגיח בזה מצד תכלית זאת הבריאה ותועלתה. כי אם הונחנו העצם הזה נבדל משכיל מעצמו ונמצא מזולת חמרו. איך גזרה חכמת בוראו לתת תחת ידו מכשלת החברה הזאת או העירוב או השכונה עם זה החמר הנתעב והנאלח. אשר הוא פונה תמיד אל כל דבר פשע אשר ממנו תפתח הרעה לו ראשונה. ולו הכין כלי מות הפסד מוחלט בחברתו לבא באחת הפחתים. אשר עליהם ועל כל אחד מהם הועד העונש מאצלו. והאבדתי את הנפש ההיא מלפני (ויקרא כ"ב כ"ג) הכרת תכרת הנפש ההוא עונה בה (במדבר ט״ו:ל״א) ואמר ואת נפש אויבך יקלענה בתוך כף הקלע (שמואל א כ״ה:כ״ט). ונאמר ועסותם רשעים כי יהיו אפר וכו' (מלאכי ג׳:כ״א). ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל אלו פושעי ישראל בגופן שגוען כלה ונשמתן נשרפת (ר"ה י"ז.). הלא טוב לה שבת מושב אלהים כראשונה שלוה ושקטה. מהתחפש ובא אל מערכת המלחמ' שכמעט כל באיה לא ישובון. ודרך כלל נוח לו לאדם שלא נברא משנברא (עירובין י"ג:) וקשה עוד מזה כי זאת הנפש אשר כן הנחנוה נמצאת קודם הויית הגופים. לא ימלט משיהיו שמה אוצרות מתחלפים למספר האומות אשר אליהם נפרדו חלוקי האמונות. מאוצרות מתחלפים יוקחו נפשות מתחלפות לאומה אומה מהן. או שתהיה מהות הנפשות כלן ענין אחד בלתי מתחלף. ולעג הוא שיהיו על הענין הראשון. שאם כן יהיו הדעות והאמונות טבעיות והכרחיות אשר אי אפשר ההפך מזו לזו. הפך ממה שנראה מהנסיון בכל זמני הדתות. ומה שייעד הנביא כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כלם וכו' (צפניה ג׳:ט׳). וגם היה מהנמנע שימצא אדם בלי דת ואמונ' בשום זמן מעולם. יתחייב אם כן שתהיינ' הנפשות על הענין השני. ותשאר התלונה רבה לאמר איך הסכימה חכמתו וצדקתו ית' שתהיינה הנפשות הזכות והשרות אלה לחיי עולם ואלה לחרפות ולדראון. כמו שיתחייב זה מהנתן אלו לפלשת וציר עם כוש. וליתר העמים אשר לא ראו אור הישרת התורה האלהית ולא שמעו את שמעה. ואלו לעם הקדש אשר תורת יי' בלבם. ואין ספק שדעת כל אומה מהאומות שאמונת זולתה בטלה ומקיימה אין לו חלק ונחלה בהצלחה האנושית כלל. ואף באומה האחת לבדה לא ימלט מהמצא עול בחק נותן נשמה לעם עליה חלילה. וזה בשאלו תהיינה נפשות לזכרים המושלים ברוחם ובעצמם ובכל אשר להם. ויש ספק בידם לבקש שלמותם ולהגיע עדיו מאין מוחה. ואלו תהיינה לנקבות אשר הן חלושות במזגן בכל הפעולות השלמות עם הכנעם והשתעבדם אל העבודה והשירות התמידי לזולתם. אשר הם סבות עצומות להרחיק מהם כל שלימות והצלחה הרחק מאד מאדם. כמו שנראה לסבה זו תפטור אותן תורתנו הקדושה (קדושין כ"ט.) ממצות עשה שהזמן גרמא:

Akeidat Yitzchak 6:1:6

(6) As believing Jews, we have no problem believing in resurrection of the body and survival of the soul, since the Torah is full of threats of the opposite happening as penalty for transgression of numerous commandments. If the hereafter does not exist, and there is an end to existence when the body dies, none of these warnings would have the slightest value as a deterrent to sin. In fact, if physical death were final, it is hard to understand why G-d bothered to create life, since He would then have decreed in advance that His handiwork would not endure. The Talmud would be quite right in assessing "It is easier for man had he never seen the light of day" (Eyruvin 13). The souls would have been far better off had they remained in the celestial regions, since fusion with a body would condemn them to death and destruction. If one assumes that all souls originate from either one of two pools, i.e. 1) the pool containing the gentile souls, and 2) the pool containing the ones intended for Jews, this would mean that the former never have a chance to find a body that could preserve their purity. If, on the other hand, all souls come from a single pool, then how can pure souls be condemned to inhabit bodies that will drag them to death and disintegration? Similarly, the question of souls forced to inhabit female bodies instead of male bodies etc. Also, even assuming that the Jews get all their souls from the same pool, a major act of discrimination against the gentiles, why are some souls forced into females i.e. the weaker of the species, making it vastly more difficult to achieve the perfection they need to attain to ensure their eventual immortality (why else are women absolved from the performance of some commandments if not for considerations of this nature)?

עברית

Rav Moshe Feinstein on holiness being a precondition for the commandments

"The mitzvah of You shall be holy, which is followed by a recitation of several of the fundamental mitzvos, is not of the same type as the mitzvos that follow it. This mitzvah means that every Jew should realize that he is sanctified with the holiness of the Jew, and it is only because of that holiness that we were given the Torah and obligated to do the mitzvos. As I have often written, mitzvos cannot be fulfilled properly unless the doer has the holiness of the Jew. The Kohanim, who have additional mitzvos, must have the particular holiness of Kohanim. This is why we make a blessing before mitzvos and say, "Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos"; and Kohanim, before doing mitzvos that are limited to Kohanim, say, "Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aharon." The expression "Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos" should not be misunderstood as meaning that mitzvos are the source of the sanctity. It is self-understood that the sanctity the blessing refers to is the underlying sanctity of every Jew -- that which enables us to fulfill the mitzvos."

Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt'l, Darash Moshe, Volume II, p. 154, Vayikra, Kedoshim

Literal translation of a letter written by HaRav HaGoan Moshe Feinstein zt"l concerning feminism and the exemption of women from positive time bound commandments. (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim IV #49) (The letter is addressed to a Rav in Boston who had written on behalf of his congregants).

Regarding the distinguished (Jewish) ladies who are fighting along with women of the nations of the world in their (social) movement. These (Jewish) ladies are observant of Torah and want to bring their fight to matters of relevance to Jewish law. Some (of these ladies) pray with tallaisim and so on. They seek my view in this matter and how the rabbi of the shul should handle the matter.

Firstly, you must know that it is an essential matter of faith in our Torah that the written and oral Torah was given by The Holy One Himself at Mount Sinai through Moshe Rabbanu, o"h. It is impossible to change even one point (of the Torah) whether to be more strict or to be more lenient. But we were commanded that when there is a time to establish precautionary measures, it is incumbent on the Sanhedrin and the sages of the Torah to do so, by prohibiting certain things. They also may obligate others. They (the sages) must make it very clear that these are rabbinical obligations. Since our dispersion to foreign lands, we lack the power (to make such enactments). However, the wise men of every region (have the power) to make enactments only for their region and only for a short time.

In view of this, the exemption of women from positive time bound commandments is a (decree) of the Torah. Also, the Rabbis never obligated women (in these commandments) since there is no reason to do so. Indeed, there is a reason to exempt women from these commandments specifically for the reasons that the Torah exempts them.

And besides the reasons for the Torah which are unknown to regular people and to the great scholars, and we are required to believe that there are great reasons of Hashem who gave the Torah, (besides this), there are (non-ultimate) reasons revealed to everyone. (In the matter of the exemption of women from positive time bound mitzvahs) the average woman is not wealthy and has responsibility to raise sons and daughters. This (task) is most important work for Hashem and His Torah and so Hashem made each species so that the woman should raise the offspring. Humans are no exception. The nature of women enables them to raise children. Along those lines, it (the burden) was made easier on the women by not requiring them to learn Torah and to perform positive time bound mitzvahs.

(However) even if the order of the world were to change and all women were wealthy all the time and it were possible to give over the children to men and women (to raise them as is done) in our country, the Torah's law cannot change and neither can that of the Rabbis. It is useless to fight this. Even with the agreement of the entire world, there is no power to change (the Torah) one iota. The women who stubbornly wage war to make such changes are committing heresy.

The Rambam, in chapter three, law number eight, of the Laws on Repentance, says the following: "Three (people) are called heretics: The one who denies even one word spoken by Moshe Rabbainu, the one who denies the explanation of the oral Torah, and the one who switches one word (of Torah) for another. These are heretics and their judgment shall be a forfeiture of their place in the next world.” According to the words of the Rambam, to say that the Creator switches around commandments and all the more so that men can switch around the commandments -- is to say that the Torah is not eternal. And the whole reason (it is called heresy) is that they are rebelling against many verses which teach us of the eternity of the Torah, and so writes the Kesef Mishnah.

Women are permitted to perform (certain) commandments for which they are not obligated and receive divine reward for such performance. And also according to the view of Tosfos, (women) are permitted to make a blessing (on such commandments) as is our custom. (It is our custom also for women to be permitted) to fulfill the commandments of shofar and luluv and to make blessings (on these). Therefore, concerning tzittzit, a woman who wants can dress in a garment not designed for men, as long as this garment has four corners to it, and attach tzittzit to fulfill this commandment.

Concerning the wearing of tfellin, Tosfos writes in Eruvin 96, divray hamaskil: myachal, that (this commandment) should not be performed (by women). Tfellin requires tremendous care to keep the body in (halachic) cleanliness and to focus one's attention. For this reason even men who are obligated in tfellin limit their wearing (of tfellin) from all day to during morning prayers. The Rema holds similarly (Choshen Mishpat, 98:3). Targum Yonason, on the verse: "There should not be a man's clothing on a woman" (holds) that (women should not wear) tzitzit or tfellin since they are garments of men. Tosfos does not believe there to be such a Targum Yonason. This (performance of non-obligatory commandments by a woman) applies only if her soul yearns to perform the commandment even though she is not commanded. (It is another matter) if her intention is to protest against the Holy One and His Torah. Such a posture is not congruent with the performance of a commandment. Indeed, it is a forbidden act and an act of apostasy. Since (such a woman) is trying to amend Torah law.

You should know that all of this (the exemption of women from positive time bound commandments) is not because women are on a lower level of holiness than are men. While obligation in commandments results strictly from one's having holiness, men and women, in that sense, are equal in holiness. All the verses in the Torah regarding holiness refer also to women. (This applies from) the beginning (with) the arrangement to receive the Torah (at Sinai). "You'll be to me a treasure and you'll be to me a holy nation." Exodus 19:6. (The subject of this verse is all of the nation of Israel) as it says "house of Jacob" in referring to the women and "tell to the house of Israel" in referring to the men. Exodus 19:3.

(The references to men and women of all verses regarding holiness extends also after Sinai with) "You'll be for me a people of holiness," parshas Mishpatim, "you'll be holy," parshas Shimini, "holy you'll be and you'll be holy," parshas Kedoshim, and "and a nation of holy people you are to Hashem" parshas Re’eh. Women also (as well as men) are referred to in every mention of holiness.

Therefore women also include in their blessings the words "you have sanctified us with your commandments." (Women do this) even when performing commandments for which they are not obligated. (The exclusion of women from positive time bound commandments) is a leniency made by Hashem for his own reasons and not because of any diminution (regarding the women) Heaven forbid. We explained this earlier.

And concerning the obligations between husband and wife, a husband is obligated to treat his wife with respect and a wife is obligated to treat her husband with respect. (Furthermore) many women were prophetesses and subject to the same laws concerning prophets as were the men (prophets). In many matters, women were praised more than the men by the (written) Torah and by the Rabbis. There is no denigration in their (women's) respect in their exemption from the learning of Torah and positive time-bound commandments. There is no reason to have any gripes.

The distinguished rabbi (of the congregation in question) should explain this every time and be strong and firm in his knowledge that this is all a matter of the Torah and he should correct these women. And after all this if (these women) still stand in their incorrect and stubborn view, (the rabbi) should not allow a single change in the holy customs of Israel.

I end with a blessing for true peace and a good writing and sealing for a good year for the distinguished rabbi and to all that is his, to the whole holy congregation, the men, the women, and the children.