Rabbi Rules Against Women's Minyans

Chief Ramat Gan Rabbi Yaakov Ariel stated that "to begin with, forming a women's prayer quorum is "against the Halacha," and accused the participating women of withdrawing from society on the basis of "social and feminist considerations."

Rabbi rules against women's prayer quorum
Ramat Gan Chief Rabbi Yaacov Ariel says widespread phenomenon is against Halacha, accuses participating women of withdrawing from society on basis of 'social and feminist considerations'
Kobi Nahshoni • Ynet

Women's prayer quorum during the Purim holiday have become in recent years a widespread phenomenon in many religious communities in Israel, but a new Jewish ruling considers them illegal and forbidden.

Chief Ramat Gan Rabbi Yaakov Ariel stated that "to begin with, forming a women's prayer quorum is "against the Halacha," and accused the participating women of withdrawing from society on the basis of "social and feminist considerations".

Rabbi Ariel, who is one of the leaders of Religious Zionism and a senior arbiter, warned against the phenomenon Thursday during an interview with Arutz Sheva (Channel Seven) and claimed the it is "not right" and "forbidden."

According to Ariel, "it's good that women want to be involved, but if a woman wants to be more god-fearing and pray in a quorum – she should do so in a men's quorum. The Torah did not command women to pray in a quorum," he added.

The rabbi did agree however that "if the husband was in the synagogue and the woman was looking after the children, she can go to a second quorum to listen to the reading of the Book of Esther, and if there is no man present – she may read it herself."

Religious women's organization Kolech criticized Rabbi Ariel's ruling. A spokeswoman for the organization told Ynet: "The Halacha states that a woman may fulfill the duty of prayer for another woman. The same ruling was also stated in the Shulchan Aruch (book of religious law from the Rabbi Yosef Karo), by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and more.

"In accordance with these rulings, women public reading of the Book of Esther became popular and widespread in many national- religious communities and most women who take part in them do not consider themselves feminist," she added.

Rabbi Yaacov Ariel has been known to rule on many issues that combine the Torah and Halacha with modern-day living, however on issues that are considered feminist he tends to rule more strictly and avoids making progressive and bold decisions.

Rabbi Ariel has gained popular support from the religious public that is often credited to his choice not to deal with or express his opinion on political issues.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, on the other hand, is considered to be more lenient on women's matters and ruled last year that a woman can fulfill the duty of praying for a man as well as a woman. He explained his ruling by saying that both genders are equally obliged to commit the mitzvah of prayer.

Comments

[Zevi]

It seems that the fabric of Israeli society
is falling apart. The influence of the
extreme rabbi has gotten out of
control.
The founders of the modern state are turning
over in their graves.

[Chayim]

A woman should be a woman. An Israelite should be an Israelite. Dont try to become something you are not. A woman is not a man and an Israelite is not a Cohen and an apple is not an orange. Be yourself. A woman should focus on modesty and helping her husband and raise her children and be a woman.

[Dr. Dave]

Chayim -

Learn a blatt gemara and some shulchan aruch before speaking.

R' Yosef is correct. The reason that we don't have women involved in mixed minyanim is not to embarass the ignorant men present!!!

Women can certainly have their own minyanim.

More idiocy from the chumra mongers!!

[al Farabi]

As if God really gives a flying f--k about any of this nonsense....

[Y. Aharon]

This article is poorly written. As far as I can discern, the rabbi in question objected to megilla readings for women wherein the megilla is read by a woman. It has nothing to do with women making a minyan, nor is a quorum needed for reading the megilla. The fact is that there is no real halachic basis for objecting to a woman's megilla reading. It is a policy issue. As far as I'm concerned, if such a reading for women facilitates greater participation in the rabbinic mitzvah and greater enjoyment of Purim, so much the better.

[simon]

Face it, in Judaisim, men and women play different roles, get over it. Rather pointless to try to redefine the religion.

[kasha varnishkas]

As a feminine food, kasha varnishkas wants to stand alone. Don't mix me in with the men, I'll lose my flavor.
Let the guys daven. They need the rules, to be there three times a day, to harness their energies. To keep them out of trouble. That is the biblical root of the minyan, because the spies got into trouble by speaking negatively of the land that was spoken of by G-d almighty. So the ten men are given something with purpose and use, to keep them from behaving badly. Although the concept is good, the fellas still get into trouble. Sometimes you just have to accept the inevitable!!

[Neo-Conservaguy]

I'm perfectly comfortable with the concept of recognizing unique aspects of the sexes. I personally prefer separate seating when praying. That comfort (ie tradition, custom) and preference should not be confused with halachot. We know clearly that there are situations in which women may not only satisfy obligation for other women, but for men; reading megilah and qiddush on erev Shabbat are classic examples. We know why women were not called to the Torah for almost 2000 years - to avoid embarrassing men. We shouldn't be embarrassed by such things anymore.

If you visit one of the "independent minyanim" that have sprouted up by the dozens in the US, largely modeled after Shira Chadasha in Jerusalem, you will most likely see serious, "Orthodox" and "Conservative" women dressed in skirts on their side of a mechitsa with few if any tallitot and/or kippot, davening with ruach and with the intentions of making qiddush haShem. There is change coming down the pike, and you can be sure it will be strongly resisted in some places, as per this story. None the less, that change is coming.

[simon]

None the less, that change is coming

No, the change has happened it is called Conservative and Reformed what we are seeing are mutations between the three. Take a little bit of this, a little bit of that and see if it sticks.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

No, the change has happened it is called Conservative and Reformed what we are seeing are mutations between the three. Take a little bit of this, a little bit of that and see if it sticks.

Change has been happening in the development of the religion since all recorded history we have available to us. To borrow an expression from a friend, the ink isn't dry on a legal text when the next round of analysis, argument, and development occurs. This was happening 2000 years before making trouble was a twinkling in the eyes of the German rabbinate that would square off with each other to form the basis for the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Thank God, piece of sh!t Martin Grossman was executed moments ago. The world is now a better place with him out of it.

To all the Chabad and other black hatters, who all became so liberal on behalf of this subhuman filth, shame on all of you. You are all garbage.

To the murdered police officer's elderly mother, I hope this finally brings closure. May she rest in peace.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=125434&provider=rss

[rabbiyaacov]

I agree. A poorly written article. Nothing "new" here. As is mentioned by many other Rabbonim prior to this article, there is nothing new here halachic or otherwise. It sounds like the author erred in this case. Disappointing, he is a fine journalist but I feel he missed the3 boat on this one

[rabbiyaacov]

Shmarya, thanks for posting. I believe minyans should read Minyanim. Thanks for your good work.

[Sarah K]

rabbiyaaacov (sic),
I'm sure Shmarya's Hebrew is excellent and he knows singular and plural in that language but it is fairly common practice when writing in English to add an s to the singular of a foreign word to make it plural even if it would be incorrect in the original language. Also, I don't believe minyan or minyanum would be capitalized. I do agree with you that Shmarya does good, actually great, work.

[A E ANDERSON]

What a twit this misogynist Jewatollah is!

Here we have an putative man of God who says women shouldn't pray.

I suppose God might get an erection if he hears קול אשה.

Is there some reason that the haredi rabbanut seems to attract the mentally defective and the utterly lacking in common sense?

[Avi Rosenthal]

Rav Ariel says that every Purim. Ignore him.

[simon]

Here we have an putative man of God who says women shouldn't pray

I don't believe that is what he said. My wife goes to shul every shabbat and on holidays and prays. It is the women's prayer quorum that he is objecting to.

[God is not amused]

With so many going secular, you would think that the Rabbi would be happy that some decide to show up in reverence anywhere anytime....these JewishTablibanistas, are annoying. No wonder half my kin are secular.