Re: the positive, time-bound mitzvot - didn't a lot of these commandmants begin at a time and place where the roles of men and women were quite different - men out tending the fields, and women the home-makers?
Women couldn't be bound to pray at certain times of the day when the baby might need breast-feeding etc. at any hour. (BTW my wife pointed this out when were were discussing this thread.) -Ben > -----Original Message----- > From: Beth F [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 8:44 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Egypt: Land of the Gods > > > Hm, the women have a choice in the role they play which is nice. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Judith Dinowitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 7:35 PM > Subject: Re: Egypt: Land of the Gods > > > > Women are not exempt from prayer -- just from prayer in a > Minyan, which is > > a positive, time-bound mitzvah (commandment). They are > supposed to pray, > > but are not obligated to do so at a specific time. > > > > Women are exempt from all positive, time-bound mitzvot. A positive > mitzvah > > is a commandment where you are doing something positive (as > opposed to one > > you accomplish by inaction, such as "Thou shalt not murder.") Some > examples > > include prayer, giving charity, having three meals on the Shabbos. A > > time-bound mitzvah is one that must be done at a specific time. > > > > There are some exceptions to the exemption of positive, time-bound > mitzvot, > > including: > > > > 1. drinking four cups of wine at the Pesach seder > > 2. lighting Chanukah candles > > 3. all the mitzvot of Purim > > > > (These mitzvot are obligations because they involve > commemorations of > > special miracles in which women were included and, in some cases, > > especially involved.) > > > > Why are women exempt from all positive, time-bound mitzvot? This has > > certainly been used to attack Halachic Judaism, mainly from a > > misunderstanding of the different roles of men and women creating an > > "inequality". I will quote from Rav Yitzchak Yaakov Fuchs > _Halichos Bas > > Yisrael_, a two-volume set on Jewish laws as pertaining to > women published > > by Targum Press: > > > > "Many commentators offer reasons why the Torah exempts women from > > time-bound mitzvoth. The Avudraham notes that it is the > woman who assumes > > responsibility for managing the household, attending to the > physical needs > > of the Jewish family, and playing a major role in rearing > and educating > > young children at home. Because many of these > responsibilities must be > > attended to at unpredictable times, the Torah exempts women from > > obligations which must be performed at set times." > > > > Note: Women _MAY_ fulfill any mitzvoth from which they are > halachically > > exempt, except those specifically restricted to men. Once > a woman takes > on > > a mitzvah on a regular basis, she is obligated to continue doing it. > > > > Also: There are positive mitzvot that are specifically > given to women -- > > the three I've always seen cited are the mitzvah of marital purity > > (niddah), Challah (taking a portion of the challah you bake > out for tithe > > to the priest in the Temple), and candle-lighting for Shabbos. > > > > This is a hugely complex topic, and I could bring more > information if > > you've got questions. > > > > Judith > > > > >I'm going to leave the exact answer to that for Judith. My > understanding > > >is that they either have to or should pray during the day > but are not > > >required to do all that men have to (we're talking over an > hour total a > > >normal day for men). My understanding is probably not 100% > correct as I'm > > >not learned in what women must do prayer-wise. Luckily, I > have a wife who > > >IS learned in that. (she'll feel good with me praising her > publicly and > > >that's one of my jobs). > > > > > > > > > > Really? > > > > > > > > So orthodox jewish women can pray but dont' have to? > Except over > food? > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: "Michael Dinowitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 6:41 PM > > > > Subject: Re: Egypt: Land of the Gods > > > > > > > > > > > > > For Christians this is true but for Jews its > different. Before the > meal > > > > there's a blessing on the food to be eaten and after > there's thanks > for > > > what > > > > was eaten and all. During holidays (and Shabbos) the > meals are more > formal > > > > deals with a blessing over wine (or grape juice), then > a washing of > the > > > > hands and a blessing over bread (or Matza during Pesach). This > 'covers' the > > > > meal, which is usually more than one course. Some fish, > some soup, > some > > > > meat, etc. After the grace is said. During non-holiday > eating a simple > > > > blessing and grace is said based on what's being eaten. > > > > > As a side note, the requirement to say a blessing > before and after > eating > > > > is for all Jews regardless of gender. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >my daughter 'serving' me with a small pitcher to > wash my hands > > > > > > before we said the grace after >meals. > > > > > > > > > > > > after meals? > > > > > > forgive my ignorance, i thought grace was said before meals > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~ > > > > > > Stephenie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ This list and all House of Fusion resources hosted by CFHosting.com. The place for dependable ColdFusion Hosting. 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