Q&A: The Daughters of Zelophehad and Their Obligation in Grace After Meals
The Daughters of Zelophehad and Their Obligation in Grace After Meals.
Question
Setting aside the reason of “covenant and Torah,” are the daughters of Zelophehad, who inherited, obligated in Grace After Meals on a Torah level?
And in our times, when females inherit like males, [just complete/correct as needed,] are women obligated in Grace After Meals on a Torah level?
And would the first generation that did not inherit affect their obligation in Grace After Meals all the way to the end of the generations?
And in general, what is the practical Jewish law? If they forgot, do they go back and recite the blessing again, or not?
Answer
First, you are assuming that women are exempt by Torah law, and that is not correct. At most, there is a doubt here.
Rashi on Berakhot 20 explicitly discusses the daughters of Zelophehad and writes that they inherited their father’s portion, and therefore according to the side that women are not obligated, they too are not obligated. From this you can understand that the obligation does not depend on ownership of land, but on inheriting the land originally, which was not given over to women.
And regarding the laws of doubt as they apply to women, the halakhic decisors disagreed about this, but it seems that the daughters of Zelophehad are no different from other women..