Q&A: Women in Torah Reading
Women in Torah Reading
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I saw that in the past you discussed a bit the question of the congregation’s honor in this matter; let’s set that aside for a moment. I wanted to ask from a different angle: can a woman fulfill the obligation for men through her aliyah to the Torah? After all, a woman is not obligated in Torah reading according to almost all halakhic decisors, and it follows that if she gets an aliyah or recites the blessing, she is not obligated, and therefore cannot fulfill the obligation for the men who are obligated. What is your position?
P.S. — I know the source that says that everyone may be called up for the Torah reading, even women, but it still needs to be understood how that fits with my question.
Thank you very much in advance
Answer
In simple terms, if women can be counted among the required seven aliyot, it seems that they are indeed obligated, and that is why they are counted. On the face of it, there is no reason to distinguish between receiving an aliyah and doing the reading, since in their time the person called up would read. However, one could perhaps say that they are not obligated, but they do have fulfillment in it, and therefore they may be counted among those called up.
Those who hold that a woman is not obligated offer various explanations to distinguish between the different laws; see the long and very detailed survey by the Frimer brothers.
In my humble opinion, the issue of the congregation’s honor is simply not relevant today at all.
Discussion on Answer
Known. That’s why I added another possibility. But the plain meaning of the Talmud is that way.
In my opinion, the simple explanation is that it is not for the congregation’s honor for a woman to read, because it looks like the men do not know how to read and need even an ignorant woman to read for them. Today everyone knows how to read, and nobody sees this as an affront to anyone’s honor. On the contrary, when women do not read, that is an affront to them.
The question of waiving this has been discussed in several places, but in my opinion it is not relevant. This is not a matter of waiving; there is simply no affront here.
Isn’t the obligation of Torah reading on the congregation? Meaning, do I personally have an obligation to be present during Torah reading on the Sabbath?
The halakhic decisors discussed that. There is a contradiction about this in the Mishnah Berurah, and in some past column I explained it. In any case, it can be understood either as an obligation on the individual when he prays with a congregation, or as an obligation on the congregation. Either way, there are limitations on the reader / the person called up.
https://www.kikar.co.il/mayriv/s03w27
Here’s some progress for you.
Hello, and thank you.
I’d be glad to keep asking.
It seems hard to me to say that women are obligated. First of all, that’s a lone view of the Magen Avraham, and second, go out and see what people actually do: many religious women, more and less observant, are not careful to arrive on time for Torah reading, if they come at all, so it seems this is not seen as an obligation. And then my question comes back: how can they fulfill the obligation for others?
As for the congregation’s honor, there are two main reasons I’ve seen mentioned. A) lack of modesty; B) disrespect for the commandment, in that someone who is not obligated takes an aliyah in your place. Regarding reason A, if from the perspective of the Sages this was considered immodest, it is a bit hard to say that today it is fine. In my opinion, one should distinguish between the general culture in society, which has changed, and the synagogue, where it seems to me there is a desire to maintain a higher standard, since it is a holy place. Regarding reason B, the disrespect exists even if people waive it, because the disrespect is not inward-facing but toward the Holy One, blessed be He.
Thank you, Rabbi.