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Q&A: Halakhic Commitment

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This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

Halakhic Commitment

Question

Rabbi Michael Abraham, hello,
This question does touch on a personal matter, but it is based on the broader question of what halakhic commitment is.
Recently I’ve been dating, very seriously, a smart, sociable, cheerful, and very religious woman who studied at a women’s Torah seminary.
But there is one thing that bothers me, and I’m not sure how to look at it: even though she defines herself as “halakhically committed,” she wears pants. 
My approach is that I do not issue halakhic rulings to my partner, and that she should do what she thinks is halakhically right. But in this case, she says she has no halakhic explanation for why it is okay, and she is also not looking for such an explanation. She is simply aware that this is something that is very, very hard for her to observe, and she hopes that one day she will manage to dress properly. She also knows that she would expect her daughters to wear skirts, but today she herself is unable to wear skirts. It frustrates her terribly, and it really affects her deeply.
I am unsure how to relate to someone who observes Jewish law, but does not manage with one of the commandments. When a person cannot overcome his inclination on a regular basis, but still sees himself as committed to all the commandments, is that commitment? 
 
And another question: in your opinion, how much does this matter for a relationship בכלל, and is it something one can compromise on (as long as it does not affect my own observance of Jewish law)?
 
Thank you very much,
 

Answer

In my opinion, there is no problem at all with a woman wearing pants. It is accepted clothing nowadays, including among religious women, even seriously religious ones. The fact that she has no explanation for it may stem from the fact that she intuitively feels that it is completely fine. True, it is preferable to clarify and ground things, but it is certainly not a big deal. Intuition plays a role for all of us.
I think that if Jewish law is important to her, then one detail or another, even if she has no explanation for it, should not bother you. Especially since, as I said, in my opinion there is no problem with it. It certainly should not matter if you feel a good connection and that she has a good personality that suits you.
Wishing you much success.

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