In the conversation about the issue of tefilin for women there has been some ambiguity in the understanding of my own comments that have circulated, so I would like to offer a summary and clarification of the issues as I see them. I did not personally contribute to the halachik and policy decision of Ramaz, but my general thoughts on the issues were incorporated into the Ramaz communications in order to offer greater guidance.
In short, I personally think that we should follow the Rama who discourages women from wearing tefilin (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 38). It is ironic in that there is actually a “kiyum mitzvah†when a woman wears tefilin, just like any voluntary performance of a “mitzvat ase shehazman grama†(and she would say the brachot according to the Rama/Tosfot), but it is halachikly discouraged for particular reasons. The common minhag has clearly adopted this practice of the Rama and I do not think that we should encourage a change to it.
However, this becomes more complex when setting school policies, The Rama says that we are “moche†(protest) if a woman wants to take on the chumra (stringency) of wearing tefilin. But what are the implications of this nowadays? Should such a person be prohibited from wearing tefilin in schools and shuls? Should she be asked to leave a school or shul where she attends? Should she be provided with a separate place to wear them? Or should she be educated about the issues and then left to make her own, informed decisions? These are the difficult questions that school and shul leaders grapple with. Policies must be framed with care and sensitivity and in a way that cultivates the maximal spiritual growth of the particular community.
For an explanation of the policies and psak of Ramaz, please see Rabbi Lookstein’s drasha from this past Shabbat: [
www.ckj.org]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2014 07:25AM by mlb.
