<HTML>Many girls and women have assumed the obligation to recite prayer
(daven) regularly. Whereas Halachah obligates men to daven to Hashem
3-times every single day - Shacharis, Minchah and Ma'ariv - the
obligation of women to daven is not that clear.
- Some authorities (poskim) exempt women from formal davening altogether
(Magen Avrohom, 106:1) requiring only a simple supplication in the
morning.
- Other poskim (Sefer HaMitzvos 5) maintain that women are obligated to
daven twice daily - Shacharis and Minchah.
- All poskim agree women are not obligated to daven Ma'ariv.
- Women from Ashkenazi backgrounds must treat davening differently from
those of Sephardic background (viz. Yechaveh Da'as 1:68; 3:3) as, it
seems, Sephardic women are not allowed to daven certain parts of the
prayer cycle (tefillah) from which they are exempt.
From=20this backgrounder (and other sources in Halachah) it seems that
women must prioritize tefillah and even those women who have the time
for tefillah should daven only in a certain order.
Taking (very dangerously) the topical issue of Hallel (viz. on
institution of Hallel, Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 117a) women are
exempt from Hallel (because it is a time-based mitzvah, Beiur Halachah
423:2,) on Pesach (tefillah; not the Hallel at Seder,), as well as,
Sukkos and Shavuos. And, as far as Musaf is concerned, Poskim debate
whether women are obligated to daven Musaf (Mishnah Berurah 106:4
discusses both views without decision), although it has become customary
that they do (Kaf HaChayim, O.C., 286:7; c.f. R'Akiva Eiger, O.C., 106).
It would be fascinating to find out how Orthodox educators treat this
important topic, in particular, the way how girls and women understand
how to prioritize time.
The current issue of the Jewish Tribune (London: Nisan 8, 25 March),
which I generally find provocative, contains an article which claims
that schools and seminaries prepare our Jewish females more in the role
of a chavrusah rather than "ezer ke'negdi".
The, Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 11b, states, "In the merit of the
righteous women in that generation they were redeemed from Egypt."
Today, on this our festival of redemption, may we have the "zechus" in
the merit of our women to be redeemed.
Happy and Kosher Pesach,
Hershy Orenstein
Hon. Secretary, Manchester Great & New Synagogue</HTML>
