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At the Lavi conference in Jerusalem (Oct. 5-6, 1999) Rav Amital gave a
keynote address on the halachic obligation for women to study torah. He
distinguished between two mitzvot: a specific commandment to study (that
applies only to men) and a general commandment to know God that applies to
everyone. According to Rav Amital, this second commandment, paradoxically,
requires greater intensity and effort and can only be accomplished through
study and immersion in traditional texts. Though he didn't mention it, I
assume that Rav Amital based himself on the contradictory passages in the
Mishna Torah, one that seems to exempt women from study (hil. Talmud torah
1:13) and one that suggests some form of obligation for the religious Jew
(hil. Yesodei hatorah 4:13).
Perhaps Dr. Sokolow will argue that the emphasis on this second text
reflects a particular sociological phenomenon . I would not disagree but I
would raise the following question: Is all of psak not, to some extent, a
reflection of its times? And does this not reflect the dynamism of the
halacha?
Seth Farber</HTML>
