10 Minute Topics: Women in Judaism

The next in a weekly series of 10 minute topics teaching about various topics within Judaism. This week's topic is: Women in Judaism.

Throughout the Tanach one will find many virtuous, and some not so virtuous, women. Women, in Jewish tradition, are the first teachers of the children and as such they were given the Torah first at Sinai. Contrary to popular belief, women are equal to men. However, men and women do have different purposes in life as set up by G-d. Therefore, women and men are equal but not the same. It has become the norm for females to be afforded similar education in Torah and Talmud as is afforded males. Females generally will attend all-female yeshivot (Jewish religious schools) where they will learn secular and religious subjects. Women are also afforded a traditionally female-only holiday each month. This holiday is known as Rosh Chodesh and occurs on the first day (sometimes the first two days) of each Hebrew month according to the Jewish calendar and was originally a day of rest for women.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Judaism
• Jewish
• Women
• Torah
• Mitzvot
• Sarah
• Miriam
• Deborah
• Hannah
• Abigail
• Huldah
• Esther
• Rebecca
• Rachel
• Leah
• Prophet
• Birth
• Marriage
• Bat
• Mitzvah
• Family
• Purity
• Taharat
• Hamishpacha
• Rosh
• Chodesh

[CookieDolly]

Question: You mentioned that after a woman menstrates she must immerse in a mikvah before engaging in sexual relations with her husband. Is this allowed in the home or must it be done in a temple? Also, are there rules regarding the use of contraception?

Thanks

[becomingjewishorg]

A proper mikveh cannot be done at home. There are mikvaot associated with various synagogues as well as community mikvaot. Each mikveh must comply with very strict standards.

Contraception is not used in the Orthodox community and is not necessarily welcomed in a lot of the non-Orthodox community.

[DofaDofah]

Wow this video is presented very well. Thank you for posting.

[becomingjewishorg]

Thank you.

[ArtLoversStudio18]

"Women not being equal to men" is not, as you read, a "popular belief"-- it was (and is) a pretense held by those who seek to exploit situations for personal gain.

Equal? Yes. Different? Yes. Inferior? Absolutely Not.

[becomingjewishorg]

Unfortunately, this is a popular misconception even among some Jews.

[thekingofassholes]

If women are allegedly equal to men in Judaism why do men pray "Thanks for not creating me as a woman"?

[ThornUvDaath777]

where are the Jews at 6:10 from?

[keysaar]

i was wondering, if men and women have different 'roles', what are these roles exactly? what are these purposes. can anyone elaborate? =) they always leave that bit unclassified. is it, woman as mother and homemaker, in submission to her husband, man as head and authority? hm, equal indeed. ; ) and yea, roles do imply certain things, whether you like it or not. i'm not saying it's wrong, just that 'being subject', don't lie to yourself n hedge around it like a maniac, is an inferior position.