I must remark here that there is a new one person movement that is quite annoying but certainly heart felt in the Orthodox Jewish community. A woman named Sara Hurwitz has over the past few years raised herself to stardom by becoming an advocate of the woman's role in Jewish worship leadership and the role of "rabba" or a woman rabbi in our day. True that there are women who take upon themselves the title of Rabbi and in the reform and conservative and other non orthodox circles participate in a wonderful seemingly role leading congregations in life services, worship and meaningful prayer and counseling. Some of their contributions do in fact bring about solace and health to a pained and suffering social stratum that is not adhering to Torah Law and guidance. I do not have a position to rail against the contributions of women to our day, especially in terms of counseling and religious teaching. That is any persons job.
But to call ones self a rabbi is to determine that God himself wants you to take up the yolk of Torah and distribute challenging dissertations about Torah Law and religious practice to a people that need spiritual guidance and God inspired leadership. Torah does not in fact specify that women can not be our spiritual and social leaders and indeed many women are inspiring in this sense. Look at Mirian and Deborah in the Tanakh. They did their job to bring our people forward.
However, I can not feel that the services of those who believe themselves to be our priests nowadays can be considered at all in that role. Men and woman are different in the mystical spiritual sense. Torah requires the right medium to exist and be traversed into the hearts of man and women. It is not enough to say that a man is the only person who can lead Torah. It is only that there are roles for men and women. A man can no more than anyone else bring about childbirth by his own physiological and spiritual being than a woman can inspire man to daven or worship in a free society as Orthodox Torah Based Jews. I do not wish to seem petty or harsh, but Orthodox Judaism has never in the past and I say never will employ women to be our Torah leaders. That too, consider that men and woman are separated by a mechitza in our prayer services. How possible is it to allow a woman to lead the Torah worship when they are not permitted to be in the same mystical spiritual physical compartment that men must belong (the side of the mechitza). Jewish prayer is a sexless society. There is a men's dwelling area and there is a woman's dwelling area. Women have a huge role in the synagogue as they are spiritually and emotionally present in our minds and hearts. I do not wish to disregard the love that any woman has for Torah and for God. This is Godly.
But to say that we must change our oral traditions and Torah acumen to provide for the self pride of a Jewish woman who wants to cut the rope and walk into the men's section of the prayer service is to allow a disruption and hedonistic appearance to occur in our day. I say that it never will.
My message to Ms. Hurwitz- keep learning, keep participating, but be known that you are not a Rabbi of the Orthodox variety. My message to the women who call themselves rabbis in a Jewish sense in the reform and conservative movements- you are beautiful souls but I say misdirected in your zeal to overturn Jewish customs and laws to suit your own benevolent aims. Be it known that Judaism is not suppressive of woman and that women are clearly major contributors to Jewish life, especially in the home where their spirit is allowed to flourish and guide the entire families daily activity. Men must allow their women to change the lives of our children, dance in the stars and breath fresh air where ever it may be. But that said, there is no role for a woman as a Torah Leader in the capacity that she may wish to guide the men's solemn heart felt devotion for Torah and our yearnings for Torah change in the universe. I am not old fashioned. I just feel that I "see the light".
2 comments:
More on this topic.
I have reconsidered my idea that the non orthodox variety of ladies who CALL themselves RABBIs are not human beings that we can be fond of or befriend. They are benevolent people. Just not orthodox in their outlook. I must say that I am beginning to see the leadership in the idea of a "rabba" or a Maharat as it is now being called by the fellow in the following article from Matzav.com.
Please direct your browser to:
http://matzav.com/rabbi-who-ordained-rabba-to-be-admitted-into-rca
This is a good idea I am beginning to think. We must consider that our orthodox values must be preserved and at the same time, we must recognize that others in our faith, namely many women especially those who are not in the 'orthodox' circles are not feelling that their needs are served, no matter what our beliefs as orthodox jews may be.
That said, if Orthodox Judaism leads the way and confers the title of Rabba to a woman, perhaps those ladies who wish to be referred to as rabbis in the styles that are not considered orthodox judaism will follow suit.
I may say that to call a woman a rabbi, I feel that a part of my faith is forfeited. But that said, I have to say that it is a good day that we have a distinction for the persons with a yearning for a Jewish woman's role to be as optimal as possible in the world of Jewish leadership and prayer. Thanks.
I wish to add to this excitement that I do not personally know if I could employ the word "rabba" to refer to a woman as it too closely resembles the word Rabbi. This is almost like a mocking permutation of a holy word and I do not regard that the idea of a "rabba" is in any sense a way that we should indeed refer to a woman who may have a higher level of Jewish learning, leadership aspirations and understanding of our entire way of life and Torah insights perhaps.
I must say that the term Maharat does not seem to irk me in any such way and I must say that this is a possibility if we do wish to consider that our women may have a need to express their spirituality in a more relevant sense to themselves and our orthodox community.
So that said, lets consider that perhaps the hand of our Creator is indeed involved in this process and be willing to accept discussion and perhaps even application in the future of this new concept in religious Jewry.
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