Of late we hear the voices of some women who have doubts
about how to find both satisfaction and a clear purpose to
their lives. They strive earnestly to reach a clear
understanding of their specific duty in Judaism as women.
Such doubts, like many others which have appeared in
contemporary times, are a result of the inroads of western
culture and its value system within Jewry.
To offer a proper reply to these misgivings I think that I
should first clarify two points that are actually principles
in Judaism: (1) The objective of man in Olom Hazeh
("man" in this sense means both men and women), and (2) The
distinctive role of a woman within the general purpose of man
in Olom Hazeh. I hope that clarifying these topics
will illuminate life from the Jewish perspective.
Man's objective in Olom Hazeh is discussed at length
in Derech Hashem (ch. 1) of the Ramchal, HaRav Moshe
Chaim Luzzatto (who also wrote the Mesilas Yeshorim).
I will cite his main message: The aim of the world's Creation
was so that Hashem could benefit others. In direct proportion
to a person's striving to come closer to Hashem is he
assisted by his Creator. Man is created from ruach
(spirit) and chomer (matter), from neshomoh
(soul) and guf (body), from yetzer tov (a good
inclination) and yetzer hora (a bad inclination). The
guf and the yetzer hora tempt man to indulge in
the material while the neshomoh and the yetzer
hatov induce man to follow spiritual quests.
In every situation in life man has free will, and he can
equally choose the physical or the spiritual, the inclination
of his guf or the inclination of his neshomoh.
Man has only one objective in this world: Strengthening the
power of his neshomoh as opposed to the power of his
body, that is, to choose what the yetzer hatov desires
and refrain from following the yetzer hora, to aspire
to spiritual goals and to distance himself from material
ones. Man's objective in Olom Hazeh is becoming more
spiritual and less material, more man and less animal! When
man reaches this goal he is closer to the Creator and
naturally receives more benefit from Him, in direct
proportion to his achievements.
I will translate the above to clearer and more practical,
everyday concepts: Man's objective in his world is praying to
Hashem with kavono and making brochos with true
kavono before and after everything he eats, as well as
judging anything that happens according to Divine Providence,
engaging in chesed, acting properly when interrelating
with others and engaging in many other details of which the
common denominator is an aspiration to ruchniyus.
On the other hand, a person must make an effort not to live a
life of luxury, and to forgo some of what he might gain when,
for example, he goes to hear a mussar shmuess. He must
also dress plainly, refrain from running after money, food,
cars, and a comfortable lifestyle. He must also correct bad
character traits such as anger and pride. These and other
details all have in common their not following the
materialistic path.
As we said, all this applies equally to men and women. We
therefore see that a man's objective in Olom Hazeh and
a woman's are absolutely identical. A man must withstand
temptations in life and so must a woman. A man must pray with
kavono and act correctly with others and so must a
woman, and so on.
There are areas and many details in which the means to reach
this objective are divided into separate paths. The Ramchal
later explains that the Creator instructed man how to use
what is physical so that it will help him aspire to the
spiritual and to refrain from being attracted to what is
materialistic. The instructions on how to use what is
physical to gain this goal is the performance of mitzvos. By
means of mitzvos a person can reach his goal in life.
In this point we find a difference between man and woman. A
woman is freed from some mitzvos such as those performed only
at specific times. There are really only a few of these, but
they are very prominent.
But how can a woman reach the same objective as man if she
has fewer means? Furthermore, the Ramchal writes that Hashem
gave the male a means that is higher than all others: Torah
study. Since a woman is not obligated to study Torah, how can
she possibly reach man's objective in Olom Hazeh
without this important means?
The Ramchal (Derush al HaTorah) answers this
fundamental question and presents us with a key that sheds
light on numerous topics. Women, the Maharal explains, are in
a qualitative sense actually on a higher spiritual level than
men. From the way they were created, they are nearer to
Olom Haboh! Women are closer to fulfilling man's
objective in Olom Hazeh than men are. Therefore,
explains the Maharal, with just helping to promote Torah
study (by helping their husbands and sons study Torah, as the
gemora in Brochos 17 explains) they reach the
same spiritual level of a man who actually studies Torah. (We
encounter this pivotal principle in other commentaries too,
such as the Chida, HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin, and others).
This principle likewise casts light upon why women are exempt
from time-dependent mitzvos. HaRav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch
explains that women are free from time-dependent mitzvos
since they already have a strong clinging to Hashem, as well
as devotion and enthusiasm to acknowledge their goals. Women
do not need to be prompted again and again about their goal
in life (which is exactly the essence of time- dependent
mitzvos -- a continual reminding, at specific times, for man
to concern himself with his real goal in life).
As a result, the objective of man and woman in Olom
Hazeh are not different at all. A man must aspire to
ruchniyus and so should a woman. The two different
courses they follow lead to an identical result. There is a
difference between the means that men and women use. A man,
because he is spiritually inferior to a woman, was given
extra means to overcome his handicaps, while a woman who is
spiritually superior received fewer.
We do not find any essential difference between the two paths
as far as basic spiritual values are concerned. One is no
more important or preferable than the other. The two courses
lead to the same objective -- which is man's and woman's
objective in Olom Hazeh. In this respect there is no
difference between a man who rises in the morning to study
Torah and a woman who remains at home or chooses to engage in
some other endeavor. They both aspire to ruchniyus --
to pray with kavono, to eat with moderation, to
strengthen themselves in seeing Hashgocho protis, to
reflect on the miracles of Creation, and to act as befits
their surroundings. They likewise both must refrain from
being drawn toward the physical, dress simply, overcome bad
character traits, and not run after money and luxuries. If
they have done all this, they -- both men and women -- have
reached their objective in drawing closer to HaKodosh
Boruch Hu.
Both man and woman reach an identical goal albeit through
different means and through different duties. Within the
framework of reaching his objective, a man has one
responsibility to fulfill and a woman another. Both of these
responsibilities have the same aim. Indeed a woman's task in
life is today a little more problematic since she is often
inserted in a normative system that is influenced greatly by
the values of western culture.
In order to illustrate the problem better we will briefly
describe (non-religious) woman's status in Western society.
It is well-known that for centuries women were considered by
Western culture to be substandard beings, and even in modern
times in which women have gained largely equal status with
men, they are still discriminated against in several areas.
The heart of the problem is explained as follows by a
feminist researcher: When the division of functions between
men and women is based upon who is worth more and who is
worth less, discrimination is the result. Men are naturally
inclined to be active outside their home (which we will term,
for lack of a better phrase, "activity in the public domain")
while women are more inclined to home-work ("activity in the
domestic domain").
In the Western World, where a person is measured according to
his achievements, the public domain of activity is considered
more rewarding, more prestigious, to have better status, and
to be more worthwhile. Home-work is considered totally
worthless. When women are tied to household chores (providing
meals for the family and raising the children) they suffer
from a lack of esteem and are discriminated against.
It is important to point out that this learned researcher
discerned this as a problem of how society itself defines
different types of work, but not a problem without a
solution. After society changes its ladder of values in
relation to domestic chores and considers them as important
as work in the public domain the problem of discrimination
against women will immediately end.
Unfortunately much of the vanity of western culture has
penetrated our own camp and among them the popular
perceptions of prestige and honor. As everyone knows, Judaism
directs men to activity in the public domain and women to the
domestic domain. For hundreds of years men and women marched
together, each one doing his or her particular duty, towards
fulfilling man's obligation in Olom Hazeh. During that
time we never heard of any problems of equal rights,
discrimination, lack of recognition of the importance of a
woman's work, and the like. In reality, western society
brought these problems into our camp problems which, as
mentioned, were created because of distorted foundations.
Today even Orthodox society measures man according to his
achievements, his prestige, and his social status.
Accordingly the public domain in general and the business
area in particular, are considered worthwhile, prestigious,
and as having status, but home-work has become valueless and
lacking importance because it lacks the outward trappings of
prestige and honor. The result is that men are connected to
seemingly important occupations and prestigious ones, while
women's occupations lack that importance and value.
Moreover, even in the Torah world it may seem that there is a
distinct contrast between the occupation of a kollel
student, a rosh kollel, and the like, and that of
a housewife. The duties connected to engaging in Torah study
are perceived as having immense importance and eminence, but
the domestic chores in their homes are perceived as inferior
by comparison (even though they may actually show abundant
devotion to Torah as far as the woman is concerned). As a
result, the value and importance attached to a housewife's
work can plummet, and women can indeed feel a lack of esteem
and importance. (Naturally the husband should emphasize to
his wife her mesiras nefesh for Torah and by doing so
he will definitely elevate the value of her housework).
In contemporary society, as shown above, it is feasible that
many women will sense a lack of esteem and understanding for
their duty in life, and will lack satisfaction and a clear
goal. [Naturally there are many, many, exceptions to the
rule!]
The second subject which needs clarification
is the duty of a woman in Judaism. Let us try to draw general
lines that characterize the role of women in Judaism. Also
here we will be forced to contend with maladies of western
culture that have penetrated our camp.
Man and woman together were created "in the image of Elokim"
and "a male and female He created them" (Bereishis
1:27). Man and woman are physiologically, psychologically and
spiritually different. Hundreds of research projects describe
immense differences between men and women in many areas, such
as their psychological nature, grasp of reality, connection
to society, and structure of mind and senses. As a result a
man and woman naturally engage in different functions that
are appropriate for their personality. Man functions in the
public domain while a woman in the domestic domain.
This is indeed the difference between kodesh and
chol, between the tohor and the tomei,
between Yisroel and the other nations. While western culture
extends importance and great value only to work in the public
domain, Judaism considers important and esteems the area of
activity in one's home even more! In Judaism there is
therefore at least an equal respect for the work of man and
woman, each one in his/her area.
As mentioned, the home is greatly esteemed in Judaism. The
character of children is built and shaped at home and it
transmits and bequeaths the tradition of Judaism to
succeeding generations. HaRav S. R. Hirsch writes: "Hashem
gave over the future of our nation to mothers' hands."
The Jewish home is the most important social center in
Judaism in sharp contrast to the attitude of modern western
culture. Major events, both in quality and quantity, of our
spiritual and social life take place in the home around the
Shabbos table, on the yomim tovim, by means of the
continual connection between parents and children and joint
study of Torah. There is no place in which so many of the
experiences of the Jewish Nation are so concentrated (except
for a beis knesses and beis midrash) as the
Jewish home.
The woman is in charge of this tremendous fortress, as Chazal
(Yoma 2) write: "His house -- this is a wife." The
Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 44:14) writes: "It is
a splendor for man to dwell in his home -- a splendor is his
wife."
Furthermore, research dealing with labor relations shows that
the conditions influencing satisfaction and motivation at
work are: The perception of the work being important and
valuable, of filling a full role and not a partial one, of
having the right to make one's own decisions, of being
informed of the results of one's efforts, and a feeling of
responsibility (as a result of having a right to decide and
bear a full role). All these are so obviously and fully met
in the home that it is clearly only the vanity of Western
culture that generates the feeling of dissatisfaction and
lack of esteem in women.
To summarize: The objective of man (meaning both men and
women) is spiritual achievement and distancing oneself from
the material. Reaching this makes a person nearer to the
Creator and helps him receive an abundance of benefit from
Hashem. Through their different paths, both men and women
reach man's objective. These paths merely use different
means, such as are suitable to the spiritual structure of
each person. Both men and women need to make brochos
with kavono before drinking in the morning, both
should greet their neighbors politely, and aspire to lead
their homes with simplicity without a drive for luxuries. If
they are zoche in their efforts, they will have
attained the objective of the Creation of both worlds.
(The author of this article has completed a research
project in the topic of "Women's Status in Judaism" and
delivers lectures in this topic. For additional details,
please contact: Rabbi Lorberbaum, 10 Sha'arei Torah St.,
Yerushalayim, tel. 972-2-6436656.)
