reincarnated

So how do you get the benefit of all 613 commmandments? If a women has less doesn't that means she already has the holiness? No, it doesn't mean that. The Tanya says that we are reincarnated until we get the benefit of all of them. 

Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 7

And although every Jewish soul needs to be reincarnated in order to fulfill all 613 commandments

women also should not look

When Shaul HaMelech asked some girls for directions while searching for his donkeys, they gave him a lengthy response. Chazal say that they did not do so because they wanted to gaze upon his handsome appearance, “for just as it is forbidden for a man to gaze upon a woman, it is forbidden for a woman to gaze upon a man.”

The Mitteler Rebbe writes that when a woman does so, this can affect the health of the children that she will bear.

(ילקוט שמואל א' פ"ט, פוקח עורים)

888 - Sensitive Sight (II)

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no it's not because of inferiority

Rav Avigdor Miller on Women’s Haircoverings

I’d like to know the source for a married woman having to cover her hair, and also what’s the significance of it and also what is the punishment for not covering the hair?

A:

The source that married women should cover their hair is in the Torah. It states about the sotah—that’s the  woman who went into a private place with another man against her husband’s warning—that she goes through a certain disgraceful ordeal in the Beis Hamikdash. And it states there ופרע את ראש האשה – he uncovers the head of the woman. That’s a sign of disgrace. Which means that all other married women maintained their dignity by covering their hair.

And therefore it’s a Jewish tradition that married women, since they are out of the marriage market now, they should cover their hair. Girls who still have to advertise that they’re available, so they can display their own hair. But once they are married then it’s superfluous and therefore they cover their hair.

After all, men also cover their heads. Men cover their heads as a sign of dignity. We make a blessing every morning about that. The Gemara says that when you put something on your head in the morning you say the blessing עוטר ישראל בתפארה – He crowns Yisrael with glory. So whether you wear a black Homberg or you wear a straw hat or a turban or a beanie, whatever you wear on your head, as soon as you put it on your head in the morning, you make a blessing. Today we make the blessing in the synagogue when we pray but actually, originally it was supposed to be said when you covered your head first thing in the morning because wearing something on your head is a crown of glory. It’s a crown that demonstrates that you believe in Hashem.

And so married women wear that crown too; it’s a crown of humility. They’re standing in the presence of Hashem, and therefore they cover their hair because a woman’s hair is part of the personality of a woman. It’s part of the attractiveness of a woman. And since she has to be attractive only for her husband, since she’s married now therefore it’s humility on her part and self-respect to keep her hair covered.

Now as far as the question what punishment there is, this isn’t a din for which there is any punishment specified. It’s not a lav in the Torah where a punishment is specified. It’s a commandment that all women must keep their hair covered when they’re married. That’s all.

TAPE # 126

Comment: No men don't wear yarmulkas because they are inferior to women and need the boost as I have heard proposed. Everyone covers their heads. Why? Dignity and modesty

Response to an apologist

That was an hour and a half of your opinion. I didn't hear you cite a single authority who says that women are superior. You decided for example that a yoke is only for one who needs it so since men have more mitzvos they must need more help. So why does a Kohen have extra mitzvos? He is not spiritually inferior. Do you want to say that every Jewish female is superior to the Lubavitcher Rebbe because he was obligated in mitzvos that they are exempt from? You could say that opposite that the extra mitzvos channel the spiritual capabilities of the spiritually "superior" creature. The Maharal says that men are strong in all five parts of the soul and women in three. (Derech Chaim 2:9)

Rav Moshe Feinstein says that mitzvos require inborn holiness:

"The mitzvah of You shall be holy, which is followed by a recitation of several of the fundamental mitzvos, is not of the same type as the mitzvos that follow it. This mitzvah means that every Jew should realize that he is sanctified with the holiness of the Jew, and it is only because of that holiness that we were given the Torah and obligated to do the mitzvos. As I have often written, mitzvos cannot be fulfilled properly unless the doer has the holiness of the Jew. The Kohanim, who have additional mitzvos, must have the particular holiness of Kohanim. This is why we make a blessing before mitzvos and say, "Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos"; and Kohanim, before doing mitzvos that are limited to Kohanim, say, "Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aharon." The expression "Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos" should not be misunderstood as meaning that mitzvos are the source of the sanctity. It is self-understood that the sanctity the blessing refers to is the underlying sanctity of every Jew -- that which enables us to fulfill the mitzvos."

Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt'l, Darash Moshe, Volume II, p. 154, Vayikra, Kedoshim

Why you are so keen on using the word superiority is a mystery. How will that be helpful to Shalom Bayis? A woman wants a man she respects. She doesn't want an inferior. If women are superior then why aren't they the rabbis? Are you trying to be shocking to excite the audience? Are you trying to be popular with the women? Regardless of your motives, we have numerous Torah authorities who say explicitly that the male is more spiritual. What is your response to them? The Maharal, upon whose teachings much of the Tanya is based, says it numerous times. Examples:

Maharal:

Chidushei Agados, Makos 23b Chidushei Agados, Baba Matzia 59a Chidushei Agados, Nidah 45b Derech Chaim 1:5 Derech Chaim 2:9 Tiferes Yisrael 28 Tiferes Yisrael 4

Some excerpts: "Rav Tachlifa says, it is fitting to proceed with women first (regarding the receiving of the Torah). And this is because the decree and the command from Hashem, may He be blessed, to man who receives it, is the covenant and the connection of Hashem to man, who received the decree. And this is explained in many places. And since the man is more fitting to the covenant and the connection with Hashem, may He be blessed, since the woman is more physical, and the level of the woman is not like that of the man, therefore, the man was commanded first since his level was close to Hashem, may He be blessed....And afterwards the man was commanded his connection and his level are greater than that of the woman." Maharal, Tiferes Yisroel 28 "And now we can understand that woman who is material is obligated to observe the Negative Commandments but is not obligated in all the Positive Commandments. That is because the spiritual level of women does not reach to the highest level - which is the level of the Positive Commandments that a woman would function fully - because she is material." Maharal, Chidushei Agados, Makos 23b

"After the Mishnah mentions possessions, as they are relevant to a man, it says 'more wives more witchcraft.' Reference to the woman comes after that of possessions because the man needs the woman to take care of his house. And it says that she increases witchcraft. Even if he is married to Avigail. Certainly, kosher Jewish women don’t practice witchcraft. Nevertheless, she leans towards witchcraft as it is a lower level of being. Witchcraft is found more in women. Because of the lowness of the level of witchcraft it is found in women since they are lower in the level. Witchcraft comes from the power of materialism that is found in women. Therefore, witchcraft only works when a person is standing on the earth. Therefore, increase of women brings a man to the level of witchcraft. And even if she doesn’t actually practice witchcraft, nevertheless, he will lean towards the lowness and lacking due to the increase of wives since their increase will tend him towards the lowness of witchcraft." Maharal, Derech Chaim 2:8

"All those who follow the advice of their wife fall into Gehinom – This is truly incredible. We explain this also in relationship to Avos (1:5), All those who talk a lot with their wives are idle from words of Torah and in the end they inherit Gehinom. You should know that the woman is compared to Substance while the man is compared to the Form in every place. And when the Form is not separated from the Substance but rather the Form follows after the Substance entirely – he falls in Gehinom. That is because it is well known that the deficit is attached and bound with the Substance. This is alluded to by the Sages when they noted that when the woman was created the Samech was created with her. Because we don’t find the letter Samech in the Torah until the woman was created. ויסגר בשר תחתנה Bereishis (2:21) and closed up the flesh. That teaches you that with the woman was attached the deficit which is Satan who is the Angel of Death. When the Form follow after the Substance the Form obtains the deficit. That is because Gehinom is only the complete deficit as we learn from the names Gehinom itself." Maharal,  Bava Metzia 59a.

"And because the feminine leans towards the physical, her completion does not reside with the distinctly spiritual matters. Certainly she has these (purely spiritual traits) but not as much." Derech Chaim 2:9 (on the Mishnah: Amar lehem tzoo u’rahoo) d’h’ U’Mizeh.

In addition to the Maharal, there are numerous other commentators who make similar comments asserting the higher spiritualty of the male. They include the following:

Akeidas Yitzchak (Chapter 6)

Abarbanel (Bereshis, Chapter 1)

Vilna Gaon (Even Shelaimah 1:8)

Rav Tzadock (Dover Tzedeck p. 119)

Baal Shevet Musar (Midrash Talpiyos, Ohs Aleph, Anaf Isha)

Here's the Baal Magen Avraham (Ziet Ra'anan on Yalkut Shemoni, Shmuel 1:1):

Shmuel 1:1 And Chana prayed upon her heart.

Yalkut Shemoni: Why were women grouped with children and slaves concerning mitzvos? Because they have but one heart, as the verse says,

“And Chana prayed upon her heart.”

Zies Ra’anan (the Magen Avraham): Women with children: The explanation concerns the positive time bound commandments. One heart: The yetzer tov does not dwell in them sufficiently. Therefore, if the positive time bound commandments were imposed upon them, it is likely that they would not do them.

You have to rely on proper Torah authorities rather than interpret a few ideas the way you want.

Torah study for women

 Torah Temimah, Devarim chapter 11, note 48.

"And behold, we have seen fit to copy here at the end of the matter an ancient and precious book called 'Ma'ayan Ganim' [Responsa], authored by Rabbi Samuel son of Elhanan Jacob the Rakevalti (Vinitsia, 1613), regarding what he wrote to a wise woman concerning the permission for women to study Torah. He states in the continuation of the matter, and the saying of our sages: 'Whoever teaches his daughter Torah, it is as if he taught her frivolities.' Perhaps we can say that when a father teaches her in her youth, she will also be recognized by her deeds, whether they are pure or straight. Certainly, in this manner, there is concern that most women have light minds, wasting their time on trivial matters, and like them, they have sinned out of shortness of spirit. However, the women who have the heart to draw near to the work of the Lord, by choosing what is good in what is good, they will ascend on the mountain of the Lord and dwell in His holy place, for they are exemplary women. And the wise men of their generation should honor them, arrange for them, strengthen their hands, and empower their arms, etc. 'Do and succeed, and may Heaven assist you.' Thus is the end of the text. And it is not known to us who this esteemed author is, who stood to innovate this new law based on mere reasoning, and in Tosefta Yom Tov at the end of the tractate Tamid, he is mentioned and described as a meticulous scholar and the author of the book 'Arogat HaBosem' on the grammar of the Holy Language."

love bombing

 spirtuality vort is a kind of love bombing to bring the women into a cult like situation, so they'll do the dishes and let them men learn the Torah

Shi lo asani ish

This is not a prayer of thanks that God did not make us heathens, slaves or women. Rather, it calls upon us to contemplate the task which God has imposed upon us by making us free Jewish men, and to pledge ourselves to do justice to this mission. These three aspects of our own status impose upon us duties much more comprehensive than those required of the rest of mankind. And if our women have a smaller number of מצות to fulfill than men, they know that the tasks which they must discharge as free Jewish women are no less in accordance with the will and desire of God than are those of their brothers.

[Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Siddur]

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Woman is freed from a number of positive commands the observance of which depends on a certain time of the day or season of the year. The Jewish man thanks the Lord for having a much greater platform of duties. But woman has an excellent argument. She is willing to recognize the larger quantity of her husband's obligations. Her major duties have to do with the spirit of the home and the education of the children which are decisive for the welfare of the family and the future of the nation. What she loses in quantity, she more than regains in quality. It is therefore that with a smile on her lips and deep satisfaction in her heart, she blesses the Lord, "Who has made me according His will."

[R' Leo Jung, Between Man and Man p. 22]

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Anyone who is familiar with the high esteem in which the Jewish woman is held in the Torah, and with the place which she occupies in Jewish life, will not be foolish enough to think that this blessing cases a (negative) reflection on Jewish womanhood. Suffice it to mention that in the era of prophecy, there were seven prophetesses mentioned by name in the T'NaCh. They were: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah and Esther. Sarah, the Torah tells us, was in some respects even superior to Abraham, for G-d told Abraham, "All that Sarah will tell you, listen to her." Moreover, our Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud frequently emphasized the moral strength and spiritual excellence of the Jewish woman. They reminded us that it was in the merit of the righteous Jewish women that the children of Israel were liberated from Egyptian bondage; that at the giving of the Torah, the women were approached first; that women had no part in the Golden Calf, but at the building of the Sanctuary the women were the most generous; that they had a leading part in the miracles of Purim and Chanukah, etc., etc. History also records that throughout the long martyrology of our people in exile, Jewish women faced death with the same courage as the men, and sometimes greater, in their devotion to G-d and the Torah and the Jewish way of life. 

Thus, when the Jew makes the blessing thanking G-d for not making him a woman, he does not say these words with any feeling of superiority, but quite for another reason, as will be made clear presently.

In the nature of things, the husband's task is to be the breadwinner, while the wife has to take care of the home and the children, and to manage the whole household. This is a very complicated task, requiring a great deal of skill, patience, understanding, and many other high qualities, which Divine Providence so generously bestowed upon the women. It is doubtful whether any executive position which the husband may hold requires greater skill and is more exacting than the domestic responsibilities of the wife and mother.

In view of the above, the Divine Torah has exempted the Jewish woman from the obligation to fulfill certain Mitzvoth. She is equally with her husband duty-bound to observe all the prohibitions of the Torah, the "don'ts" (and these are in the majority-365 don'ts to 248 do's). However, in regard to the positive commandments, the Jewish woman is excused from the fulfillment of some of them (by no means all), mainly those which have a time factor or limit, out of consideration for her important wifely and motherly duties to which the Torah gives precedence.

In this respect, therefore, the Jewish woman is rather "privileged" than "underprivileged."

However, the male Jew, who has not been given the special privileges enjoyed by the Jewish woman, has something to compensate for them, namely, the opportunity to commune with G-d more frequently through the fulfillment of those Mitzvoth from which the Jewish woman is exempt. This is no small compensation, and it is for this reason-for the opportunity to serve G-d with these additional Mitzvoth-that the male Jew makes the blessing, "Who has not made me a woman."

[Rabbi Nissan Mindel, As For Me, My Prayer, 1975, pp. 45-47.]

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All Jewish men must observe the positive time-bound commandments. When Jewish men and women say  שֶׁלֹּא עָשַֽׂנִי נכרי ("Who has not made me a gentile"), they are thanking God that they have more than the seven Noachide laws to fulfill. When Jewish men say שֶׁלֹּא עָשַֽׂנִי אִשָּׁה ('Who has not made me a woman'), they are thanking God for the extra commandments that they are obligated to do. They are not supposed to feel superior to women by saying this; rather, they are supposed to overcome any resentment they might have because they have the burden of extra obligations.

Many women feel uncomfortable about the men's blessing. In the Middle Ages, women gave expression to this discomfort by adding the blessing שֶׁעָשַֽׂנִי כִּרְצוֹנוֹ ("Who has made me according to divine will"). Many years ago, Rav Soloveitchik noted that Rebbe Meir taught us the blessings of formation. Rabbi Meir's wife was Bruria, a most extraordinary woman who was a scholar in her own right. Whenever she felt that her husband was wrong in Talmudic learning, she hold him so, and he accepted her word. He clearly did not view her as his inferior.

There is another historical reason that Jewish men said this blessing, again relating to the need to learn not to resent an extra burden. The Romans forbade the study of Torah because they knew it prevented Jews from assimilating. The Romans executed any man who was caught studying or teaching Torah. Rabbi Akiva was murdered in those days, as was the father of Bruria, Chaninah ben Tradyon. Women were frequently captured (such as Bruria's sister), who was put in a brothel), but they were not executed.

Women as well as men became martyrs during the first Crusade, however. When the great communities of Worms, Speyer, and Mainz were massacred the Christians did not make any distinction between the men and women. All were massacred equally.

When Rabbi Meir saw what happened to his father-in-law, he introduced the blessing for men. He was expressing gratitude that men were given the "opportunity" to die for God. When the Crusaders in the Middle Ages started massacring all Jews, including women, the women introduced the blessing for women, because they too now had this "opportunity."

[Rabbi Isaiah Wohlgemuth, Guide to Jewish Prayer, pp. 45-6.]