Halachic Foundations

Introduction

What are the benefits of women engaging directly with halachic texts?

•  Deracheha, an Introduction

Status

Why are there differences between women’s and men’s mitzva obligations?

• Are men and women equal? Was gender hierarchy built into Creation? Overall Status
• In what types of cases are men’s and women’s obligations the same? Halachic Status
• Why are women exempt from some mitzvot? Is this a matter of identity? Positive Time-Bound Mitzvot

Voluntary Mitzva Performance

Not being obligated does not mean not allowed. Or does it?

• Is performing a mitzva permissible when women are exempt? How is it meaningful? Voluntary Performance
• May a woman recite a beracha over voluntary mitzva performance? Why? Beracha on Voluntary Performance

Three Mitzvot

Challa, candle-lighting, and nidda are three mitzvot in which women’s performance takes precedence over men’s. Taken together, what do they teach us about women and Halacha?

• Why do these mitzvot form a group? Why does this matter? The Group
• What is the significance of each mitzva? What does this teach us about the group? The Mitzvot 

Read on to see what else we’re planning for this section of the site–and let us know if you have a topic to suggest.

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Halacha: A Users Guide

How does Halacha work? Where do all these sources come from?

Discharging Obligations

When and how can one person discharge another’s mitzva obligations? Can a man discharge a woman’s obligations, and vice versa?

Inclusion in the Miracle

Women are obligated in mitzvot that publicize miracles experienced by the Jewish people. How and when does this principle override the exemption from positive time-bound mitzvot?

Tzeni’ut

What is tzeniut about? Is it just a set of rules for how women should dress? How does looking at it as a broader halachic principle help us understand it?