Torah Reading by Women?

By: Benedict Roth
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  • Summary

  • Many members of orthodox synagogues believe that women's Torah reading is forbidden. But the traditional rabbinic sources are more nuanced: they give plenty of room for a community either to permit or to forbid as it chooses. Most rabbis don't teach these sources, but they are outlined in this podcast by Benedict Roth, an informal Jewish educator based in London. All the background sources can be found on www.torahreader.net
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Judaism Spirituality
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Episodes
  • 1. Anyone may read the Torah for the community!

    1. Anyone may read the Torah for the community!
    Aug 28 2023

    The Talmud makes clear that anyone can read from the Torah for the community, even a slave, a child or a woman. This makes public Torah reading completely different from any other "mitzvah". For the source-sheet, go here. For the podcast website, visit www.torahreader.net.
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    13 mins
  • 2. What is "respect for the public"?

    2. What is "respect for the public"?
    Aug 28 2023

    Although the Talmud makes clear that, in principle, anyone can read from the Torah for the community, it also states that a woman's Torah reading infringes "respect for the public". In this episode we will look at other examples of "respect for the public" in the world of the Talmud.

    For the source-sheet, go here. For the podcast website, visit www.torahreader.net.
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    13 mins
  • 3. Why does a woman's reading "disrespect" the public?

    3. Why does a woman's reading "disrespect" the public?
    Aug 28 2023

    The Talmud states that a woman's Torah reading infringes "respect for the public", apparently because a community which relied on women was considered to be made up of men who were illiterate. In this episode we will look at the classic sources and ask whether this factor is still relevant today, when everyone is considered to be "illiterate" for the purpose of public Torah reading.

    For the source-sheet, go here. For the podcast website, visit www.torahreader.net.
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    18 mins

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