I've said it before and I'll say it again...
There are righteous women who do desire to demonstrate their devotion to Hashem and are not satisfied with the commandments they have. While I am fully in agreement that women should be responsible for their traditional roles, as the caretaker and the one to bring up the children, I also know that in todays world some women are confused about their role.
I do not hate the woman who really wants to wear Tefillin to be able to fulfill the commandment we read daily in the Shema. While women are exempt from time-bound commandments (of which davening is considered), they are encouraged to daven when they have the time to do so. I can imagine that some women feel that they need a more active demonstration of their 'Dyvakus Hashem' (desire to be close to G-d).
It is the desire to cling to Hashem that brings man to willingly and cheerfully do the commandments (such that Hashem's will BECOMES his will)...
I suppose it is the reason we Bless Hashem that we were made men... That we are obliged in these commandments... But so many men often grow to feel the mitzvahs are a burden, and they do them without any joy.
Before I finish this post let me bring a discussion of the concept of 'Dyvekyus Hashem':
The profundity of the concept of reward for a mitzvah is given an interesting interpretation in the words of the Mishnah that declares sechar mitzvah – mitzvah construed to mean "the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself" (Avos 4:2). What animates every mitzvah, say its "soul", is the concept of dveykus b'Hashem, closeness to G-d. In-other-words, the very act of the mitzvah is the medium whereby man forges a timeless relationship with G-d. Conversely, every sin or transgression causes the opposite impact: it draws the person away from G- d.
So one should never attempt to evaluate and weigh up the relative importance of mitzvos based upon their perceived level of reward. Insofar as both function to successful bring man closer to G-d, the Jew truly has no way of knowing the exact reward within each mitzvah. Whether it is classified an 'easy' compared to 'harder' , he has to scrupulously perform both with the same vigilance and zeal (Avos 2:1). This comes out of cognizance that their defining objective – i.e. to draw close to G-d by obeying His will – lies at the heart of each and every mitzvah.
This beautifully explains why, apart from some occasional side benefits, the principal of man's reward is not within this world" (Kiddushin 29b). Fundamentally flawed, the physical, fleeting world lacks the currency to adequately reward the righteous. Such a person's reward is reserved, instead, for the world to come. How pathetically inadequate any reward in this world is, is memorably explained by Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler. All the happiness and pleasure of a lifetime coupled with the joy of every person in every city and country who have ever lived, if it was possible to concentrate them into one moment; could still not provide reward even for the smallest mitzvah compared to the delight man will experience in connected with G-d in the world to come (Michtav MiEliyahu I, p 4-5).
The resultant state of dveykus is brought out by a lifetime of mitzvah performance. The greatest reward imaginable that is a spiritual, eternal one that will to be fully felt in the world to come. Importantly, the spiritual world to come is exclusively determined by whatever man makes of himself and his achievements in this physical world.
What the Jew does here comes to define his reward there. Obviously, it is imperative that man chase after mitzvah opportunities to constantly develop his closeness with G-d. The relationship successfully forged, after all, is his ultimate and eternal reward.
So while I do not support 'Women of the Wall' and their obvious connections with Jew haters, and anti-Judaic organizations, and I stand opposed at every opportunity against their designs... My point is that there are non-lesbian, righteous women who do desire to perform the mitzvahs men do... These women I respect.
Topic: What if "Women in Tefillin" catches on? (Read 24756 times)