The Women�s Tent

By Barbara Sofer
Nov. 1, 2003

A woman’s place is in the tent. At least, that’s what the members of the main synagogue in one of Israel’s most prominent towns have decided. This particular community is renowned for its high educational standards, its religious open mindedness, and creativity. On Simchat Torah, men would get the synagogue. Any uppity Orthodox female who wanted to get close to a Torah scroll could adjourn to a women’s tent. Off-white, not red.

Comes time for the holiday of Simchat Torah each year and Orthodox Jews get in a sweat. It’s that women’s thing again. What are women going to demand this year? Last year, in this same synagogue, several young religious women asked for a Sefer Torah as naturally as they read Rashi and quote Tosfot. A man handed one of the many scrolls across the mechitza.. But when it came time to collect owed synagogue dues, one delinquent member refused to pay up until the synagogue promised to forever ban such shenanigans. The issue of women dancing with a Torah scroll was brought to a vote and passed when only men were present at the board meeting. Notices were posted on the synagogue door: no woman was allowed to dance with her hands touching a Torah scroll. The chairperson, when questioned, explained, “he just wanted to make everyone feel welcome.”

23 member families demanded their dues back, quoting a principle called mekach ta’ut, (not knowing what you’re getting ) often used in divorce hearings. No one had revealed that women had been disenfranchised.

A compromise—allowing women to dance with the Torah in one of the two synagogue minyanim--was suggested but then vetoed. Still attempting to return harmony to the congregation, well-intentioned men on the committee tried unsuccessfully to find a nursery school or kindergarten for the women. Then one of them came up with the idea of a tent. It had such a traditional ring.

Let’s ignore the irregular manner with which this synagogue appears to make decisions. Focus on the real issue-- the objection to women holding and dancing with a Torah scroll. Any Rabbi will tell you that this isn’t a question of violated Halacha. The question of a woman menstruating or being after childbirth isn’t relevant. The Gemera (Berachot 22) concludes that a Torah Scroll can’t become impure, and that ritually impure may read from it. This is the ruling of the Rif, the Rosh, the Shuchan Aruch and the Rama. Nor is there a question of modesty if women are dancing on one side of a proper mechitza.

You might suppose that religious men would be gratified to see their sisters, wives, mothers, daughters, granddaughters and yes—even grandmothers--rejoicing with a Torah Scroll.. Evidently not. The image of a woman holding tight to the Torah is frightening or repellent to the objectors. They fear for power and they speak of slippery slopes. Start with a woman’s fingers reverently reaching for a Torah, and the next thing you know these women will want a hand, a yad Torah pointer, to read what’s inside.

Indeed, in at least three Orthodox synagogues in Jerusalem women routinely get aliyot on Simchat Torah; hundreds of Orthodox women’s Torah readings take place in Israel and the Diaspora.

Here’s a little secret about Simchat Torah: Despite its name, many women aren’t happy on this holiday. When religiously observant women talk among themselves---in contrast to when they feel they have to defend the fort against public attack—they share tips for getting out of attending Simchat Torah services where the day is dominated by men having a good time while women wait. Having sat behind too many mechitzot with women who won’t dance with or without a Torah Scroll, I can assure you that the conversations is hardly lofty.

In contrast, in the three Jerusalem Orthodox synagogues where women play an active role, many hundreds of women attended services and very little chitchat distracted them.

If you’re not used to seeing women with a Sefer Torah, it might indeed take some getting used to. Compare the experience to the first time you walked into a women’s Beit Midrash and observed a whole room of religious young women sitting in pairs studying Talmud. Startling but thrilling.

“ I know you like all these women’s things, but I don’t need it,” a women who chose to sit out said in a not-so-subtle put down of her lively sisters. Are those exuberant women really dancing because they’re angry, because they want to “make a point” or because they’re deficient in feminine ways? I suggest that the ire builds among those who disdain women’s activism. After all, boredom is a key ingredient of anger.

About a dozen girls and women accepted the tent solution. They were awarded a disabled Torah scroll with an outside sash, showing that it had been disqualified for reading. The other women wouldn’t dignify the tent with their presence.

I’m wondering why—to avoid the hint of “back of the bus” condescension—the men didn’t volunteer to vacate the synagogue and dance in the tent themselves.

The community shall go unnamed. It’s no worse than most. It should have been better.

Most Orthodox synagogues are pretty liberal about allowing little girls to join the men. Watch the little girls perched on the Dad or Granddad’s shoulder’, braids flying, singing and dancing around the Torah scroll, dreading the day when they’ll grow up and have to join the women.

Why, men ask, can’t we be more like their grandmothers--those mythically pious women for whom the tearful ballad My Yiddishe Momma was written? Once upon a time, grandmothers weren’t cursed with that Oliver Twist- like blemish of asking for more. Personally, I don’t buy it I’m betting that some of those feisty Grannies would have been as sad and disappointed about the women’s tent as I am. Here's the other.