Yentl and the Progress

B"H

Who doesn't remember the movie "Yentl" with Barbara Streisand ? The young Jewish woman Yentl goes to a marketplace of her small chassidic town and and finds a stand where books are being sold. Instead of looking through cooking books or other books concerning womens' issues, she looks through books about Talmudic studies. The owner of the stand runs up to her and sends her to the side with the cooking books.

This situation took place about a hundred years ago but it wasn't unusual at all to find this anywhere in the haredi world until a few years ago. Suddenly many things have changed and more and more Jewish religious (national religious and haredi) are participating in classes for higher Jewish studies. If it is Talmud, Jewish philosophy or even Kabbalah, women are everywhere nowadays. At least in Jerusalem.

The last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shneerson, was almost the only chassidic Rebbe emphasizing Talmud studies for women. The Chassidut Breslov claims to be quite open but doesn't offer too many Talmudic studies for women but rather specialize in kabbalistic studies. Or, at least, teach women the stories of Rabbi Nachman on a very high level. But not only Chabad and Breslov seem to catch up, also the litvshe movement is very active. Women Yeshivot like Nishmat or Shearim teach lots of Gemara and offer Chavruta.

I don't really know the historical background when the Jewish mens' world got the idea that a woman should study less and if they do, then only some easier Torah concepts. A little Rashi here, some Tehillim there. Enough.

But when you look back into Jewish history you will find many important Torah educated women. Just look at our foremothers Sarah, Rivka (Rebbeka), Leah and Rachel. They were even on a level of a prophet.

Yael, Deborah and Hulda from the time of the Kings followed suit. Not to forget the daughter of the Talmudic Rabbi Me'ir: Beruriah. And last but not least, Rashi's daughter or Adel (Udel), the daughter of the Baal Shem Tov. Not the son of the Baal Shem Tov, Zvi, took over his father's position. It was Adel who was the intelligent one in the family and later gave birth to intellectual children who became well – known Chassidim.

Today there are countless courses for women. There is hardly a subject one cannot learn about. Many women even founded their own institutions and started teaching. With success, as there is a high demand.

Slowly, slowly, even the chassidic society is undergoing some changes. Chabad and Breslov are only the beginning. However, for the women from Vishnitz, Satmar, Belz, Toldot Aharon, this doesn't really apply so far. The men's world would not allow them higher Jewish studies, and I could list many reasons for this.
Let's look at it from the women's side: Too many men are afraid that a woman might get "too" educated and eventually knows more than her husband. What if it turns out that the husband is not the great Torah scholar he always claimed to be ? Should he get mad and be ashamed of himself ?

I think that the wife might take it much easier than her Macho husband. Especially the Mea Shearim Edah HaCharedit could be worried about women studying higher issues. Doesn't this automatically lead to rebellion ?
These are thoughts only a man can think of. Eventually all chassidic will change a bit, as women will not always keep quiet. And by the way, many men even prefer an educated women.

If a group like Toldot Aharon would announce today that courses for higher Jewish learning are available, do you know how many of their women would run and participate in such classes ? The room would be packed.

Let's bet.