Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 5/7/2010

Question
QUESTION: While I am conservadox.....my own variation that makes me comfortable in a mixed seating, women having aliyas environment....I an personally not willing to wear a talis or a kippah of any sorts......not any more than I would wear a sheital.

Has JTS, or United Synagogue or some like organization created a new ritual that demands a Bat Mitzvah girl wear a talis and kipah????

In Conservative Judaism, has it been unanimously adopted that a woman MUST cover her head if she goes on the Bima???  And if so - why???

Also, since traditionally, a talis was for the men, and I understand that some women are comfortable wearing a talis... has a new policy been established that demands a woman wear a talis if she is leading the service?  

I understand that the "rules" were originally intended, even if not exclusively for the men (as in Rashis daughters'), but in your opinion, does that automatically mean that women MUST conform to those rules??  

Thank you for your help!

ANSWER: Dear Laurie,

Thanks for writing. My own opinions would be but my opinions. The Rabbi of your congregation is your final authority.

I would urge you to meet with your Rabbi and study the responsa regarding the role of women in tefillah - shaliach tzibbur, aliyah, on the bimah, etc. - and the obligations or the options for a woman.

Many of these responsa are available on the website of the Rabbinical Assembly, and they are available in print - hopefully all of them in your congregational library.

In my own congregations, I permitted women to be on the bimah with a covered head - very traditional for married women; girls in classes studying sacred texts or eating were asked to wear a kipah but if they chose not to, no one forced the issue; for an aliyah we encouraged girls/women to wear a tallit, but respected those who could not or would not; for a shaliach tzibbur we generally by default asked women who did wear a tallit to lead just as on a weekday we would not ask a man not wearing tefillen to lead the minyan or service. OK?

Best wishes

Rabbi Dov

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I truly appreciated your response.  It was quite helpful.  But, just one further query.  According to your statement, and I quote,"  women who did wear a tallit to lead just as on a weekday we would not ask a man not wearing tefillen to lead the minyan or service",     during a weekday minyan, if a man was not wearing a talis...could/should he lead the service???

Answer
Dear Laurie,

Glad I could help.

No, with tallit and tefillen I would not allow someone to lead services. The principle is that if one is obligated then and only then cold they facilitate the fulfillment of the mitzvah for others. That was and is for some the major issue for women as they are historically similarly commanded as men.

Tallit and tefillen for men. But as it is essentially a legislative = takkanah that women may or even should wear tallit for leading tefilah on Shabbat, tallit and tefillen on weekday, then that was the path I chose as I fully support an egalitarian approach to modern Jewish ritual and study.

Best wishes  Shabbat shalom

Rabbi Dov