Rav Dov Lior, while publicizing words of support for Rav Levanon's position against women taking public roles of leadership (at least on a frum yishuv such as Alon Shvut), has expanded the relevance of the discussion and has added his thoughts on women in the workplace in general.
Rav Lior added that women should be ideally staying home and taking care of the house and raising the children. That alone is a 24 hour a day job, and having that as one's focus is nothing to be ashamed of. If it is necessary, for parnassah purposes, there are hetterim for the woman to go out and work, but it is not preferred. As a matter of fact, Rav Lior says, the increasing levels of violence among the youth is because of the mothers lack of focus in the direction of the house and family and more to the outside, the workforce.
Rav Lior stresses this has nothing to do with berating a womans abilities. The woman is fully capable of any job, at least I understand that he believes this from what he says, but her focus is meant to be inwards, to the family, rather than outwards towards the external forces.
The only surprise, to me at least, in this recent discussion, is that these leaders, these rabbonim, are leaders of a community that prides itself on the women being so much more progressive and involved in leadership in every way, and now suddenly they, the rabbonim leading this community (not all of them perhaps but these are among the top level rabbonim of the Dati Leumi community, are speaking out about how this is not the way it is meant to be.
The only surprise... is that these... rabbonim, are leaders of a community that prides itself on the women being so much more progressive and involved in leadership in every way, and now suddenly they... are speaking out about how this is not the way it is meant to be.
ReplyDeleteMaybe nobody bothered to ask them in the first place if women should be involved in leadership in every way.
(R not G)
ReplyDeleteTwo points:
1. I don't know if this is what you are hinting at - is there therefore a heter for women to be involved in political activism and demonstrations?
2. Chldren need involved fathers as well and fathers who spend all their time out of the house also contribute to juvenile delinquency. To say otherwise denigrates men (not just the women who are being told to stay at home while the men go do "important" things).
these two rabbonim are by no means progressive (zionist -yes, progressive -no, liberal-no), and their communities aren't all that progressive either.
ReplyDeletethere is certainly plenty of halachic and talmudic basis for what they are saying, however it is possible to argue.
I don't think that rabbonim are the only ones saying that it is beneficial to have a parent (preferably a mother) home with her children and focused on them. That is R. Lior's focus.
Unfortunately, it is not always feasible due to the economic reality of today and today's standard of living.
R. Levanon is focused primarily on other issues i.e. serara, and tzniut.
Although, the factor of the traditional family structure also plays a role more in terms of relationship between husband and wife (in what he quotes from R. Kook.)
http://seforim.blogspot.com/2010/05/woman-place-is-in-home_1330.html
ReplyDelete1) You mean Elon Moreh not Alon Shvut.
ReplyDelete2) There is a difference between Modern Orthodoxy and Religious Zionism. While many Religious Zionists are modern Orthodox there are others who are not. Just like you have plenty of modern Orthodox who aren't so Zionistic. There are many Religious Zionists, who don't have TVs do not bring secular newspapers in their home and have separate seating at their smachot. Rav Aviner from Beit El is known to ban pictures of women (even if they are tzanuah)from the local newspaper.
Now that I think of it, my above point (1) about your mistake in yishuvim may reflect these different type of Religious Zionists.
This is the CH ח in Charda"l חרד"ל.
ReplyDeleteMake no mistake about it!
Rafi G - and now suddenly they, the rabbonim leading this community (not all of them perhaps but these are among the top level rabbonim of the Dati Leumi community, are speaking out about how this is not the way it is meant to be.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they "suddenly" realized that the children of their followers are more and more being attracted to the Charedi way of life, and if they remain traditionally Dati Leumi with full participation of women, they will lose their flock?
Mark