There are a few actions from which women are prohibited or obligated in Jewish law, but for the most part the legal discourse focuses only on men. Often, women are not a part of the conversation at all, which leaves our participation and leadership in a kind of legal limbo state, neither obligated nor prohibited. The status of women’s prayer, then, begs the question: If something is neither obligatory nor expressly prohibited, is it allowed?

In the case of prayer, women are both allowed and encouraged to pray. But why aren’t we obligated? One common answer is that prayer is tied to specific times of day and women, who often bear the brunt of childcare and household responsibilities, may not be able to meet the demands of a strict prayer schedule. Another tradition says that women have a natural connection to prayer and spirituality and thus don’t need to be reminded to pray or required to meet a schedule. How do your responsibilities and daily schedule affect your sense of the sacred? Do you feel gender plays a role in your personal spirituality?

But what about prayer leadership? Some people feel that a leader ought to be someone who’s obligated to pray, if they are leading others who are obligated. According to this view, women should not lead prayers if there are men in the congregation. Others feel that a leader should have extensive religious training, so women can lead rituals, but only those about which they have been well-educated. And still others feel that anyone whose heart moves them should be able to lead, regardless of training or gender. What does prayer mean to you? What does leadership mean to you? How might these definitions influence who you would want to lead you in important and sacred activities?

In the world of Progressive Judaism, women’s leadership has become common. But although most Orthodox movements don’t openly accept female rabbis, more than 100 have been ordained as either through private training under male rabbis or through institutions such as Yeshivat Maharat. (Maharat is a New York-based institution whose name is an acronym of Manhiga Hilkhatit Rukhanit Toranit, a feminine construction meaning “leader of Jewish law, spirituality and Torah”.) There is also an Orthodox women’s rabbinic training program in Israel, where its graduates are not officially accepted as rabbinic authorities by the state. What does ordination mean in a community without consensus about its validity or acceptance?

Generally speaking, female Orthodox rabbis don’t function the same ways as their progressive counterparts. For example, Orthodox interpretation of halakhah forbids women to make up a minyan, serve on a beit din, or act as a posek (a religious judge) or as a halakhic witness. Therefore, female rabbis within Orthodoxy are typically not able to participate in those particular roles. But advocates point out that there is much more to being a rabbi. Rabba Sara Hurwitz, one of the first Orthodox women to be ordained, famously said: “The rabbi’s job isn’t to make the minyan. It’s to make sure there is a minyan.” What is the role of a rabbi? Do you think leaders’ practices + obligations should match their community’s practices + obligations? Why or why not?

A few ways to use these:

• Have someone read each paragraph aloud, and then discuss as a group.
• Put one paragraph on each table and set aside some time during the meal for participants to discuss.
• Put each paragraph or topic in a different area of the room. Encourage participants to peruse as they come in. Once everyone is gathered, have everyone stand by the topic they want to discuss. (This could be an ice breaker, a way to mix up groups for tables, or an after-dinner activity.)