Gemara intro to women and mitzvot

פטור

exempt

חייב

obligated

נמי

also

לאו

not

נינהו

they are

מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא

positive time bound mitzvot

מצות עשה שלא שהזמן גרמא

positive not time bound mitzvot

אחד…אחד

both this and that

נדר

promise

2 mitzvot that women are exempt from

Kriyat Shema and Tifilin

3 mitzvot that women are obligated in

Shemona Esrei, Mezuza, and Benching

Rashis explanation on why they are exempt

they are both positive time bound mitzvot

got it from Kedushin

Shema because it says in the Torah in the morning and night

Tefilin because night and shabbos are not times for wearing them.

Advantaeg of being exempt

More time for children

Disadvantage fro being exempt

easier to fall off track of relationship with Hashem

Rambams reason for womens exemption

Hashem said to Moshe specific mitzvot that women are exempt from and they happened to all be positive time-bound mitzvot.

Rav Moshe Feinstein opinion for womens exemption

To take care of their children

More fitting for women to stay home and take care of them and men to work

even if society changes and the gender roles switch the halcha and the Torah still stays the same and women are still exempt from positive time bound mitzvot

Rav Shimshon Rephael Hirsch

It’s not necessary for them to say it

Woman and men are equal but have different roles and responsibilities in fulfilling mitzvot.

Women are more faithful in serving Hashem

Rav Yehudas about shofar

they aren’t allowed to listen to shofar

Rashis explanation on Rav Yehudas opinion

They shouldn’t because its Bol Tosif- adding on to the mitzvot

Example: adding a 5 to the 4th minim

discouraged

Tosfot explanation on Rav Yehudas opinion

Normally it’s Asur to to play an instrument on Yom Tov and Shofar is a instrument so for women its asur but its commanded and obligated for men to so its okay for them

discouraged

Raavya opinion if women should volunteer to do mitzvot they aren’t obligated in

You should but you don’t get as much schar as someone who is commanded

encourages

Ran opinion if women should volunteer to do mitzvot they aren’t obligated in

Hashem commanded those mitzvot to those specific people and so they should only be done by those who are commanded

Rabbi Akiva Eiger opinion if women should volunteer to do mitzvot they aren’t obligated in

Woman are eager to do mitzvot and they make it for themselves as if its an obligation

Mishna Brurah/ Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan/ Chafez Chaim opinion if women should volunteer to do mitzvot they aren’t obligated in

if you do it 3 times in a row or you do it once and have in mind you want to do do it every day it becomes a vow/ promise and you have to do it- can’t break a promise

Shulchan Aruch - Rabbi Yosef Karo- if women should make a Bracha when volunteering to do a mitzva

No and men shouldn’t make it for them

Rema - Rabbi Moshe Isserless- if women should make a Bracha when volunteering to do a mitzva

They should