Orthodox Synagogue Hires Female "Rabbanit" in First for Israel

http://forward.com/sisterhood/348239/orthodox-synagogue-hires-female-rabbanit-in-first-for-israel/

I have mixed feelings about this.

I understand this is as an attempt to advance the position of Women in Israel. And that is one of the problems. It is a gesture.

I fear this will come to the same end as the feminist movement and for many of the same reasons.

Women should not be taking places in the world that men have created, according to the rules that men have created and be expected to perform in accordance with the standards of men.

Women should not be measured against male standards of excellence, should not adapt to male standards of moral achievement, should not take on male standards of intellectual achievement and should not see themselves through male eyes.

Doing so has caused us nothing but grief, and, I should say, not a small amount of ignominy, in all of the areas of business, government, military, health, education...in which women tried to perform like men.

It will be worse when Women lower themselves to the standards of the Rabbis.

It is bad enough the Jewish men sully themselves with the Talmud. A woman in this position would have to do so as well. She could not take up this position without having spent many years learning Talmud. The Talmud was devised by men who attempted to arrogate the position of Women in holiness and tried to ceremonially re-enact the Life-giving that only Women can accomplish.

We have to remember Who We Jewish Women really are and ask why it is that the first and last letters of the Name Elohim spell out Em - Mother - not do a parody of OurSelves of a parody of ourselves.