A thorough conversation about women’s roles, the beauty and significance of Jewish law, and the lived experience of women’s Judaism.

This episode is dedicated by Schwartzie’s daughters in honor of the 8th yartzeit of their father, Shlomo Yitzchak Ben Moshe, aka Schwartzie. Do a mitzvah in his honor.

Today’s episode explores questions like:

What is the ideal definition of a Jewish woman’s role within Judaism?

Do we have an impossible vision of what a Jewish woman is?

Should we meet women's desires for more spiritual engagement with suspicion?

Do women belong in shul?

What does it mean for the Jewish woman to be the heart of the home?

Has Laurie ever struggled with Jewish womanhood?

What is the halachic significance of women’s mitzvot?

Laurie Novick is the Director and Head Writer of Deracheha, a comprehensive resource for women and mitzvot. She has worked as a Yoetzet Halacha since Fall 5763 and teaches at Migdal Oz. Laurie is also a Yoetzet Halacha Fertility Counsellor, a member of a pilot cohort of Yoatzot Halacha who have received advanced training in fertility issues and Halacha and taught for many years at Nishmat. She has degrees in Bible, Jewish Education, and Talmud and has also done graduate work in Counseling.

Contact Laurie here: [email protected]

Link to Deracheha here: deracheha.org

Link to the piece that includes discussion of Rebbitzen Bayla Falkhttps://www.deracheha.org/concepts-introduction/

Episode Partners:

TOVEEDO: An online children's streaming subscription featuring exclusive Jewish content created and sourced by Toveedo. Use code HH10 for 10% off at Toveedo.com.

ZELDA HAIR: A wig company that champions the holistic process of hair covering for Jewish women. Shop Zelda Hair at zeldahairshop.com and discover the heart behind the brand on Instagram @zeldahair.

Email us at [email protected]

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:00:30 Toveedo Sponsorship

00:01:00 Zelda Hair Sponsorship

00:01:28 Host’s Introduction

00:03:00 Welcome Laurie Novick

00:05:25 Developing a Personal Interest In Women and Halacha

00:07:30 Every Jewish Woman Deserves Access to Sources On This Topic

00:10:00 Does Exploration of this Topic Have to be Motivated by Discontent?

00:12:24 All Topics of Torah Are Interconnected

00:13:00 We Used to Learn About Jewish Womanhood From Our Mothers

00:17:00 The Lived Experience of Judaism Begins in the Home

00:19:20 Deepening Our Experience of Judaism Through Study

00:20:00 How Would You Define a Woman’s Role?

00:23:40 Do We Have an Impossible Vision of what a Jewish Woman is?

00:28:00 Honing in On Your Personal Values

00:29:45 Is The Woman the Heart of the Home?

00:34:38 Honing in On What Each Holiday Means to You

00:36:48 When Your Spiritual Yearnings as a Woman Are Met With Suspicion

00:40:00 Trusting Your Desire To Do Mitzvos

00:42:38 Eating In The Sukkah as a Woman

00:43:30 How to Channel Your Desire To Be More Engaged

00:46:00 The Halachic Significance of Women’s Mitzvos

00:47:27 This Is Not a Problem, It Is An Opportunity

00:47:55 Women’s Relationship to Shul & Torah Reading

00:51:00 There Are Many Women Within Each of Us

00:52:50 Shutting Down Our Channels of Connection

00:54:15 Is This for the Sake of Heaven?

01:01:16 What Is Halacha?

1:05:29 Jewish Law is Responsive to Life’s Nuances

1:07:30 Why Learning the Backstory to Halacha is Important

1:10:40 The Variety of Halachic Opinions

1:12:36 The Lived Experience of Jewish Law

1:17:00 The Significance of Learning Halacha From a Woman’s Perspective

1:20:23 Women’s Halachic Obligations Reveal the Fundamental Definition of Mitzvos

1:22:00 Women Should Not Be a Footnote

1:25:22 Has Laurie Ever Struggled with What It Means to be a Jewish Woman?

1:27:50 Questions Are a Healthy Part of Our Spiritual Paths

1:28:22 Making Simchas Torah More Woman Friendly

1:31:00 What Has Torah Study Given Laurie As a Person?

1:31:31 Jewish Role Models

1:33:20 What Does It Mean to be a Jewish Woman?