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Family Mitzvot

Search for the Halakhic Source

The Talmud seeks the biblical source for the fact that women themselves are not obligated to study Torah.

The above explanation established a principle according to which the obligation to teach is derived from the obligation to study: “Anyone who is commanded to study is commanded to teach,” based upon which it exempted women. But how it is known that women are not obligated to study Torah? And she, women, from where do we derive that she is not obligated to teach herself Torah? The Gemara answers: As it is written: “You shall teach them to your sons” (Deuteronomy 11:19), and it is written: “And you shall learn them, and you shall take care to perform them” (Deuteronomy 5:1). This indicates a logical connection that can be formulated: Anyone whom others are commanded to teach is commanded to teach himself, and anyone whom others are not commanded to teach is not commanded to teach himself.