Have you ever noticed how Jewish women never try to take on the mitzvah of a beard?
Despite the powerful segulot of an untrimmed in beard described in Torah literature, women do nothing to try to grow a beard. They do nothing to even sport a fake beard.
In fact, many women invest money and time in efforts to eradicate any facial hair!
Furthermore, when perusing literature that glorifies a Jewish beard, you never hear a peep from women, like the following:
In fact, I don't see that women focus on the beard issue at all or wrangle with it in any way.
What woman discusses her struggles to accept her beardless self the way it is or to internalize that a smooth-skinned face is a desirable part of sheh asani k'rtzono - that her lack of hairy jaw is simply Hashem's Will in His creation of women?
I've never a seen a woman give a class on how covering her hair or raising children or getting ready for Shabbat is on par with growing a beard.
Women don't seem to dwell on the whole beard issue at all; they just go on with their lives and their avodah.
Despite the powerful segulot of an untrimmed in beard described in Torah literature, women do nothing to try to grow a beard. They do nothing to even sport a fake beard.
In fact, many women invest money and time in efforts to eradicate any facial hair!
Furthermore, when perusing literature that glorifies a Jewish beard, you never hear a peep from women, like the following:
- "But what about us? Don't we matter?"
- "If Judaism prizes a bushy bristly face over a smooth-skinned one, then that innately discriminates against women."
- "As a woman, what can I do to compensate for a lack of beard? What are MY mitzvot?"
- "I feel bad every time I come across yet another Chazal praising the deep kabbalistic importance of growing a beard. It makes me feel like I'm worth less than a man."
- "In Judaism, the beard symbolizes the 13 Attributes of Mercy. Also, I read a Chabad article that emphasized how the beard represents the flow of ideals and philosophies of our minds to our everyday lifestyle. As a woman, how can I access all this too?"
In fact, I don't see that women focus on the beard issue at all or wrangle with it in any way.
What woman discusses her struggles to accept her beardless self the way it is or to internalize that a smooth-skinned face is a desirable part of sheh asani k'rtzono - that her lack of hairy jaw is simply Hashem's Will in His creation of women?
I've never a seen a woman give a class on how covering her hair or raising children or getting ready for Shabbat is on par with growing a beard.
Women don't seem to dwell on the whole beard issue at all; they just go on with their lives and their avodah.
Other Mitzvot Ignored by Women
It's also interesting to note that women don't fight for the right to have payos (a Torah commandment). In fact, when some married women try to make arguments for not covering their hair, they never bring up the issue of displaying payos. Everyone just seems to accept the fact that the mitzvah of payos is for men.
Nor is there any feminist movement for brit milah, despite the incredible benefits (both medical and spiritual) Jewish men received from this mitzvah.
(And don't say it's because women lack the necessary appendage; both the Yishmaelite and African cultures found a way around that obstacle, horrifically enough.)
I'm not trying to make fun of women who struggle with certain attitudes within in Torah Judaism. I struggled with several myself.
And BTW: If you do happen to struggle with your biological inability to grow a beard or fulfill brit milah, then you need to deal with that head-on just as any of us need to deal with any issue that Torah attitudes and Laws bring up within us.
I just thought that the beard attitude might shed some perspective on where women are coming from when a particular halacha or tradition makes them feel excluded or diminished.
It's often worthwhile pondering why you feel one way about one issue, but a totally different way regarding a similar issue.
Nor is there any feminist movement for brit milah, despite the incredible benefits (both medical and spiritual) Jewish men received from this mitzvah.
(And don't say it's because women lack the necessary appendage; both the Yishmaelite and African cultures found a way around that obstacle, horrifically enough.)
I'm not trying to make fun of women who struggle with certain attitudes within in Torah Judaism. I struggled with several myself.
And BTW: If you do happen to struggle with your biological inability to grow a beard or fulfill brit milah, then you need to deal with that head-on just as any of us need to deal with any issue that Torah attitudes and Laws bring up within us.
I just thought that the beard attitude might shed some perspective on where women are coming from when a particular halacha or tradition makes them feel excluded or diminished.
It's often worthwhile pondering why you feel one way about one issue, but a totally different way regarding a similar issue.
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