Orthodox feminists, using historical precedents and the aforementioned liberal legal interpretations, allow the practice of ritual in manners that more traditional or conservative interpretations consider as befitting only to men. Many of the practices of Orthodox feminists are held to be controversial because of their different approach to the everyday routine of most Orthodox Jews. Several specific rituals and practices are of particular concern:
Fighting for Agunot Agunot are women who have asked for a divorce, or who have been left by their husband, and the husband refuses to grant a
get. A
get is a Jewish certificate of divorce required for the woman to be able to remarry. Recalcitrant husbands are pressured by society to grant the
get to the wife, who is stuck in limbo, without a husband and unable to remarry. Orthodox feminists make a priority of fighting on the behalf of
agunot, and the "agunah crisis". Many fight in organizations specifically for this purpose, and some work independently.
Interaction with the Torah Kissing the
Torah scroll with a
siddur (prayer book), hand, or directly with the lips, during
Shabbath,
Yom Tob, services is a convention found in many
Modern Orthodox congregations as well as non-Orthodox ones. While many may take it for granted as an integral part of worship services, it is not practiced in
Haredi and
Chassidic congregations. Dancing with the
Torah and having
hakafoth (processional circuits) around the sanctuary on
Simhath Torath is another way in which many
Orthodox Jews interact with the Torah which is an especially important ritual in feminist circles. These are some reasons why this act has special meaning in Orthodox feminist circles.
Participation in Zimmunim One of the most prevalent, and perhaps least controversial practices of Orthodox feminists, even done by some women outside of the movement, is the participation in a women's . The women's takes place when less than three men have eaten together, but where three or more women have eaten together. A is a formal call to prayer said before the communal recitation of
Birkath Hamazon. One formula for the women's is exactly the same formula as the of men, but substituting (Hebrew: friends (f.)) for the word (Hebrew: gentlemen) in the beginning of the invitation, thus feminizing the call.
Use of the Tallit In Orthodox feminism, the donning of a
tallit (prayer shawl) is not seen as the wearing of a man's garment, neither is it seen as an affront to the community. These reasons make the wearing of prayer shawls by women common in Orthodox feminist circles.
Use of Tefillin prays while wearing
tallit and
tefillin Citing Talmudic and later sources, Orthodox feminists allow the laying of by women. Traditionally in Orthodox Judaism women are considered to be exempt from all positive time-bound mitzvot, such as wrapping . The medieval halachic work Orach Chayyim precludes women who wish to wear from doing so. In ancient times, this was not the case. There are several instances of women who allegedly wore . According to
Talmud Yerushalmi Berachot 2:3:9 "Michal the daughter of the Cushite [Saul] wore and the sages did not protest" — although in the same tractate Rabbi Hezekiah concludes that the sages indeed did prohibit the wearing of phylacteries from Michal. The Mishnah tractate entitled Nashim (
"women" or
"wives"), which mainly deals with matters relating to domestic life and marriage is one of the most comprehensive dealing with the legal aspects of the role of women in Judaism. Medieval Ashkenazi communities represented a high point in women’s voluntary participation in Judaism, even in aspects supposedly forbidden to them by Talmudic law. Women of Northern France were known to put on to pray. In addition to , women were documented as being counted in prayer quorums, and serving as a at circumcision feasts. However, the political and economic situation of European Jewry gradually worsened beginning in the 13th century. In response, communities reverted to more traditional practices, and most of the gains Jewish women had achieved were put to a stop. ==Activities==