From the Rav’s Desk: Are women obligated to hear Parshas Parah?

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  1. Question: [Thursday, 16th Adar, 5783]

Are women obligated to hear Parshas Parah?

Answer:

No.  However, some are stringent to hear it.

Explanation: The Poskim who discuss whether women are obligated in hearing Parshas Zachar make no mention of Parshas Parah, hence implying that they are not obligated, and that it has the same status as any other Parsha, which women are not accustomed to be stringent in. Several reasons can be suggested for why women are exempt: 1) The making of the red heifer ash is a community obligation, and is not upon women. 2) It is a time-dependent command which applies before Passover. 3) It is read in order to atone for the sin of the golden calf, which women did not participate in and do not need atonement for. Nonetheless, some are accustomed to be stringent for women to hear Parshas Parah, as women are obligated in the Pesach sacrifice, and hence they too should need to hear this reading. Likewise, some imply from a Sicha of the Rebbe that even women are obligated.

Sources: See Piskeiy Teshuvos 685:6; Nitei Gavriel 22:4 footnote 6; Otzer Minhagei Chabad 240; Sichas Parah 1976; Shut Chayeh Asher 84

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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