Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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The Importance of Yoatzot Halacha


JEWISH LINK OF NEW JERSEY

By JLNJ Staff | August 02, 2018

I was gratified to read Rabbi Menachem Genack’s positive review of the book “Nishmat HaBayit: Responsa on Pregnancy, Birth and Family Planning” in your July 26 edition. I too found the work containing contributions from several knowledgeable Yoatzot Halacha to be thorough and well-presented.

I was also glad to see a prominent talmid chacham of Rabbi Genack’s stature unhesitatingly approve of the idea of having qualified women trained to address issues relating to taharat hamishpacha. I see little room for doubt that there are more than a few women who would prefer not to discuss certain private matters in this highly sensitive area with their rabbi, even if they have great respect for him. I therefore think that it is safe to assume that in consequently opting to keep various concerns to themselves, there are some women who make decisions which are either improperly lenient or needlessly stringent from the point of view of halacha as well as those who simply do not deal with underlying problems regarding intimate relationships from a religious perspective.

The presence in the community specifically of women who have been well educated at a high level not only in terms of the technical laws of family purity, but also in terms of related subjects such as marital intimacy and potential challenges associated with it, provides an opportunity for those women who wish to avail themselves of it to receive appropriate guidance in these important realms in an atmosphere in which they are more comfortable conversing about these sensitive, personal topics than they are when in the presence of a man.

The articles in this particular book reflect the general seriousness and the commitment to halachic detail of their authors who clearly have something worthwhile to contribute to our community.

Rabbi Michael Taubes
Teaneck

 


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All health and health-related information contained within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for consulting with your health care professional. The advice is intended to offer a basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider but not individual advice. Although every effort is made to ensure that the material within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is accurate and timely, it is provided for the convenience of the Web site user but should not be considered official. Advice for actual medical practice should be obtained from a licensed health care professional.


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