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The Gemara in Kiddushin (34a) asks how the Rabbis know that women
are exempt by Torah law from time-bound positive commandments. The
Gemara answers that the source for this general exemption is the exemption
of women from Torah study. The Torah states: “And you shall teach them to
your sons” (Devarim 11:19), implying that one’s daughters are not included in
this injunction. Chazal extended this exemption to the mitzva of tefillin, and
from there they inferred that the exemption applies to all time-bound positive
commandments. It may be presumed that this derivation reinforces an ancient
tradition that exempted women from these mitzvot (this tradition may have
related to the concept of time-bound positive commandments or to the list of
commandments from which women are exempt in actual practice).
It seems to me that the reason that [women] are exempt is that by their
nature and the essence of their role in life, they are subject to spending
their time running their households and raising and dealing with their
children, and their time is not theirs. (Responsa Mishpetei Uziel, IV,
inyanim kelaliyim 4)
And that which the Torah exempted women from time-bound positive
commandments… for the majority of women in the world are not rich
and they have the responsibility of raising the children, which is the
most important work for the sake of God and the Torah. Similarly, God
implanted in the nature of all the species of animals that the females
should raise their young, and even the human species is not excluded
from this rule, for women are more naturally fit to raise children. So it
was for this reason that the Torah was lenient in exempting them from
the obligation of learning Torah and from time-bound positive
commandments. (Iggerot Moshe, Orach Chayyim, IV, 49)
It seems to us much more likely that the Torah did not impose these
mitzvot on women because it did not consider them necessary to be
demanded from women… The Torah takes it for granted that our
women have greater fervor and more faithful enthusiasm for their
religious calling, and that they are in less danger than men of falling
prey to the temptations that they encounter in the course of their lives.
Accordingly, it was not necessary for the Torah to give women these
repeated reminders to remain true to their calling, and warnings against
moments of weakness, in contrast to men. (Rav S. R. Hirsch, Vayikra
23:43)
Rav Hirsch argues that women do not need the spiritual reminders that
are expressed in time-bound positive commandments. He ascribes this to the
nature and lifestyle of women, which involved (at least in his day) fewer
spiritual tests and dangers. The apologetic tone of this rationalization is
strikingly evident.1
1
Some claim that an allusion to this approach can be found in the words of the midrash: “Why
were women joined to children and slaves with regard to mitzvot? Because they have but one
heart” (Yalkut Shimoni, I Shemuel, no. 75). Rav Ovadya Yosef writes that this is a statement
on the spiritually safe lifestyle of women, similar to Rav Hirsch’s understanding above (Yabi'a
Omer, Orach Chayyim I, no. 40). See, however, Zeit Ra'anan on this midrash, who has an
entirely different interpretation.