A Yoetzet Halacha, or female halacha advisor, is a well-trained woman who provides religious and halachic guidance to other woman, often about Niddah issues. Well-trained women make some people nervous. And even though the YH never operates absent a Rabbi's supervisions, some male members of the Jewish clergy are anxious about having someone cutting in on their turf. For an example of what happens next, let's join Yaakov Feitman's attempt to discredit the female upstarts, already in progress:

The gestalt of Torah is as much part and parcel of Mattan Torah as its substance. Gedolei Yisrael through the ages were moser nefesh for the form as much as for the substance. The institution of a chavrusah, learning at a shtender, the format of a shiur are all time-honored and hallowed.

Which is why those Jews who learn alone, or at tables, never amount to anything.

An assault upon the process has always been treated as seriously as an attack upon the Torah itself. For instance, the Netziv closed the great Yeshiva of Volozhin rather than introduce government-mandated innovations.

Entirely false. The yeshiva was closed not because the government asked for changes in the way Torah was taught, but because the government wanted to impose a general studies cirriculum that would have left very little time for Torah. The government asked for no changes in the Torah teaching process.

Torah giants insisted on the tzuras ha’daf—the exact printed format of a page of the Talmud and myriad details of the transmission of Torah from a rebbi to a disciple.

Our current tzuras ha’daf was created by Daniel Bomberg, a non Jew, in the 16th century. Its true, that some 20th century Rabbis objected strongly when other 20th century Rabbis suggesting updating the format, but its absurd to say that Bomberg's early-modern innovation is something essential to the study of Torah.

The relationship between a rav and those who ask a she’eilah has remained a fundamental component of the “Torah from Sinai” continuum for over three millennia. Each person develops a bond with his or her poseik. Over the years,
innumerable often subtle details contribute to the total picture presented to a poseik, especially in this most personal area of life. The interposition of a new “expert” into this equation undercuts the time-honored process developed by
the Torah ever since Dovid haMelech

That's right! No new experts! Now hold on to that thought, because Feitman's about to contradict it.

All in all, Jewish tradition has provided K’lal Yisrael with a wonderful
process for resolving all issues. We would do well to take advantage of it.
Nothing is broken and no fixing is necessary.

I agree "nothing is broken" but the current system has two flaws. (1) Depsite everything you've said about history, there are still women who are shy and


1. Why bother? The yoetzet halacha serves two needs. First, many woman don't she answers question.


The Yoetzat Halacha is a well-trained woman, .


I like bad historical arguments as much as the next person, but bad historical arguments that are also self-contradictory are a little hard to take. Consider, for example, this rabbi's attempt to discredit the Yoetzet Halacha, or female halacha advisor.

He begins by saying he objects to allowing well-trained women guide and advisse other women because this is something new under the sun, and therefore impossible. Absurd, but fine. However, by the end of the article he's advising women to go to the rebbetzin instead. Pardon my confusion, but if its ok for a woman to speak to her rebbetzin, what's wrong with going to a yoetzet instead?






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