(For the riddles, please see back page)
1) A yefas to’ar [woman of beautiful form] must remove the garment she was wearing when captured (21:13). Clothing is one of the examples given by the Torah of a lost object that must be returned to its rightful owner (22:3). A woman cannot wear male apparel, and a man may not wear female garb (22:5). It is forbidden (22:11) to wear clothing that contains shatnez (a combination of wool and linen). We are commanded to place tzitzis on a four-cornered garment (22:12). If a man accuses his wife of infidelity while they were betrothed, her parents refute his allegation, and “the garment shall be spread before the elders of the city,” meaning that the claims must be fully investigated and clarified (Rashi 22:17). The Torah describes the prohibition against having relations with a father’s yevamah (the childless widow of his father’s brother) as uncovering his father’s robe (Rashi 23:1). If a poor borrower needs the collateral he gave for a loan, such as the clothing in which he sleeps, the lender must return it to him at night (24:13). It is forbidden to take the garment of a widow as collateral (24:17). (Parsha Challenge)
2) The Shu”t Avnei Yoshfei (Vol. 6, 118, anaf 2) writes that he heard from an avreich that the opinion of R’ Chaim Kanievsky zt”l is that it’s forbidden for a woman to drive even when in great need due to the prohibition of לא תלבש. The Avnei Yoshfei is very bothered about this pesak, as is it’s clear from many places that regarding these halachos we follow the minhag of the place and it changes in each place. Moreover, the Gaon (siman 182) writes: The minhag of a place is determined based on the conduct of non-Jew’s. Today the reality is that women drive in all western cities, and it’s not considered a man’s role, therefore, he concludes that it’s very clear that there is no issue with women driving.
The Shu”t Shevet HaLevi (4:1) writes: “Concerning the topic of tznius [modesty] regarding the fact that women learn and regularly drive cars. From experience I learned that this is something that is proper to clearly forbid. That is because learning to drive has already caused and continues to cause pritzus [immodesty] and this is diametrically opposite to the Jewish value that the honor of the Jewish woman (princess) is to remain inside (Tehillim 45:14). Similarly, the driving itself is absolutely the opposite of the Jewish value that the honor of the Jewish woman (princess) is to remain inside (Tehillim 45:14). The woman who exposes herself through driving in the market and streets before the eyes of everyone is actively and passively causing others to sin. “And it is not the normal way of a woman to be riding” (Pesachim 3a-b). And even though the reality of a riding on an animal is not totally equivalent to our topic of driving a car – nevertheless it is not the normal way of a woman and the two are similar in many ways that it difficult to explain in writing.
My heart tells me that it is one of the reasons for major accidents which occur on the roads of Israel which claims many victims and has already killed many good and righteous people. This is combined with the sins that are done on the roads which create harmful angels which create a danger on the roads as I have explained elsewhere according to the discussion in Pesachim (112b) concerning the incident of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa and Abaye.”
In a subsequent Teshuvah (7:11) he readdresses the topic, and because the Teshuvah is so important I feel I have to bring some other parts of the Teshuvah as well:
“I received your letter December 4, 1946 which raised the problem of traffic accidents which are increasing due to our sins at present and Heaven forfend that the issue should be passed over in silence but it is necessary to express concern. Furthermore, the Rambam (Hilchos Ta’anis 1:3) says that if a person doesn’t cry out and simply says that the misfortune happened by chance – this is the way of cruelty. Let me comment regarding the issue of repentance and women drivers. I am also concerned with this issue – “The blood of your brother calls out to me from the ground.” In my humble opinion there are many causes for traffic accidents.
1. Sins that are committed on the roads as is known and by means of the cars themselves. They create mazikim [demons] which stand on the roads and make demands and occasionally take innocent souls. And if it were given for the eye to see them no one could endure the demons (Berachos 6a).
2. Female drivers – either because they create spiritual stumbling blocks for themselves or for others or because as is well known that the nature of women is that they can’t control themselves in dangerous and stressful situations and they are involved many times in these accidents.
3. Alternatively, the nature of this nation is to be impulsive and they speed and travel without considering the physical dangers to themselves or the danger to others – as we have witnessed hundreds of times and which is different from the drivers in other countries as is known.
4. And the last and most important point is that which you wrote in your letter. That drivers here don’t show kindness on the roads, and they don’t take hitch hikers into their cars who are hoping for such kindness. And many times, it is a clear that they wouldn't lose anything to show such kindness...
R' Yaakov Skoczylas (Shu”t MeTzion Teitzei Torah pg. 382) brings that he heard from R’ Elyashiv that in places where it is not normal for women to drive, they shouldn’t drive. However, where it’s normal, then there is no problem of לא תלבש.
For another fascinating Teshuvah on the topic, please see Rav Binyomin Zilber’s, Oz Nidberu 13:80 where he writes very clearly that it is mutar. To save controversy, I have held myself back from bringing and translating the Teshuvah, however, I highly recommend checking it up inside and reading it.
3) The Itur Bikkurim asks the question about Tisha B’Av and he answers, the pasuk of שמח את אשתו is talking about during the times of the Beis HaMikdosh, and at that time Tisha B’Av was a happy day, and one was allowed to be with his wife.
The Minchas Elozor (Shu”t 5:20) addresses the question about niddah and he answers that the Baal HaTurim is talking about someone who married a widow who wasפסק לה אורח כנשים, no longer has a niddah cycle. The chiddush is, that even in such a case there is an obligation to make her happy ושמח, 354 days a year. See inside for a number of other answers.
In regard to the question from the chumrah of the Arizal, the Minchos Elozor answers that the Baal HaTurim is only dealing with days that are prohibited on a de’O’rasia level, and that is just Yom Kippur. He adds: The Baal HaTurim is also not worried about kabbolas from the Arizal, as he came first and it was written before the Arizal came around.
