Women and Korbanos
Parsha Pages | March 18, 2024
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Women and Korbanos

Parsha Pages | June 27, 2025

ויקרא פרק א, ב דַבֵר אֶׁל-בְנֵי יִשְרָאֵל וְאָמַרְ תָ אֲלֵהֶׁם אָדָם כִי-יַקְרִ יב מִכֶׁם קָרְ בָן
קידושין דף לו/א סמיכות דכתיב דבר אל בני ישראל וסמך בני ישראל סומכים ואין בנות ישראל סומכות:

Since women can bring korbanos, the law must be that they are not forbidden, but just are not obligated to lean their hands on their korban.

The Gemara in this place learns that women are excluded from the actions involving the avodah from the words בני אהרן. Tosfos asks why did we need these words to exempt women, since korbanos must be brought in the daytime, and thus they are time-bound and the general rule (that women are exempt from positive time-bound Mitzvos) would exempt women.

Rabbi Epstein asks that the Torah already included women in the concept to bring Korbanos. Thus, women are included in all the details (unless a specific verse specifies otherwise). And the general exemption of time-bound Mitzvos would not apply to these set of laws (similarly it does not apply to the mitzvah of eating Matzah on Pesach night).

The main rule is that women are obligated in korbanos just like men (as mentioned in Rambam and from the source in Toras Cohanim).

ויקרא פרק א, ב דַבֵר אֶׁל-בְנֵי יִשְרָאֵל וְאָמַרְ תָ אֲלֵהֶׁם אָדָם כִי-יַקְרִ יב מִכֶׁם קָרְ בָן
קידושין דף לו/א סמיכות דכתיב דבר אל בני ישראל וסמך בני ישראל סומכים ואין בנות ישראל סומכות:

Since women can bring korbanos, the law must be that they are not forbidden, but just are not obligated to lean their hands on their korban.

The Gemara in this place learns that women are excluded from the actions involving the avodah from the words בני אהרן. Tosfos asks why did we need these words to exempt women, since korbanos must be brought in the daytime, and thus they are time-bound and the general rule (that women are exempt from positive time-bound Mitzvos) would exempt women.

Rabbi Epstein asks that the Torah already included women in the concept to bring Korbanos. Thus, women are included in all the details (unless a specific verse specifies otherwise). And the general exemption of time-bound Mitzvos would not apply to these set of laws (similarly it does not apply to the mitzvah of eating Matzah on Pesach night).

The main rule is that women are obligated in korbanos just like men (as mentioned in Rambam and from the source in Toras Cohanim).

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