2 Quick Thoughts

Ok, two quick thoughts:

1. I recently had a conversation about elbow-length with a Jewish communal leader/educator. She confessed that she does not think women are halachikly obligated to wear elbow-length, but does so in order to gain the communal respect she needs in order to be a succesful Jewish educator in the Modern Orthodox world. On the one hand, I admire her dedication. On the other, the more women wear elbow-length despite not believing in it, because they view it as a social prerequisite to being an MO female Jewish educator, the more it becomes a social prerequisite: It enforces the idea that modesty is elbow-length, and that elbow-length is the true halachik requirement - after all, why else would it be that no MO Jewish educator ladies are wearing short sleeves? If at least there were a public acknowledgment: We as women do not view this as a halachik requirement, but dress this way anyway, because we respect the social customs of our community even if they are not halachik requirements, or because we give in in this one area, in order to engage in our work of Torah teaching, I would be fine with it. But since people often assume that Jewish layleaders dress in accordance with what they view as halacha, and since no such announcement accompanies these women's attire, people simply assume "If the lady who gave a shiur wears elbow-length, it must be required." I think sometimes the obligation to live the Torah, in order to teach the Torah, means living kulahs, in order to teach people kulahs, therefore making it easier for them to follow the Torah. If you don't show people ways to make things easier within the law, they will simply circumvent the law.

2. I got to say a pasuk from "Ata Horaita" at the Carlebach shul on the Upper West Side of Manhattan over Simchat Torah. The minute I performed a public ritual, I immediately felt more of a part of the community. I felt more of a responsibility to stay and to be invovled in the service. This just reinforces my belief: If davening were more inclusive of women, more women would come. So saying "We'll make it more inclusive when more women come", is really no more than a faux-halachik way of ignoring the ritualistic needs of women in community contexts.