Women in halakha and their legal status

Rabbinic law (halakha) defines a specific legal status for women, which differs from that of men in matters of testimony, inheritance, vows, ritual obligations, and marriage. Grounded in the Mishna, the Talmud, and their codifiers, this status combines exemptions, protections, and restrictions, often justified by distinctions of social and religious roles. Over the centuries, responsa literature shows that these norms were constantly interpreted and negotiated in light of the economic and family realities of different communities. Questions such as that of the woman whose husband has disappeared (agunah) or the patrimonial rights guaranteed by the ketubbah illustrate the tensions within the system. In the contemporary era, this status is the subject of intense debate across all currents of Judaism.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan
• Sefaria ↗