Nidah Laws
ווֶסֶת
Modestly
Dressed
Gender Issues for
Yemenite Women
Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women's Studies & Gender Issues
Aharon Gimani - Marriage and Divorce Customs in Yemen and Eretz Israel - Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women's Studies & Gender Issues 11:1 Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women's Studies & Gender Issues 11.1 (2006) 43-83 Marriage and Divorce Customs in Yemen and Eretz Israel Aharon Gaimani Abstract Until the Yemenites' mass immigration to Israel in the years before and immediately after the establishment of the State, Yemenite Jewry preserved several marriage and divorce customs based on the rulings of the Talmud and of Maimonides that had been abandoned by other Jewish communities. These customs included the marriage of minor girls, levirate marriage (yibum), polygamy, divorce against the wife's will, and compelling a husband to divorce a wife who could not bear to live with him. Economic and social factors also influenced marriage practices in Yemen. Thus, underage girls were often betrothed in order to ensure them a good match, or, if they were orphans, to save them from forced conversion to Islam. Similar factors contributed to polygamy, which was less prevalent in Yemen than is commonly thought. Yemenite scholars were flexible in their rulings regarding yibum and considerate of the interests of the childless widow (yevamah). In Israel, most of these customs have disappeared because of the different social conditions prevailing there and the ordinances of the Chief Rabbinate, which forbid the betrothal of girls under the age of 16 and enforce the "ban...
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Background picture on loan from Shlomo and Orit Kirschner
“בת מלך” – “Daughter of the King” (Chapter Nun, section Zion)
יז
“בת מלך” – “Daughter of the King” (Chapter Nun, section Zion) - ROUGH TRANSLATION
יז -A married women is liable in Torah law to cover her head, and it is forbidden to leave to the streets with hair exposed.
יח- A wig is not from the traditions of our modest mothers, and (we) do not obey this inferior minhog that is only here in our land. Therefore (for this reason) a women must cover her head with a Mitpahhta (kerchief) according to law. Although there are a few religious opinions that are lenient with going with a wig, in any event they also are not permitted (through a leniency) -- only simple sidecurl (wigs), according to (those that are) customary (acceptable) in (the) times. But sidecurls that are with great (much) expertise are not to be viewed at all if this is a wig, or if the hair is natural, all the more so side curls (wigs) that are made with promiscuity and licentiousness, like in our times, they are presumable not permitted (under heter) to go out into a public place. For this reason a women that fears G-D in front of her eyes (appearance), will not try to go after the leniencies, however (she will) return to the sources (of Torah Law) and go in a truthful holy way and cover her head according to law. And this is one of the trying difficulties of our generation, and a women that fears G-D is to be praised.
יט- The bride is required to cover the head from the time of Yihhud forward, as a law (for) all married women. And because it is hard to do this from this time, and that being the case… she is covering her head before the Hhupa. And it is forbidden to be transparent.
כ- Although under the law it is not forbidden for a married women to go with an uncovered head in her house alone, nevertheless it is appropriate for a modest women to be with a head covering also (while) in her house, and this is the tradition.
NURSING:
כא- A nursing women with a child, we do not nurse except in modesty, and she covers her breast with a Kerchief at the time of nursing.
BICYCLES
כב- This is not the way of a modest women to ride on bicycles, and more during times of a (bike) trip exposing places that need to be covered on her body. And this thing is also for a daughter that reaches the age of education at six years old.
WASHING IN THE SEA
כג- It is totally forbidden to wash in a sea that is mixed –that does not have a separation between men and women, and even for someone healing.
כד-It is not for a women to bring her child (if a boy after three years old) to a beach separate for women. But with a girl until five years old or six with a father, there is a leniency (that) permits it.
כה It is forbidden for women to wash in a sea that is separated (for men and women) when she is exposing flesh (skin) and there is there a lifeguard.
כו --OBSERVING A WOMEN WITH CLOTHING
Regarding the subject of the discussion with women, we are not intending make fun of a supervisor (authority), it is permitted to observe (stare) at. And so one needs to observe (stare) at that thing that is close or far., these are a women close (leaning) to a passionate thing, it is permitted to observe there, because there is no intention to observe this.
כז --It is forbidden to stare (observe) at a picture or drawing of a women, in detail with the multi-colored picture. And there are permitted if we are not selling and thus a drawing is fabricated.
כח –It is permitted for a women to look into an unmarried (or empty) if she is pleasant looking so that she is not his friend, and thus dwelling
SKIPPING TO SECTION ON…
מד Forbidden Enlistment
It is forbidden for daughters of Israel to volunteer for military service, and also to serve nationally is forbidden, and all belonging (respect of) a daughter of the King inside.
מה Little Girls
Also with little girls the laws of Sniuth apply, and thus one needs to be precise with our daughters and she will be dressed in clothing that is modest like a ruling of greatness. And an adult is considered at age six.
מו Our tradition is not bring young girls to a Bet Knesset even when dressed modestly, and only in Simhhat Torah there is a little tradition to be lenient for daughters until the age of six.
UNMARRIED & DUNKING IN MIQWA
מז There is no leniency for an unmarried women in this time to dunk in a Miqwah, in order not to belittle /lesson in a going away from placed in a strict prohibition of Nidah., and failing in a sin of nida has mercy and peace.
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It is strictly forbidden to place obstacles before the pregnant.
BABYSITTING: It is forbidden for a women /wife or a child that is 12 years or older to watch over a child that is between nine years and older unaccompanied. And if there are children there, it is allowed. And specifically if there are 5-9 children for a girl or 9-13 for a boy.