1

In a shul with which I am familiar, the established custom has long been that the Rabbi gives a d'var torah before Shabbat Musaf. On the rare occasions when the Rabbi is out of town, he will invite a congregant or a visiting scholar to give a d'var torah in his stead. If the invited speaker is a man, he speaks at the usual point in the service (before Musaf). However, if the invited speaker is a woman, she instead speaks at the end of Musaf, right before Adon Olam.

Based on this established practice, I infer that there are some halachic issues with having a woman speak to the congregation specifically at that point in the service -- issues that are obviated by having her speak after the service is over. What might those issues be?

throwaway-account
  • 41
  • 3
  • 4
    I would think its more that women don't generally speak in shul, so it makes it less weird if its after davening. – Kovy Jacob Apr 19 '22 at 02:33
  • @KovyJacob I guess the question is whether the general rule that women don't speak in shul is primarily a halachic matter or a socio-cultural norm. Does this just come down to a matter of kol isha? But if so, why would it be okay after davening? Where does "less weird" fit in the spectrum between assur and patur? – throwaway-account Apr 19 '22 at 15:51

1 Answers1

1

Since we are presumably not dealing with a question that will have a biblical/talmudical/halachik source, I would offer that it allows one who does not agree with having a woman speak before a congregation in a synagogue to leave without having to forsake davening mussaf with the minyan. Kinda the inverse of why some rabbis intentionally speak before mussaf so as to keep the congregants "captive audience" as otherwise if they would speak before adon olam I suspect that the population would greatly decrease in short time due to the fact that the service is mostly over and they are not missing too much of it vs. the idea of having to listen to unsolicited words prior to eating any food yet. (Of course a pending kiddush will usually cause a almost full reversal in the lost attendance caused by the rabbi speaking)

Apex N-u-b
  • 187
  • 3