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This series has focused on the connection between the morning blessings
and the individual's daily renewal of spiritual energy and purpose. This installment
discusses the seventeenth blessing. "Baruch
ata …
sh'lo asa li ishah." / sh'asani k'retzono""Blessed
are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
Who has not made me a woman."
/
Who has made me according to His will."
The seventeenth
Blessing is the declaration of thanksgiving to G-d by a man for not having
made him a woman (some women simply omit it*; others have the custom of saying
the blessing sh'asah li k'retzono – "who made me according to his will"
in its place). * The main reason for not saying "who made me
according to his will" is that it is not mentioned in the Talmud as are all the
other Morning Blessings, so consequently does not have the same level of sanctity.
What is its source then? The earliest we have been able to find is the 13th century
authority Abudraham. He, however, refers to the saying of it as an already established
custom. Can any reader shed light on this matter? The basic explanation
of the man's blessing is made clear by considering its place in the order of the
Morning Blessings. As the last of a sub-series of three ("who did not make
me a non-Jew" [#15]; "who did not make me a slave"
[#16]), this one expresses the Jewish male's thanks
for having been commanded more mitzvot than the Jewish women. Today, the phrasing
of this blessing has often been misinterpreted as indicating a negative attitude
towards women. This view, however, contradicts the high status and respect
Judaism accords to women, and the obligation placed upon us men as to how
we should relate to the women in our lives: "A man should love his wife as much
as himself and respect her more than himself" [Yevamot 62b], "Honor your father
and mother," "Fear your mother and father," etc. Nor is it justified to infer
from this blessing that women hold a lower spiritual status in Judaism.
In G-d's eyes, everyone's service is equally important: "I call heaven and earth
to witness that whether... man or woman, manservant or maidservant--only according
to their actions will the spirit of holiness rest upon them" [Yalkut to Judges
4:4]. G-d may have given men more mitzvot as their way of service, but He
gave women other more comprehensive tasks that enable them to realize their full
potential despite having less mitzvot. At ASCENT, when the topic of women in
Judaism has to be addressed, we prefer that it be done by women. For this
reason, we asked for "input from a female perspective"
on this issue. We are extremely pleased with the number and the quality
of the responses that we received. They are informative, and contain striking
insights. In deference, I have kept my usually long article short!
Rabbi
Shaul Leiter is the executive
director of Ascent-of-Safed.
This series is translated and adapted from Meah Shearim
and other sources | 
