Q Hi. I am embarking on my teaching career at a frum girls’ school and I wish to be in lemudei kodesh. I have one offer to teach Chumash but unexpectedly received another offer to teach biology at a much better time for my schedule and can only accept one offer. If all other factors are equal, is teaching biology like teaching lemudei kodesh because it teaches niflos Haboreh?
A. It would seem rational that even for women that don’t have the direct mandatory mitzva of learning Torah, yet when they do, they comply with the mitzva, and can recite a brocho.
On question 262 regarding learning Torah for women, we wrote: “Remoh (Y.D. 246,6) rules that women are obligated to learn and know the Halacha parts of the Torah on the mitzvos that apply to them, so they are able to comply with them correctly (and they are many, such as the laws of Brochos, Shabbos, Yom Tov, Kashrus, Taharas Hamishpacha etc.)
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Horav Shlomo Miller Shlita opines that this knowledge takes priority.
However in order not to go astray from the ways of Hashem in todays promiscuous and unethical society they are also encouraged in learning the written Torah and Nach, Musar and sforim on Emunah and ethics. (Chofetz Chaim in Likutey Halochos, Sota 21a Oz Nidbru 14,3,9 Tzitz Eliezer 9,3,7 et al, see also Rambam, Talmud Torah 1,13 and Shulchan Aruch Y.D. ibid.).
They may also be exhorted in knowing Tanach as a necessary tool in helping the education and chinuch of their children.
Horav Shlomo Millers Shlita opinion is that a well balanced Jewish women education should include all the above.”
Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a similarly maintains that teaching Torah takes priority.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a
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