Ahf Hen Hayu Beosei Haneis (23A)
Rashi says that women were included in the neis because of the gezeira of tibael lehagmon techila and since they played a role in defeating the enemy. This begs the question, what was the primary nes, that men were included in and not women? It would seem that the Ikar nes was being saved from the gezeira of not keeping Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh and Bris Mila, as well as defeating the Yevanim (besides the neis of the Shemen). Women were included in the Geziera of Shmad regarding Shabbos, as well as Rosh Chodesh ( and were equally affected by the neis of the Shemen), even if they were not affected by the Gezeira of Bris Mila and were not directly involved in the battle. Why does Rashi feel compelled to introduce seemingly secondary aspects of the neis, even if they are unique to women?
posted by Anonymous @ 3:20 PM
3 Comments:
They are only secondary by your account.
It could be that Rashi is trying to show that they were a main part of the neis. In Psachim, there a machlokes between Rashbam and Tosafos what af hein hayu b'oso haneis is. The Rashbam says that it always means that they were central in bringing about the neis (Yehudis by Chanuka) but Tosafos argues and says that we don't need them to be central and it just means that they were saved also. It could be that Rashi here is saying that in order for women to be obligated in the mitzva it has to be that they were more than just participants in the neis but it must be that they were central to the neis. They either had to have been central in bringing about the neis or central in being saved by the neis. I'm not sure why that would be though. Also, this doesn't seem to fit in with Rashi in Megilla.
The Bach says (Tur O"C 670) that the main gezairah of the Yevanim was on the Avoda in the Beis Hamikdash. The Jewish people fought back, and even though they were few they won with Hashem's help. Rashi here says that Af Haim Hayu B'Osos Nais has two possible meanings. One meaning is that the women also were in danger. Just as the men were in danger during the fight to restore the Avoda, women were also in danger. It doesn't mention that the people were in danger because of keeping Shabbos - apparently they could keep it secretly. The other meaning is that women participated in bringing about the Nais.
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