Messianic Congregation Shema Yisrael Article Should Women Speak in Congregation?

Congregation Shema Yisrael

Articles

Back to the Articles Page

Download this article as a PDF

Should Women Speak in Congregation?

by James Pyles

There have been a number of issues I've wanted to write about, but the topics aren't usually such that they'll be longer than a few paragraphs. Most of the time, I put those topics on the back burner in favor of subjects that involve more discussion on my part. I've prayed and re-evaluated my position and have determined to write a series of "mini-articles" addressing points that are nonetheless important to our community and to the Body of Believers in Yeshua the Messiah. This article is slightly longer than I intended, but ultimately, it also has a pretty straightforward conclusion.

"As in all the congregations of God's people, let the wives remain silent when the congregation meets; they are certainly not permitted to speak out. Rather, let them remain subordinate, as also the Torah says; and if there is something they want to know, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak out in a congregational meeting."
-- 1 Corinthians 14:33-35

According to David Stern,^1. translator of the Complete Jewish Bible, we might not be able to take what Paul has written here at face value, at least not as how it's rendered in English. If we take the above verses in the context created in verses 32 and 33, then we might consider that Paul is specifically referring to prohibiting women from speaking in congregation in relation to prophesying, preaching, teaching, or praying. This doesn't make a great deal of sense though, in relation to other parts of the Bible and particularly other writings of Paul. For instance:

"The following day, we left and came to Caesarea, where we went to the home of Philip the proclaimer of the Good News, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters with the gift of prophecy".
--Acts 21:8-9

Here we see that women can be prophets and as far as Acts is concerned, this isn't mentioned in a negative light. In fact, Paul himself writes in 1 Corinthians 11:5, "...but every woman who prays and prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame to her head..." In the same letter that begins this article, Paul is acknowledging women praying and prophesying in congregation. Paul would also be aware that Hannah, mother of the Prophet Samuel, prayed out loud (but softly) as cited in I Samuel 1:12-13. This is in fact, the very section of the Bible that the Sages refer to when stating that one is permitted to pray to him or herself in a soft voice during the Amidah prayers. If this is so, then how to we reconcile what Paul says in verses 14:33-35, that women are to remain silent in congregation?

Also, as far as women waiting until they get home to ask their husbands what went on in congregation, Paul, in the beginning of Chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians, acknowledges that not all women have husbands to ask. So what is Paul talking about? The answer depends possibly on seating arrangements. If early First Century synagogues had the custom of using a m'chitzah or dividing wall^ibid to separate men and women during worship, then it certainly would have been disturbing for a woman to yell over the wall at her husband to ask questions. In Orthodox synagogues today, the m'chitzah continues to be used and discussions between husbands and wives aren't generally allowed, since they are so far apart as to make "quiet" conversation during the prayer service impossible.

I suppose I could stop here and conclude that this is what Paul is discussing, but that would hardly be a complete analysis of even this short set of verses. Let's continue and see if other issues come up.

Paul seems to be making a reference to the Torah in verse 34 when he says, "Rather, let them (wives) remain subordinate, as also the Torah says..." However, he doesn't specifically state which part of the Torah he's referring to when he makes that statement. There are any number of places in the Torah and in the Bible in general that prescribe a subordinate role for women, according to Stern.^ibid

"To the woman, He said, I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain. Your desire will be toward your husband, but he will rule over you".
--Genesis 3:16

We can compare this to parts of some of Paul's other letters.

"Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to the Lord".
--Ephesians 5:22

"Let a woman learn in peace, fully submitted; but I do not permit a woman to teach a man or exercise authority over him; rather, she is to remain at peace".
--1 Timothy 11-12

With those letters in mind, this next verse modifies the "differences" between men and women tremendously.

"...there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one".
--Galatians 3:28

While the writings of Paul do define a role difference between men and women in both the marriage and in congregation (and to find out more on this issue, read the article The Havah Factor), it doesn't seem to be a "class" difference in that men can talk but women cannot in their faith community. Certainly, Paul's letter to the Galatians states that the status of men and women before the Messiah is as equals. Additionally, as Paul would have certainly known, the Torah hardly bars women from learning.

"Gather together the people; the men, the women, and the small children, and your stranger who is in your cities; so that they will hear and so that they will learn, and they shall fear Hashem, your God, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah".
--Deuteronomy 31:12

To "learn" in Judaism, is to study by discussing, so that full understanding can be gained. How can you understand and learn without asking questions? That in fact, is the teaching model used at our congregation when discussing the Torah, and men and women are both encouraged to ask questions. The Talmud interprets the verse from Deuteronomy as the men coming to "learn" but the women coming to "hear", that is, to listen but not participate (Ghagigah 3a).^ibid This cannot be gathered from the plain meaning of the text in Deuteronomy, however.

We know that Miriam, the sister to Moses and Aaron, was referred to as a Prophetess, and Deborah was a Judge. Even the Talmud doesn't regard women as spiritually inferior to men.

"It is related of a pious man who was married to a pious woman that, being childless, they divorced one another. He went and married a wicked woman and she made him wicked. She went and married a wicked man and made him righteous. It follows that all depends upon the woman".^2.
--Gen. R. 27:7

Eshet Chayil or A Woman of Valor is said on Erev Shabbat by the husband to his wife and is taken from Proverbs 31. It has become a Jewish custom for a man to recite this hymn to express his thankfulness for all his wife has done for him and their family throughout the past week. A quick read of Proverbs 31:30 crystallizes the intent of this song by Solomon.

"Charm can lie, beauty can vanish, but a woman who fears Adonai should be praised".

So what can we conclude from this brief study? It seems that women have attained the honored roles of Prophet and Judge. They are allowed to pray and pray out loud. They are allowed to learn equally with men (and everyone else including children and non-Jews). Women have a profound affect on the piety of their husbands. Men and women are considered on equal footing before Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). A woman who fears God should be praised. So why can't they talk in congregation?

The only thing that I can conclude (and I believe Stern bears me out), is that women are prohibited by Paul from talking to their husbands, asking questions during the actual prayer service where they would be physically separated. This would be due to the disruption a wife calling out to her husband would create when everyone should be concentrating on their prayers in the presence of the Almighty.

This may have been a particular problem for the congregation Paul was writing to, rather than a general commentary on women's behavior in the synagogue. I can't be sure of course, but you can certainly imply it from the context and Paul did insert congregation-specific messages into his letters. I do believe that, over the years, Paul's message has been distorted, at least by some, to say that women just aren't allowed to participate and that speaking in the congregation is "a man's job". To believe that though, you'd have to ignore a lot of Paul's other letters and many portions of the Bible in general.

Sources

 

Back to the Top

Back to the Articles Page