Introduction

Advisedly do we open this discussion of women's miṣvot with R. Hananiah's pan-Israelite homily, whose latent egalitarianism can so easily slip by without notice. Two postulates seem to be axiomatic for R. Hananiah: 1) merit is something desirable; 2) studying Torah and fulfilling miṣvot are the means through which merit is earned. Proceeding from these postulates, R. Hananiah discerns munificence in God's showering Israel with opportunities to gain merit. No, not merely to Israel's menfolk were Torah and miṣvot galore made available, but indiscriminately to all Israel.

At the opposite pole to R. Hananiah we find a sprinkling of texts that appear to strip women of all miṣvot. Representative of this exiguous yet distinct group of texts is the one occurring at Bava Qama 15a. The Mishnah had ruled that “women are included in the laws of damages”. The Gemara enquires as to the scriptural source for this mishnaic ruling. What it discovers is that no fewer than three scriptures (Num 5:6, Ex 21:1; Ex 21:29) had been adduced by earlier rabbis. Initially, a threefold proof seems excessive to the Gemara – until it resolves that: