The president of the Shas Council of Torah Scholars has ordered the cancellation of women's aids in small synagogues to allow more men to be counted. • This is expected to provoke anger among women who come to prayers
Rabbi Shalom Cohen
Photo:
Noam Rybkin Fenton
Rabbi Shalom Cohen, president of the Shas Council of Sages, ordered in an unusual move to close the women's aid if there is no room in the men's synagogue, and to operate another men's quorum there, while instructing women to hear the shofar outside.
In a halakhic ruling published this morning (Tuesday), the rabbi was asked whether synagogues that are restricted to the place can turn the women's aid into another prayer room for men.
His answer was clear: "They will make another quorum for men with the help of women, and that is better."
The solution for women, he stated, is to hear a shofar outside the building.
"Women will come to hear a shofar from the outside if possible, or they will blow a special shofar for women."
The ruling is expected to provoke great anger among women who regularly come to synagogues, especially on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It should be noted that this is a relatively unusual halakhic ruling, since other rabbis, including the chief rabbis, ordered that the women's aids be left open and even prepare places for women to pray in the courtyards.