4146 —צער ותמיהה על מניעת כניסת בנות לבית הכנסת

B"H, 2 Adar, 5716.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

...To my regret, I am once again compelled to express surprise—please forgive me—regarding the incident that occurred ^[1] ... Namely: In response to my inquiry about the plan and arrangement for the students' gathering on the day of the hilulah... I was told, to my great astonishment, that although the boys were immediately brought into a storage room upon arrival and met with, etc., the girls wandered from place to place for several hours. As a result, not only was there no opportunity to influence them positively and bring them closer to Judaism, Torah, and mitzvos, but on the contrary—a negative impression remained; this is clear enough.

When I asked why a suitable place was not prepared for them in advance, I was told that it was originally thought they would gather in the synagogue. However, suddenly a few people rose up with loud protestations that under no circumstances would they allow the girls to assemble there—for reasons of ... fear of Heaven!

I ask you as mara d'asra (the local rabbinic authority) regarding those individuals: a) Where is there any source in Nigleh or Chassidus for such an alarming conduct? b) From where do they have "broad shoulders"—breite pleitzes—to prevent a hundred girls from hearing words of inspiration and fear of Heaven, since they are not rabbis or halachic authorities in Israel? They should only present their arguments and leave the decision to the local rabbi. c) Each person knows his own spiritual state regarding fear of Heaven—it is not always consistent. And when one feels at times a decline in his own spiritual state, does he also refrain from entering a holy place until he has fully repented—as Rambam writes: 'He who knows all secrets will testify about him that he will never return to his folly,' or as explained in Tanya in Iggeres HaTeshuvah by Rabbeinu HaZaken?

d) There is an explicit Gemara (Sukkah 51b) that women entered the Azarah (Temple courtyard), and not only that but originally women were inside and men outside. The reason they later built a balcony for them was so as not to come to frivolity since men and women participated together in this very Azarah—but not because Jewish girls compromise its sanctity, G‑d forbid. So either these individuals knew this Gemara—in which case how could they act contrary to it? And if they did not know it—then people lacking such basic knowledge should not be making public decisions affecting a hundred Jewish girls.

In the synagogue where my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe (of blessed memory), prayed, gatherings for girls were held several times—even during his lifetime in this world. As stated above in the previous section: if these individuals do not know chassidic customs, they should ask rather than rule; and if they do know—how could they instruct otherwise...

With blessing.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that excluding girls from communal religious spaces lacks both halachic and chassidic foundation. True leadership means fostering inclusion and inspiration for all youth; decisions affecting many must be guided by knowledge and humility.