Letter to Rebecca Green about Talmud Study Technique and Memorization (1972)

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Exchange with R. Rackman Asking R. Lamm to Prepare Paper on Women and Halacha (1974)

Dear Norman: The next dinner meeting of our Berman–Bartel group will be held on September 4th. As agreed, it will be a longer meeting – from six to ten. The place is yet to be designated. From the discussion at the last meeting it appeared to me that there were four problem areas, as follows: 1. Halachic problems which pertain directly to the laws of marriage, divorce, and sexual relations. 2. Halachic problems which pertain to the status of women in the Synagogue, in the community and in civic, judicial, and political experience. 3. The sociological and psychological impact of the Women’s Liberation Movement. 4. What can be done to save the family in the face of those changes which cannot be resisted without total ghettoization as with the Amish. I would very much appreciate your undertaking to prepare the working paper for Problem #1. I am counting on you.

Women & Judaism

Letter to Dr. Leo Levi about Women and Positive Time-Bound Mitzvot (1969)

Dear Dr. Levi: Thank you very much for your recent call pointing to the Hirsch Commentary on Leviticus as a source for the explanation I offered in the name of a colleague in my "Hedge of Roses for מצות שהזמן." I think that if you will check you will verify that Hirsch merely said that women do not need these mitzvot, but he does not at all develop the rationale to which I referred, namely, the link of this halakhic principle to the mitzvah of טהרת המשפחה.All best regards.Cordially yours,Rabbi Norman Lamm

Women & Judaism

Letter to R. Berkovits about Article Draft (1975)

Dear Dr. Berkovitz: Thank you very much for sending me the draft of your newest article. Because of the importance of the subject, I do not want to comment until I have had a chance to study it further. My first reading leaves me impressed once again with the boldness of your efforts and the sweep of your concern. However, with such intellectual daring come risks, and I do want to think through the problem a bit further before offering my comments. I believe the enclosed letter will explain where I stand on the problem we have been discussing for some months now. My warmest regards to Mrs. Berkovitz. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Women & Judaism