Question of the Week:
Your explanation for Tefillin last week made a lot of sense. I like the idea of aligning mind-heart-body. But then why don't women wear Tefillin too? Don't we also need to align our thoughts, feelings and actions?
Answer:
You are absolutely right. Women need to align their minds, hearts and bodies just as much as men do. But for some reason, they are better at this than men are. As dangerous as it is these days to state the obvious, men and women are different.
If I may take you as an example. You read my email explaining Tefillin, and processed the concept in your mind. You then took the idea to heart, applied it to yourself, and objected to the idea that it doesn't apply to women. This then led you to take action: you took to the keyboard and wrote a response. What a beautiful illustration of mind-heart-body alignment!
You're not alone. You were one of several women who responded to me, all with the same question. And not one man responded asking why men should need to put on Tefillin and women not. That's exactly why they do need Tefillin. It is natural for a woman to read or see something, take it personally, and react to it. But for a man, it is a great effort to take something abstract and make it real. He needs concrete, tangible tools to aid the procession from mind to heart to body.
I have tested this theory. In lectures to audiences comprising of men and women, I have said things like, "Men struggle to apply ideas to themselves; women can't help taking things personally." The men either smirk or show no reaction. The women object passionately to such a rash generalisation. I just smile. Point proven.
These differences need not be seen only as weaknesses; they are our strengths also. The male removedness helps give perspective. The female involvedness introduces passion. When passion and perspective get together, you're in for an exciting ride...
Your explanation for Tefillin last week made a lot of sense. I like the idea of aligning mind-heart-body. But then why don't women wear Tefillin too? Don't we also need to align our thoughts, feelings and actions?
Answer:
You are absolutely right. Women need to align their minds, hearts and bodies just as much as men do. But for some reason, they are better at this than men are. As dangerous as it is these days to state the obvious, men and women are different.
If I may take you as an example. You read my email explaining Tefillin, and processed the concept in your mind. You then took the idea to heart, applied it to yourself, and objected to the idea that it doesn't apply to women. This then led you to take action: you took to the keyboard and wrote a response. What a beautiful illustration of mind-heart-body alignment!
You're not alone. You were one of several women who responded to me, all with the same question. And not one man responded asking why men should need to put on Tefillin and women not. That's exactly why they do need Tefillin. It is natural for a woman to read or see something, take it personally, and react to it. But for a man, it is a great effort to take something abstract and make it real. He needs concrete, tangible tools to aid the procession from mind to heart to body.
I have tested this theory. In lectures to audiences comprising of men and women, I have said things like, "Men struggle to apply ideas to themselves; women can't help taking things personally." The men either smirk or show no reaction. The women object passionately to such a rash generalisation. I just smile. Point proven.
These differences need not be seen only as weaknesses; they are our strengths also. The male removedness helps give perspective. The female involvedness introduces passion. When passion and perspective get together, you're in for an exciting ride...