mw13:
Thank you for that very illuminating outline of the book. And if she indeed had a valid source, such as the Vilna Goan according to one poster, than of course that point takes on a whole new light.
And just to address a more central issue. In your post you mention that she asks about women’s supposed ‘secondary role’ in Judaism. This is a valid question, but one with a well established answer across the board, as you point out, that the differences between the genders is not hierarchical, but elemental. The fact, the metzius is that there are fundamental differences and therefore different roles.
An interesting component of this is one of the most central differences between a torah outlook and the opposite. The secular way of looking at the world declares personal choice to be king. If one wishes to act in a certain way, then there is no greater injustice to that individual than to deny him that choice. We see this especially with regard to certain types of immorality. In a secular environment there more often than not is no concept of having to do what one wishes not to do. And tht end result of this is a culture of permissiveness. One cannot be deprived of something if they want it. Therefore, if a woman wishes, for example, to be a Rabbi, the secular world would decry as bigotry any view that proscribes this.
But that is because, in their collective mind, the only aim in being in a position of halachic authority is the personal aspect, the status and honour this provides. For us. the pursuit of Torah for status alone is unthinkable. People become Rabbis because that is their role in life in which they can serve the Ribbonio Shel Oilom in the best possible manner. Honour and prestige isn’t, and shouldn’t, be a factor. In certain other religions, and liberal movements, they have changed their position to place women in clerical positions because firstly, who is to deny them that choice in life, and secondly, why should only males receive what in their minds is mainly prestige. We understand that there are roles for different people and different genders, and personal choice and honour are meant to be hindrances, not motives.