Reply To: Modern Orthodoxy at a crossroads

The relevant poskim re: female being ignored by Avi Weiss are, besides the ones who signed on the kol korei: The Sifri, the Yerushalmi, the Rambam in hilchos melachim 1:5, tur choshen mishpat perek 7, shulchan aruch choshen mishpat perek 7 (either :5 or :6), and all the nosei keilim mentioned on all these sources, along with thousands of years of mesorah. Even Saul Leiberman is against him:

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The end of the matter is that it is clear from the sources that being called by the title “rav” (“Rabbi he shall be called”) reflects on the fitness to issue legal decisions and to judge, and we should not empty the title “rav” of its meaning from the way it has been understood by the Jewish people throughout the generations. Since a woman is not fit to judge, and she cannot become qualified for this, she cannot be ordained by this title (even if we see it as a mere expression, refer to the Tosafot, Avodah Zarah 5a, paragraph heading “Ella”).

Let us not make ourselves objects of derision and jest.

Respectfully,

Saul Lieberman”