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In recent years there has been extensive discussion concerning the status of women in halakhah. Gradually, many issues have been analyzed with halakhic and hashkafic positions presented thoroughly and sensitively.' One such area relates to women and Sifrei Torah. Sincere Jewish women have asked for the right to dance with the Torah during their own independent hakafot, to kiss the Torah as it passes the ezrat nashim and to carry the Torah through their own section in order to feel a greater connection to the Torah itself and more a part of the synagogue service. Somehow, a tradition has arisen in our communities which deprives women of the right to touch a Sefer Torah. Many individuals have expressed to me the belief that women are enjoined from physically having contact with the Sefer Torah because they are niddot (menstrual women). The subject of our study is to evaluate whether this belief, is, in fact, correct. Our investigation is divided into two sections: first, the tracing of the origin and development of the laws of tumat niddah as it is found in the Talmud; second, an analysis of the halakhah of women and Sifrei Torah as it appears in halakhic literature. It is hoped that through this study we will be better able to judge the merits of the issue.
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