#152: The Obligation of Women in Havdalah (Part 3)

Rabbi Eli Ozarowski
  1. Poskim disagree as to whether women are obligated in the mitzvah of seeing a fire after Shabbat. Consequently, some poskim maintain that women reciting Havdalah themselves should not recite the berachah of Borei Meorei Ha’eish (Biur Halacha 298:1), while others maintain that they should recite it (R. Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe).
  2. An Ashkenazi woman who is unable to hear Havdalah from a man should preferably recite Havdalah herself rather than listen to Havdalah recited over the phone or other technological means. This is because many poskim believe that this does not qualify as hearing the actual voice of the person reciting it (R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Minchat Shlomo 1:9; R. Ovadia Yosef, Yechaveh Da’at 3:54). In cases of need, when a woman is unable to recite it herself, some allow listening to Havdalah recited over the phone or other technological means (R. Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe, O.C. 4:91).

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.