Yoatzot Halacha - Good For the Jews Or Bad For The Jews ?

You will usually get two very different answers depending on the person's religious orientation. 

One who affiliates with the Modern Orthodox world will [generally] say "GOOD FOR THE JEWS"!!! Women are advancing in their religious roles and also now women will feel comfortable when asking she'elot! 

One who affiliates with the so called "right wing" world will say "BAD FOR THE JEWS". These women know very little outside of standard niddah questions which doesn't qualify one as a posek. In order to pasken Niddah shylos for real, one needs to know the sugyos of Rov, Chazaka, Sfeikos and the like which are spread ALL OVER SHAS. How many woman are fluent in Shas. None! If there are any then it is at best on the superficial Daf Yomi level. Daf Yomi does not a posek make. One needs in depth knowledge with the Rebbe Akiva Eiger's and Sidrei Taharos' etc. etc. Is there any woman alive who has been through Shev Shmatsa or Shaarei Yosher where Chazakos, Rovs and Sfeikos are discussed and analyzed?? 

Also, he will argue, it is a feminist  endeavor which has no place within authentic Torah Judaism. Rav Moshe Feinsten said that Feminism equals Heresy, as if Hashem ח"ו discriminates against women and we have to change that. So "Bad for the Jews".  

I personally am conflicted. I read that there are many women who would not keep the laws of Taharas Ha-Mishpacha [even if they read "Mishpacha"] if they couldn't ask women their questions. So what is better - That these women habitually transgress a Chiyuv Kares or that they go to less than top [female] scholars who will usually be able to answer their basic questions and direct more complex questions to a qualified posek? I am afraid of Kares. And telling women that they should overcome their embarrassment and ask a Rav, will work for some and not for others. What about the "others"??! Boel Niddah is serious stuff. Causes cancer of the neshama for both the man and woman. 

Also, many men who rule on Niddah shylos are not such great Talmidei Chachomim themselves. Getting Semicha is a relatively short process which requires very limited knowledge of a narrow body of literature and is also no guarantee that one is a lamdam.  If we are going to be so strict with the women then we should do so with the men. We should test THEM on the Shev Shmatsa and Shaarei Yosher and see how well they do...  

On the other hand - there is the slippery slope issue. Where will this lead? Women rabbis. Women getting Aliyos. Women Chazniyot. Women in the men's bathroom. Bubby's getting hagba. Women being just like men. For many, this sounds GREAT - but it is against our tradition where there is a clear demarcation line between male and female roles. We [Torah Jews] want to preserve that. 

So - "Good for the Jews or Bad"?

I don't know but will let Hashem decide!!

Here is a recent article taking the "Bad For The Jews" position.

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About the author: Rabbi Dr. Elchonon [Ally] Ehrman is a teacher of Yoatzot Halacha at "Nishmat" and author of the highly acclaimed [and recently excommunicated] "Ladies Should Go To Ladies For Ladies Questions - Men Should Mind Their Own Business".