Dena Rock
Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin (1945–2020) was one of the most highly regarded poskim of the Modern Orthodox and Dati Leumi worlds in the last half century. He authored four volumes of teshuvot, entitled Shu”t Bnei Banim, published between 1981 and 2004. He was notably sensitive to women’s concerns, and approximately one-third of his responsa address issues relating to women and halacha. In 2003, Rav Henkin himself published a volume of English translations of many of his teshuvot relating specifically to women. Rav Henkin passed away in 2020, and now, in 2025, his widow, Rabbanit Chana Henkin—an accomplished Torah scholar in her own right[1]—has published an expanded version that includes translations of seven additional teshuvot addressing topics such as women’s Megilla readings and hair covering.
Teshuvot (responsa) comprise a unique genre that offers a window into the mind of the posek, allowing readers to observe how a halachic decisor identifies relevant sources, analyzes them, and applies them judiciously to the question at hand. Very few responsa are accessible to the English-speaking public, which makes this volume an invaluable contribution that breaks new ground for those who cannot access Hebrew teshuvot. Furthermore, its focus on women’s issues renders it indispensable for English speakers who seek to understand these relevant, complex, and often contentious areas of halacha.
A striking example of the insight that teshuvot provide into a posek’s thinking appears in Rav Henkin’s treatment of women and zimun. In Chapter 7, Rav Henkin argues that a man may lead a women’s zimun. Then, in Chapter 8, he writes: “Regarding what I wrote previously [(Chapter 7, above)] that a man who dined with three women may lead zimun for them, I now see that the gaon R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach z”l disagreed, and one must weigh his opinion.”[2] Rav Henkin then thoroughly and respectfully analyzes Rav Shlomo Zalman’s view, concluding : “Nevertheless, my conclusion stands regarding zimun led by a man who dined together with three women.” This exchange provides a valuable glimpse into how poskim process new information, refine earlier positions, and balance humility with principled confidence.
Rav Henkin’s sensitivity to women is evident throughout the teshuvot. For example, in one responsum he addresses how a sheliach tzibbur should handle the blessing of she’lo asani ishah.[3] He explores numerous possibilities, accepting some and rejecting others,[4] yet never entertains the idea of simply telling women they should not be offended—a striking display of empathy and understanding.
Another powerful example appears in his teshuva on mixed seating at weddings. He describes a practice according to which the bride ate in a separate room during Sheva Brachot meals and was only brought in for Birkat HaMazon. He recounts, “When sheva brachot were held at my grandfather’s apartment on one of the nights after our wedding, the organizers seated my wife in a corner outside the dining room with a handful of women. I protested… My grandfather accepted my words but said that it is difficult to contest an established practice, but I think anyone who is able to should protest.” Given Rav Henkin’s profound admiration for his grandfather,[5] his willingness to disagree—both in the moment and in writing—in deference to women’s dignity is remarkable.
A final example of unique sensitivity to women appears in Rav Henkin’s teshuva on adding the mothers’ names when referring to the chattan and kallah in the ketuba—a responsum I was privileged to learn in person with Rabbanit Henkin and a group of my Lindenbaum students. Rav Henkin writes, “I don’t see a reason to prohibit writing the mother’s name in the ketuba,” and proceeds to explain his reasoning, including that doing so does not violate chukot hagoyim[6] since “inclusion of a mother’s name is not irrational, coming as it does to give honor to both parents.”[7]
Rav Henkin is also fearless and forthright. He opens his teshuva on Talit for Women[8] by stating clearly: “A woman may wear tzitzit in private or under her outer clothes, for then there is no suspicion that she wishes to appear like a man.”[9] Similarly, he writes on 106: “A woman can certainly read the ketubah and/or give a Dvar Torah under the chuppah.” Many poskim would not be willing to issue such rulings, let alone put them in writing. Rav Henkin not only did so—he chose to include these teshuvot in the English edition, ensuring they would reach an even wider audience.
Many of the teshuvot in this volume also demonstrate Rav Henkin’s creativity. For example, in his teshuva on Torah study for women (Chapter 1), one of his arguments for permitting the teaching of Torah She’be’al Peh (Oral Law) to women is that “When the Talmud became fixed in writing it acquired the status of Written Law” (16). In other words, he suggests that once the Talmud was written down, it took on the halachic status of Torah She’bichtav, and thus is no more problematic to teach to women than Humash.
Translating responsa into English presents a unique challenge. On the one hand, the intended audience consists largely of readers who are not fluent enough in Hebrew to study the teshuvot in their original language, and thus are likely not familiar with the sources upon which the teshuvot are based nor with the teshuvot’s background assumptions.[10] On the other hand, responsa are not designed as comprehensive presentations of a topic. They are the posek’s specific analysis of a particular question, and typically assume prior familiarity with the broader halachic landscape. As a result, readers should be aware that there are sometimes additional sources, issues, or angles that Rav Henkin does not address. For example, in his teshuva on Talit for Women (35–36), he discusses only the concern of begged ish, the prohibition against wearing clothing of the opposite gender. This responsum does not even mention mechzei ke’yuhara, the concern that visibly excessive stringency might come across as signaling an air of religious superiority—a central issue in many discussions of this topic, and the reason given by the Rama[11] for discouraging women from wearing tzitzit.
Similarly, teshuvot often omit background information. In this volume, for example, Rav Henkin presents three different responsa on women and zimun—women’s zimun when men are present (Chapter 6), whether a man can lead a women’s zimun (Chapter 7), and the wording of women’s zimun (Chapter 8). Each focuses on its narrow question without first reviewing the relevant background, such as the nature and source of zimun, the halachic status of three women who eat together, or the relationship between the obligation in Birkat HaMazon and the ability to lead a zimun. This approach is entirely appropriate for teshuvot, but readers who are not familiar with the relevant background before reading Rav Henkin’s responsa may find themselves disoriented.[12]
Readers of this volume might benefit from first seeking out background materials on each topic in preparation for learning the responsa. This will enable them to more fully understand Rav Henkin’s teshuvot and to recognize when he offers novel approaches or original interpretations.[13]
These teshuvot are worth investing effort to appreciate. They offer English speakers access to the world of teshuvot, and to a fearless, principled, and creative posek who addressed halachic questions surrounding women and halacha with sensitivity, empathy, and wisdom.
[1] Rabbanit Henkin founded Nishmat, co-founded its Yoatzot Halacha program, and headed its Beit Midrash for over 30 years, now serving as Chancellor and heading its research division, The Henkin Institute.
[2] Rabbi Yehuda Henkin, Responsa on Contemporary Jewish Women’s Issues: New Expanded Edition (Ktav, 2025),52.
[3] Shacharit services begin with a series of blessings in which we thank God for a variety of His daily gifts to us, such as our eyesight, our clothing, and our ability to stand up straight. One of these blessings, recited by men only, is Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the World, that You did not make me a woman. Many women are understandably offended by this.
[4] Ultimately, the two solutions he promotes are either for the sheliach tzibbur to not say ANY Birkot HaShahar aloud but rather begin from “R’ Yishmael says,” or for him to say “she’lo asani ishah” quietly (33-34).
[5] Rav Yehuda Henkin quotes his grandfather, Rav Yosef Eliahu Henkin, numerous times throughout his teshuvot. See, for example, 34, regarding the bracha of shelo asani isha; 71 footnote 5 regarding his grandfather’s preference for the Aruch HaShulchan over the Mishnah Berurah; 92, 106, and 154 regarding women reciting Kaddish; and 240 regarding contraception (see also footnote 1 there for a fascinating debate between his grandfather and Rav Moshe Feinstein regarding Reform and Conservative marriages).
In the Foreword to the Expanded Edition (xii), Rabbanit Chana Henkin writes:
“The formative religious influence in Rav Henkin’s life, from childhood onward, was his saintly grandfather, the Gaon Rav Yosef Eliahu Henkin ztz”l. My husband was a graduate student at Columbia University when he said one day, “My grandfather will not live forever.” By the following day, he had left the university to live beside his grandfather and learn with him daily, morning and evening, for five years”.
[6] Vaykira 18:3 states: You shall not copy the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, nor shall you copy the practices of the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you, and you shall not follow their statutes (u’be’hukoteihem lo teileikhu). This is understood as prohibiting any action or activity that non-Jews do that does not have a rational basis (see Tosafot to Avodah Zarah 11a, s.v. “V’ee chuka” and the Shulchan Aruch/Rama, Yoreh De’ah 178:1).
[7] 217.
[8] Chapter 4.
[9] 35.
[10] Rav Henkin himself explicitly acknowledged this when he explained in his Foreword to the original volume that he was omitting some of the citations that are included in the original Hebrew teshuvot “on the assumption that those who read teshuvot in translation are unlikely to look up the Hebrew sources” (xi in the original volume; reprinted as the Preface in the Expanded Edition, xvii).
[12] Another example is that in Chapter 5, Rav Henkin asserts that women are obligated to say Shemoneh Esrei every day, arguing that even the Rambam agrees to this. Those unfamiliar with the relevant Gemara (Berachot 20b) and Rambam (Hilchot Tefila 1:1-2) would not appreciate the nuance and significance of making this claim.
[13] One highly recommended resource is Deracheha.org, a website directed by Rav Henkin’s student of many years, Rabbanit Laurie Novick, under the auspices of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Deracheha offers organized, comprehensive overviews of topics related to women and halacha, including all the sources in their original Hebrew with accompanying English translation, in many cases, unpacking and analyzing Rav Henkin’s arguments.
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