Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 167

In Spirituality, “Female” Refers to the Will to Receive That Requires Correction, a Deficiency, a Vessel Ready to Be Corrected and Filled With Light. So Why, Traditionally, Do Men Study Kabbalah and Not Women?

The distinction is not about biological superiority, but about different inner structures and roles in correction.

A woman, by nature, is generally more connected to concrete reality and to the natural order of this world. Her desires are more grounded in life itself, that is, to the home, family, and stability. Due to this deep connection to nature, it is more difficult for her to detach from it.

A man, on the other hand, is naturally more detached from the immediate reality. This detachment causes him to make more mistakes in worldly matters, but it also enables a greater capacity to abstract, to disconnect from nature, and to yearn for something beyond it. In general, women tend to function in this world more stably and realistically than men.

Therefore, the deficiency for spirituality does not depend on physical gender, but on the extent to which we can rise above our nature and long for adhesion with the Creator.

According to this traditional view, men are obligated in spiritual work because their nature allows (and requires) that upward striving. Women are not obligated in the same way, unless a genuine spiritual deficiency awakens in them.

There is a kind of “test” described:

A woman is first given what corresponds to her natural framework, that is, a husband, home, and children (what is called “a woman of the home”). If, after having these, she still yearns for Godliness, then the spark is considered authentic. If she seeks spirituality while lacking basic natural fulfillment, it might be that she is trying to compensate spiritually for unmet natural needs.

Why is a different test applied to men?

It is because a man does not naturally experience attachment to home and family in the same way. Therefore, he must also be grounded (married, responsible, and working) before engaging seriously in spiritual work. He too cannot escape worldly responsibility. A man without burden and responsibility is also considered unready. Therefore, both are tested according to their different inner structures.

Even when women study, traditionally the method is different because male and female souls represent different modes of spiritual structure. For that reason, serious study was not historically conducted in mixed settings.

An illustrative story is told about RABASH’s eldest daughter, who intensely desired to study. Baal HaSulam even taught her before her marriage. Yet once she became pregnant, her desire to study disappeared completely. Her thoughts became fully directed toward her child. RABASH reportedly observed this with amazement. This is presented as an example of how strongly nature operates.

Today, however, the situation is different. Many women who have stable lives, with a family, home, and fulfillment in this world, still feel a strong pull toward Kabbalah. This is considered a relatively new phenomenon. Sometimes the awakening could be influenced by environment or social context, but even that can accelerate the development of the point in the heart until it ignites independently.

In any case, if a genuine spiritual desire exists, a woman may certainly pursue spirituality. However, the traditional view maintains that the form of study and inner work differs, because the spiritual roots of male and female souls are different.

Ultimately, in spirituality, “male” and “female” are inner qualities present in every person. The female aspect is the deficiency, the will to receive. The male aspect is the intention to bestow. Both are required for complete correction.

From a Talk on the Article “What Is, ‘There Is None as Holy as the Lord, for There Is None Besides You,’ in the Work?” 6/11/2002

Related Material:
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 166
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 165
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 164

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