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Why are women exempt from time-bound mitzvos like tzitzis and tefillin? The Ramchal explains that men serve God by rectifying creation at specific times, while women serve through constant availability for nurturing life. Both paths are equally sacred but require different forms of divine service.
This shiur continues the Ramchal's Derech HaShem (ה׳), transitioning from the philosophical foundations of creation to practical daily observances. The focus is on time-bound commandments (mitzvos asei she-hazman grama), specifically tzitzis and tefillin, and their role in morning prayers. The teacher provides an important introduction to the philosophical underpinnings of why women are generally exempt from time-bound mitzvos while men are obligated. The explanation centers on different forms of divine service: women serve God primarily through nurturing life (being "mother of all life" like Chava), requiring them to be available at all times for those in their care. Men serve through rectifying creation generally and bringing God's awareness to the world, allowing them to prioritize time-specific obligations. This creates different but equally important pathways of serving God.
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Derech HaShem - morning service and time-bound commandments
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