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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@saber.towson.edu>
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 22:54:17 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RE: Womens obligation to Pray in a Minyan

Akiva Miller In Mail Jewish Volume 32 Number 32 writes
>>>
My understanding is similar to Dr. Hendel's, that according to the
Rambam, when a person is in trouble, there is a Biblical obligation to
pray, and this applies to both men and women. (See Sefer Hachinuch 433;
I'm not sure exactly where this appears in the Mishneh Torah.)
>>>
No. My understanding is that the RambaN holds that the Biblical obligation
to pray is when a person is in trouble.The RambaM explicitly states that
the Biblical obligation to pray is daily (Rambam Prayer 1:1)

Akiva continues
>>>
But there is no specific form which the Torah requires for that prayer.
How can it be possible that "all men/women are Biblically required to
say Shmoneh Esray when they have needs"? Does the Rambam hold that the
text of the Shmoneh Esray was known in biblical times?
>>>

This is answered by Rav Hirsch who points out that the FORM of prayer
existed in Temple times and corresponded to the form of the sacrifices.
Furthermore the Rambam explicitly states in Prayer 1:4-5 that the form
of the Shmoneh Esray was made by the Prophet-Sages of the great
Assembly (and presumably they made it equally for men and women)

Akiva's last question is
>>>
My second question concerns Dr. Hendel's third point, in (c). Suppose
that a woman has needs of the sort which gives her a biblical obligation
to pray. Is there a Rambam somewhere which explicitly states that she
must say her prayer together with a minyan of ten men?
>>>
Yes--- I intepret Rambam 8:1 "The prayers of the community (10 men) are
ALWAYS heard..therefore a person should always strive to pray with the
community" to mean that whether they are women or men they should pray
with the community and that has a superior status

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA
RHendel@Towson.Edu; Math Towson
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/