No. There are a total of 613 mitzvos (commandments); 248 positive (things that should be done), and 365 negative (things that should not be done). In addition, there are seven rabbinical mitzvos. Of all those, thirty do not apply to women[xxvii]; primarily, positive commandments which are time-specific (with some exceptions), studying Torah (though women are obligated to study the practical Halachos (Torah laws) which apply to them[xxviii]), circumcision (which is impossible for women), and the commandment to have children. That’s why you won’t see women wearing tefillin or undergoing a brit milah. They also do not have the negative commandment of not shaving the side locks (payos) and beards (which is usually not applicable biologically anyway). With most of these, although women are not obligated to fulfill the commandments, they still receive spiritual reward if they do (with the exception of wearing a tallis and tefillin, which they should not do[xxix]).

There are three mitzvos, which, although they apply to men too, are primarily considered the domain of women. These are: Lighting Shabbos candles, taking off “challah” from dough, and the laws of family purity[xxx].

By Rabbi Pinchos Fried

Get answers to more questions about the role of women in Judaism.

[xxvii] See http://www.yhy.co.il/content/view/444/43/lang,he/ for a full list (in Hebrew)

[xxviii] Biur Halacha 47, 14

[xxix] See Igros Moshe O.C. 4, 49

[xxx] Shabbos 31b

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