First of all, the laws were NOT made by man, they were made by G-d. In
many cases where the Rabbis did make laws which impacted upon women, they
were to protect women from various problems (e.g. the kesuva). In other
cases the Rabbis placed additional obligations upon men but did not
place these obligations upon women (e.g. much of our prayer obligations
are d'rabonon-Rabbinical). There are many possible reasons why they did
not impose these obligations upon women. Each case must be dealt with
seperately.
Secondly, these laws do not ONLY restrict women's behavior they restrict
the behavior of men as well (perhaps more). Men and women are different
physically and mentally. These distinctions are reflected on a spiritual
plain. (Some would switch that around, saying that the physical is a
reflection of the spiritual but the point is the same.) Therefore SOME of
the laws governing women are different from men.
The business about women being on a higher spiritual level IS deceiving.
Women are different from men spiritually as well as physically and
therefore have different strengths (and weaknesses) than men. In some
regards women will be higher, in others men will be. Anyone who starts
claiming that women are just higher PERIOD is, indeed, giving you a
"line".
>I don't want to be extolled, I want to be treated with the same
>respect due >a man for my humanity. I don't want to be protected, I want
the same >opportunity for spiritual growth and fulfilment that a man has.
Spiritual growth simply isn't the same for a woman as it is for a man.
There is no way around this. Spiritual growth is just as important for a
woman as for a man but it is different in approach. This may not be
politically correct but it is true.
Lazer