However it is my understanding that if a man had not said bircath hatorah
and had already said kriath shema (with beracoth) [the Shema with its
blessings] that he is no longer allowed to say bircath hatorah since the
beracoth of kriath shmah serve this purpose. Based on this it would seem
that women also are not allowed to say bircath hatorah if they have davened
kriath shemah. It would also appear to me that saying an improper beracha
is not a rabbinical error but a biblical error (.. not using Hashem's name
in vain).
In response to Michael Broyde [TF V2 #86] who introduced the distinction
between technical and public policy issues in women's prayer groups, I
would like to also ask the following:
would it be "logical / acceptable" to invoke the prohibition of lo
tisgodidu (don't make yourselves into many factions) to discourage women
from separating from men and making a prayer group? The reason I phrase my
question in this way is that to the best of my knowledge we do **not**
invoke lo tisgodidu when men wish to make a "new minyan" in a town.
Respectfully
Russell Jay Hendel, Ph.d., ASA