Gavriel pacanowski asked:
Hello I am 8 years old. I am learning mishnayos brochos perek gimmel mishna gimmal. I've got a question. Why does the mishna say that a woman, servant and a child are potur from wearing teffilim I thout a women is not allowed to wear teffilim because its mens clothes and a women is not allowed to wear mens clothes?
Gavriel pacanowski, Melbourne,Australia
The Kollel replies:
Good question! The Targum Yonasan (Devarim 22:5) does say that a woman is not allowed to wear Tefilin because it is considered the clothing of men. However, that opinion is not commonly found in the Mishnayos or Gemara, which don't seem to agree with the Targum Yonasan (see Eiruvin 96 that some Tana'im held it was actually a Mitzvah for women to wear Tefilin).
All the best,
Yaakov Montrose