Responsum: On a Blind Teacher of Girls

Responsum 276

Question: What will you say [followed by very long string of honorary names and flattery] our teacher and our rabbi, our lord and our gaon, the great Moses, the strong gavel [of the law], may his name live forever, whose authority is the authority of truth and justice . . . [who raises the flag of the religion of Moses], the commentator of the Talmud . . . about the matter of a teacher of small girls, who had a disagreement with one man. While agitated verbally, he swore an oath that he would not teach the daughters of So-and-so. Later he regretted [his statement]. And, also, these girls do not remove their headscarves in front of others, and no one is available to replace him as their teacher. And he lost this benefit that he had from them and from their fathers. And there is no use in having women teach, since women teach erroneously. And the teacher himself is blind; no one has taken his place, and he is losing out because he had aid and benefit from it [his job].

Tell us, our lord and gaon, is it permissible for him to teach them? And your compensation from the heavens will be doubled.

He explains the prayers to them in Arabic.

[As if] the early rain covered it with blessings (Psalm 84:7).¹

Answer: If he regrets [this], he should bring his remorse before three Jewish men, and they will release him [from his oath]. And afterward, he can teach them as was his custom and there will be no sin upon him.

Thus wrote Moses.