In our Gemara on Amud Beis, there's a discussion regarding the vulnerabilities of women compared to men:

גְּמָ׳ מַאי טַעְמָא? תְּנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ: הוֹאִיל וְנָשִׁים דַּעְתָּן קַלּוֹת עֲלֵיהֶן.

What is the reason that a man may not be secluded with two women, but a woman may be secluded with two men? The school of Eliyahu taught: Women are of light mind.

The phrase דעתן קלות has been a source of offense for some women, as it implies a certain intellectual inferiority. Some contemporary explanations I have seen strike me as apologetics or forced interpretations. It's essential to acknowledge that there are equal numbers of intelligent women and men; you can observe this in the couples you know. While men may often be more assertive and vocal in expressing their opinions, the idea that women inherently possess less intellectual acuity than men is questionable. So, how do we reconcile this statement from our tradition?

Moreover, in Gemara Niddah 45b, we find a contrasting sentiment that attributes intellectual superiority to women:

Ben Yehoyada and Iyun Yaakov (ibid) address this contradiction by suggesting that it applies to the primordial woman before her consumption of the forbidden fruit, which distorted her due to physical desires. Ritva (ibid) argues that this Gemara refers to earlier intellectual maturation but not overall intellectual superiority. Regardless of the interpretation, the Talmudic stance suggests that women may be lacking in some intellectual capacity as compared to men.

Let's explore a different interpretation that takes into account the text, context, and insights into feminine and masculine psychology. In the context of our Gemara in Kiddushin, it refers to a greater susceptibility to sexual persuasion. Rashi clearly states this. However, this notion is not always supported by experience. Are we to believe that men are better at managing their desires and lust, especially in sexual matters, than women? The answer lies in understanding that this is not just about sexuality, although desire plays a role, but it's primarily about the intellectual quality of women to be persuaded. This interpretation is also supported by Rashi in Bereishis (3:15), which mentions that the Serpent chose to engage with Chava because "women have light intellect and can be more easily persuaded." The simple non-Midrashic interpretation was that this was not a sexual overture, yet the Serpent believed Chava to be more vulnerable.

The perspective of the Gemara Niddah could be rooted in the concept of "Binah" or intuition, which comes from the root בן B-N, meaning to build, infer, or derive ideas from existing data. In essence, it suggests that women may possess greater intuition and can arrive at conclusions with less linear and analytical thought. On the other hand, they may be more easily persuaded, which is the "lightness" attributed to their intellectual capacities. This susceptibility to persuasion is tied to their inclination to seek safety through bonding and maintaining relationships, valuing relational connections over rationality and logic.

Men, on the other hand, tend to set boundaries, differentiating themselves and being less conciliatory. They find safety in these boundaries and are more analytical in their approach. The feminine character focuses more on attachment and intuitive, emotional factors, while the masculine character, driven by aggression, seeks differentiation, leading to more black-and-white analytical distinctions. Of course, it's important to note that these traits and tendencies do not define individuals, as there are men with more feminine character traits and women with more masculine character traits.

Rav Sorotzkin (Oznayim Le-Torah, Bereishis 2:22) shares a similar idea, emphasizing that women often engage in nurturing, which is a matter of the heart. This allows them to intuit things based on emotional impressions that are non-verbally transmitted. This strength and weakness simultaneously apply to women. They can be more easily persuaded because they prioritize collaboration and connection over intellectual differentiation. Yet, their ability to empathize and tune in to others provides them with insights and intellectual leaps that go beyond mere data analysis.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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