Based on this, other Achronim explain why women are obligated in the mitzvah of building the Beis HaMikdash. They suggest that the mitzvah of building the Beis HaMikdash is not a mitzvah that is essentially an obligation for every individual to perform; rather it is a mitzvah that requires that there should be a Beis HaMikdash built – and therefore everyone must ensure that it is built. In this type of mitzvah, the Minchas Chinuch explains that the Ritvah’s view is that women are obligated.
I do not see what indicates that this mitzvah requires a Beis HaMikdash to be built but that it is not an obligation on every individual to build it. I would also like to suggest a different p’shat in the Ritvah. I believe that the Ritvah’s answer is that there are some mitzvos only pertaining to oneself (e.g. donning tefillin and other mitzvos that one must perform for others. The mitzvah that parents have to give their son a bris milah is a mitzvah that they must perform for someone else – namely their son. As a result, without the pasuk women would be obligated.
The Rambam states at the beginning of Hilchos Beis Habechirah that the mitzvah to build the Beis HaMikdash is to both have a place where people can bring korbanos and to come three times a year on Yom Tov. This mitzvah is not merely for the benefit of oneself; rather it is to benefit all of klal Yisrael. Therefore, women are obligated in this mitzvah – even if it is a mitzvas assei she’hazman gramma.
For questions or comments, e-mail [email protected].
