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Army for woman

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Rabbi Elchanan Lewis

Elul 7, 5768
Question
What is the problems with girls going to the army? can you give specific reasons and which rabbonim have assured it.
Answer
All of the great Halachic authorities or previous and our generation including the chief Rabbinate of Israel agree that girls should not join the army and rather find an alternative framework to serve our country and people. There are various reasons mentioned by the Poskim for why women should not join the army. 1. Carrying weapons negates the prohibition for women to wear men's garments 2. The Talmud stats it is not for women to go to war or in fact be an integral part of a combating army [even if serving in a non-combating force] 3. Leaving her father's authority and needing to obey to other men apart from her father or husband. 4. The main reason is however, since it is an extremely complicated and challenging task [and in most cases impossible] to keep an appropriate standard of modesty within the framework of the army lifestyle. It is a challenge only a few can withstand proudly. [in fact this is a great difficulty for boys, let alone girls] As I mentioned, this is a Halacha fully agreed by rabbis of "all colours".
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