by Rebecca Honig Friedman

Sometimes you realize your world view is so different from someone else’s there’s just no point in even engaging in debate.
That’s how this, coming from the same rabbi who said women “must dress modestly also when alone and in the dark,” makes us feel (bolded phrases are added for emphasis, and bracketed italics are my comments):

Prominent Zionist-religious leader, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner called on young religious women not to enlist in the army, a move he defined as a violation of Torah laws.
In an open letter published in the Mayyaney Hayeshua movement’s pamphlet this weekend, Aviner ruled that army service is forbidden for all women, and urged his female readers to act for its annulment [–Don’t just obey my nonsense, become a partner in spreading my nonsense.]
“Never enlist in the army…ever,” Aviner wrote, quoting a list of leading chief rabbis and religious leaders who have prohibited such service in the past. “It is forbidden! Forbidden like kashrut! Forbidden like Shabbat! And especially forbidden like modesty! [–Need we point out that kashrut, Shabbat and modesty are not forbidden, that, in fact, observing them is very much encouraged?]
The rabbi stressed that while contributing to the State is indeed important, one must not do so by serving in the army. The women’s duty during war, he wrote, was to support the men who go to battle. Enlistment, on the other hand, is a desecration of God’s name. [–Oh, is that all?]
Instead of dedicating themselves to the challenges of military duty, Aviner offered girls to fight for abolishing “this negative phenomenon.” [–Brilliant! Tap into that military organizing spirit and use it to abolish military service.]
“We need you to function as a pure and clean woman… and not to undermine your mental foundation [–Whatever that means] … remember: Army service for women, in any shape or form – is forbidden! Forbidden! Resist the temptation!” [–Forbidden! Forbidden! Forbidden! Could he sound any more hysterical?] he concluded. [–Hallelujah!]

Now we’ve gotta ask: Would any woman who before reading this rant was planning to do military service take Rabbi Aviner seriously enough to change her mind? Enough to take up arms against the very ability of women to serve in the military?
One hopes not, and yet one is so often surprised by people.

Hat tip: Jewschool’s Kol Ra’ash Gadol

Posted on May 14th, 2008 Filed under: Uncategorized |