Weapons for Women. Is it Permitted?

The Torah states: "A woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment" (Leviticus 19). From this we learn that it is forbidden for a man to wear women's clothing, and likewise forbidden for a woman to wear men's clothing. And in the Tractate Nazir (59a) we learn: "Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: How do we know that a woman should not go out with weapons to war? The verse teaches: 'A woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment.'"

This is the language of the Rambam (Avodah Zarah 12:10): "A woman shall not wear a man's ornaments, such as placing a turban or hat on her head, or wearing armor and the like. And a man shall not wear a woman's ornaments, such as wearing colorful garments and gold jewelry in places where only women do so, all according to the custom of the country. A man who adorns himself with women's ornaments, and a woman who adorns herself with men's ornaments, are liable to lashes." The Kesef Mishneh wrote that the Rambam ruled according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov's opinion, because the Gemara states (Gittin 67a) "The teachings of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov are few but clear." This is also the ruling of other early authorities. The Tur and Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 182:5) also ruled according to the Rambam's language we quoted.

However, it is clear from the Rambam's language and the words of the authorities that anything women have also adopted as customary to wear, even if it was originally men's clothing, is not forbidden for women to wear. Similarly, something that women used to do, but later men also adopted, has no prohibition whatsoever.

An example of this is the law about looking in mirrors, where our sages explained that it is forbidden for a man to look in a mirror to beautify himself. However, in our time, men also customarily look in mirrors, and therefore according to the law there is no prohibition in this nowadays, since the reality has changed, and it is no longer exclusively a women's custom.

Now regarding weapons, although they are generally made for men more than for women, nevertheless, when there is a vital need, such as in frontier settlements and the like, where there is a fear of mortal danger from murderous terrorists who aim to kill people and sow destruction and ruin in Israel, it is also permissible for women to train and carry weapons to protect themselves and the school students under their supervision, for fear of malicious terrorist actions, which show no mercy to old or young. For nothing stands in the way of saving lives.

Rabbeinu Yehuda HaChassid already wrote in Sefer Chassidim (section 200): "It is time to act for Hashem; they have violated Your Torah. Therefore, if non-Jews besiege a city of Israel, or if women traveling on the road fear they might be attacked and assaulted by non-Jews, they are permitted to wear men's clothing and gird themselves with swords, so that the non-Jews will think they are men. The same applies to young men without beards, who may wear women's clothing to escape from enemies." So ruled the Terumat HaDeshen (section 196).

This has also been ruled by our master Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Yechaveh Da'at 5:55), and by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe (Vol. 6 Yoreh De'ah, 35), and other leading authorities, who provided additional grounds for leniency in this matter.

In summary: Teachers and kindergarten teachers in frontier settlements are permitted to train and hold weapons when guarding schools, provided they are very careful to observe all rules of modesty during their training, as befits proper Jewish women, and that they do not seclude themselves with unfamiliar men during weapons training, according to the guidelines outlined by our sages in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer (section 22). And they shall have the fear of Hashem before them. May Hashem protect their coming and going forever.

Rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef courtesy of the "Daily Halacha" website