A Time to Act for Hashem: Is a Woman Permitted to Carry a Weapon?

Question: Are women permitted to carry weapons for essential purposes?

Answer: 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 here 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. In 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 Torah 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 should 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 should not wear a woman's ornaments, such as wearing colorful clothes and gold jewelry in a place where only women do so, all according to the custom of the country. A man who wears a woman's ornaments and a woman who wears a man's ornaments are liable to lashes." Maran the Kesef Mishneh wrote that the Rambam ruled according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, because the Talmud states (Gittin 67a) "The teachings of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov are few but clear." Other early authorities ruled similarly. The Tur and Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 182:5) also ruled according to the Rambam's wording that we cited.

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

An example of this is looking in a mirror, which our sages explained is forbidden for a man to do for the purpose of beautification. However, in our time, men also commonly look in mirrors, and therefore according to Jewish law there is no prohibition in this nowadays, since the reality has changed, and it is no longer exclusively a women's practice.

Now regarding weapons, although weapons are generally made for men more than for women, nevertheless, in places where there is a vital need, such as in frontier settlements and the like, where there is concern for danger to life from fear of murderous terrorists who have made it their objective to kill people and sow destruction in Israel, it is also permitted for women to train with and carry weapons to protect themselves and the students in the schools under their supervision, out of concern for malicious actions by terrorists, who do not spare the elderly and have no mercy for the young. For nothing stands in the way of saving lives.

Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid already wrote in Sefer Chassidim (Section 200) as follows: "A time to act for Hashem, they have violated Your Torah, therefore if non-Jews besiege a Jewish city, and similarly if women traveling on the road fear they might encounter non-Jews who would assault them, they are permitted to wear men's clothing and gird themselves with a sword, 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 be saved from enemies." The Terumat HaDeshen (Section 196) ruled similarly.

This was also ruled by our master Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Yechaveh Daat 5:55), and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe (Volume 6 Yoreh Deah, 35), along with other leading authorities. They brought additional arguments to be lenient in this matter.

In summary: It is permitted for female teachers and kindergarten teachers in frontier settlements to train with and handle weapons when guarding schools, provided that they are very careful to observe all modesty rules during their training, as befitting proper Jewish women, and do not seclude themselves with a man who is not their husband during weapons training, according to what is explained by our teachers the Tur and Shulchan Aruch in Even HaEzer (Section 22). And the fear of Hashem should be upon their faces. May Hashem protect their comings and goings forever.

Rabbi Shai Amar is a rabbi in the Halachic department of Hidabroot

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