Q&A: Women in Public Office
Women in Public Office
Question
Hello Rabbi,
What is the halakhic basis for permitting the appointment of a woman to a position that involves authority over the public, such as a female judge, a female Knesset member, a female rabbinic leader, etc.?
Thank you very much.
Answer
Before you ask what the permission is, ask what the prohibition is. And even if there is a prohibition (in my opinion there isn’t), there is also the rule of “they accepted her upon themselves.”
See a similar discussion regarding converts here:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%9E%D7%93-%D7%94%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%92%D7%A8-%D7%90%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%90%D7%95-%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A1-%D7%97%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%AA%D7%99