Nat'l religious rabbi: Women shouldn’t be MKs

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner says in lecture that women involved in politics is not modest, later says comments were taken out of context.

By JEREMY SHARON
10/24/2012 18:31

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, a leading figure in the national-religious community, said in conversation with his students this week that women should not stand for election to the Knesset.

“It is forbidden for a woman to serve as member of Knesset, it’s not modest,” the rabbi said. “Public exposure contradicts the Jewish principle that ‘all the glory of the daughter of a king is internal’,” Aviner added in comments first published on the Kipa website.

The rabbi subsequently stated in a letter to Likud MK Tzipi Hotovelly that his comments were taken out of context.

“For sure, the Torah ideal is that women should not be involved in politics, but clearly, if there will be women in the Knesset anyway, then certainly one should vote for those women that will bring the most blessing to the nation,” wrote Aviner.

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=289132