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Rabbi Bans Women from Driving

Sephardic Rabbi Avraham Yosef issued a decree forbidding Jewish women from driving or learning to drive, leaving many to ask what's next. Full Story

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To number 10
January 8, 2011 5:59 pm

B”H the Rebbe always gets in. If the story is true, if it happend, so first of all, those of us that remember, know the Rebbe said, that if his name is being quoted, the person quoting him may be asked to sign on a peace of paper. And if that person-no matter who that is -refuses to do so, it does not have to be taken for granted that the Rebbe actually had said it. And so, my dear, in your comment your full name is missing ,so even if the story DID sound true ,your credibility is missing.… Read more »

to #58
January 7, 2011 1:34 am

your personal driver!? duh!

# 19
January 6, 2011 11:11 am

i no right……….. crazy!!!!!!!

wow
January 6, 2011 5:08 am

wow no driving…. so whos is gona drive when the kids to and from school when the husband are in kollel????? i wonder

if we only still had harav mordechi eliahew obm running israel..
January 6, 2011 12:03 am

If the former chief rabbi of israel, harav mordechi eliahew OBM was still alive he would off not let such a thing like this go by so fast..
their are so many important things to fix up in life than these small things….
rabbi avraham and his father should stay out of politcs and a number of things and they should just consentrate more on influencing the torah and mitsvah”sthroughout israel..
This all would do isreal better..

Oooooy....Vey..Vey..Vey..Vey
January 5, 2011 9:56 pm

Why are we copying the Arabs exactly??
Hello Afghanistan hehe…
B”H us Lubav girls get to drive cars Amen to that =))))

#21
January 5, 2011 6:02 pm

That was the original and best family structure. Women in the house and kitchen always. According to you, what’s next? Mixed dancing is just fine?

sorry mister
January 5, 2011 4:48 pm

some people dont live in new york
what if your on shlichus
ur husband is in a meeting an hour drive away and u need 2 go 2 teach in ur hebrew school
wut r u gonna do
call ur shixe??
cmon

hysterical
January 5, 2011 3:18 pm

thank you to collive. You gave me something to laugh about today………

From a WOMAN!!!

the Rebbe
January 5, 2011 1:55 pm

See #26 Igros Kodesh posted above. The REBBE did not make a mockery of this practice. Why are you?

What???????/
January 5, 2011 12:47 pm

this is crazy its beyond anything normal, who in their right minds will agree to such a thing? so if a woman cant drive then who will be the one doing all the shopping? or getting the kids from school? while their husbands are at work i mean this is the most craziest thing i have ever heard its not even realistic wow what this world has come to? we are traveling back in time now to the 1600 were everything was forrbiden be4 womens rights and all ….excuse me but women are equal to men and they can drive… Read more »

What in the world thats crazy!
January 5, 2011 12:42 pm

The mothers are the head they have to drive what if they
have to go some where its emergency and you dont know how to drive and no one can go for you?
what do you do?
that is mad!
i must say!
its not realistic!

#48
January 5, 2011 12:21 pm

Your mother has wise words.

my mother always said
January 5, 2011 8:38 am

the best man for the job is the woMAN

to #10
January 5, 2011 8:11 am

a place thats not allowed could mean somewhere she shouldn’t have been. or anyone else should be not just woman.
alot of chassidim hold not to let ladys drive..
in todays day it is a necessaty for woman to drive there are alot of woman who acctually drive their husbands around, men who never learned to drive.

to number 16
January 4, 2011 11:56 pm

why exactly do you hate when your wife drives???

AND
January 4, 2011 11:55 pm

who says women are even allowed outside [just kidding for those of you who dont realize]

To #21
January 4, 2011 11:00 pm

Why do you speak about women as though they are someone’s pet? Crown Heights has some of the most liberated women in the world – liberated meaning respected at home, in the community, they utilize their talents to the full, and are deeply fulfilled people and absolutely integral to their families. I don’t know how you treat your wife but it sounds like she needs some of that cheerful, confident energy that our women have. And by the way, although the headlines make it sound otherwise, the Rabbi is a sephardic Rabbi in a different community overseas as I’m sure… Read more »

For Goodness Sakes...
January 4, 2011 10:35 pm

The Rebbe didn’t say that a woman shouldn’t drive in a certain area. He said that she should listen to the Rabbonim of her community. Stop trying to use the Rebbe as an excuse to persecute women, you idiots. This “rabbi” is obviously a chauvinist who doesn’t like the idea of women being able to get around on their own.

who is looking where?
January 4, 2011 9:46 pm

Maybe men who are too vulnerable should be kept indoors so they do not view women( who have every right to live like normal human beings with the same freedom and rights like men).

In case of emergency?
January 4, 2011 8:21 pm

How can a woman drive in an emergency, if she couldn’t even learn how to drive?

this is awesome...
January 4, 2011 7:56 pm

Fabulous PR for the frum world!!!!

A joke?
January 4, 2011 7:44 pm

This is a chilul hashem!!!!!

I am speachles! He should not be allowed to make such a decision!

I dont know why everyone is so surprised...
January 4, 2011 7:42 pm

While this is obviously not the way I was raised, this isnt exactly “new news.” Go to Kiryas Yoel in NY, women dont drive. And when was the last time you saw a Meah Shearim woman driving around Yerushalayim?? They take the bus or taxis…
The women who follow this Rav are already not driving to begin with..

unbelieveble
January 4, 2011 6:57 pm

let these rabbis keep their opinion to them selves and made a decree they are not kings not saying i dont respect them but i just think they have no right to tell women what to do

Follow your psak!
January 4, 2011 6:24 pm

As a Rav, he should show how serious he is about hyis decree by not getting into a vehecile untill his decree is enforced by all rabbanim.

Using his logic; the roads are teribly unpure and not a place for a Rav!

krazy
January 4, 2011 6:19 pm

this is such an unlogical debate. Wether woman can drive or not?!?!?! Thats there choice! Bud out!!!

All backwards
January 4, 2011 6:12 pm

If women would just stay at home like they’re supposed to, we wouldn’t need all these edicts.

yeah to top it all off
January 4, 2011 6:02 pm

it’s true woman are riding bikes in ch but that is a bit weird but it’s okay let live and enjoy whats around you! but not to drive a car abnormal and i will not accept that i know others will but i will continue driving a car,

okay!
January 4, 2011 6:00 pm

I’m not trying to say that the rabbi’s are bad but that is a bit off the record and i don’t think it is necessary at all thats like a law saying that if you don’t own a house you cannot get merechoice and i don’t think it’s right for rabbi’s to issue a decree like that, i wonder what would happen if a lubavitcher woman drove a car in that neighborhood they probably would have stoned her. although nobody here will listen to that when they go to those city’s i myself will not listen because it totally does… Read more »

...
January 4, 2011 5:58 pm

than seating by the passenger seat should be forbidden also?!!

dont laugh
January 4, 2011 5:22 pm

I feel sorry for the sephardi women whose husbands will enforce this ruling. got in himmel

number 10 – learn how to spell u toss

What?!?
January 4, 2011 5:20 pm

Why shouldn’t females be allowed to drive?! In Canada, women don’t have to pay for insurance while the boys do b/c guys are MORE RECKLESS!! If the issue is b’c guys might look into another’s car, well that’s his fault! He should be keeping his eyes on the road!!

just a thought
January 4, 2011 5:12 pm

from the other point of veiw……
out all the rabbis worldwide—
only 2 adhere to such an opinion

lol!!!
January 4, 2011 5:11 pm

hysterical

from Igros Kodesh
January 4, 2011 5:10 pm

“I do not know the customs of the community to which he belongs according to your letter. I do believe, however, according to that which I have heard, that they completely oppose the whole idea of a woman driving a car. Although other pious communities have a different view on this matter, nevertheless there is the well-known Torah principle that “In the place of Rav, one is to act according to the rulings of Rav; in the place of Shmuel, one is to act according to the rulings of Shmuel.””

Excerpt from Igros Kodesh, Vol. XVI, p. 203

Agree with 21
January 4, 2011 4:43 pm

these are the kinds of things that make the world think we’re crazy….and you know what? they r right if this is the kind of thing rabbis feel a need they have to control. As previous posters have said, the reason given that it’s because of tznius makes no sense. A man can see a woman anywhere…If a woman can’t be driving in a car because of tznius…what’s next? can she walk outside? where will this stop?? Time for some real rabbis to put a ban on these “rabbis” – why do they still think that women are possessions they… Read more »

get real
January 4, 2011 4:19 pm

in Antwerp the chasidishe woman ride around in bikes!
how ridiculous is that?

get real and let people live!

pathetic
January 4, 2011 4:16 pm

dont know if i should laugh or cry when i read these articles, i llive in stamford hill (chasidish area in london) and the woman get around in car services with male drivers, is that preferable.

To # 19
January 4, 2011 4:06 pm

It says if there’s an emergency then women are allowed to drive.. Why don’t you read b4 assuming?

Burka
January 4, 2011 3:53 pm

Just put the burka on and thats it!! Leave your wives in the kitchen with the kids and change your to taliban!! This is not Chabads shita!!

Hello?! This article is Iranian propaganda
January 4, 2011 3:01 pm

This article was taken from Iran’s official English-language paper. It has no credibility.

doesnt make sense.
January 4, 2011 2:48 pm

what if chas vesholom there is an emergency of any kind and the only driver could be a woman. Does not make sense. Help people get stronger in their yiddishkeit in other ways, this doesnt make sense.

Seriously?
January 4, 2011 2:48 pm

I can’t imagine that the women who are part of that community are seductive looking. Why are the men even looking at other drivers while driving? Shouldn’t their eyes be on the road? Absolutely ridiculous!

Don't get it!
January 4, 2011 2:45 pm

Isn’t more tznius for a woman to be in a car than parading down the street in full view, especially in th summer time? Is there something I’m missing??

I LIKE IT
January 4, 2011 2:23 pm

AS A MAN I HATE IT WHEN MY WIFE DRIVE NOW ILL JUST TELL HER SHE CANT DRIVE CAZ RABBI YOSEF SAID SO

comment 10 is true
January 4, 2011 2:06 pm

Rabbi gluckowsky said this story about women not driving in a place that the the rabonim dont allowed it – the rebbe supported the local decision

to #8
January 4, 2011 1:58 pm

Good one!!

Rebbe's view
January 4, 2011 1:58 pm

I heard from the Rebbe’s secretary R.L.G. that a woman from other hasidic group (in Monsey) wrote to the Rebbe if she is allowed to drive where the Rabbi in her group forbid it. The Rebbe said that he can not get involved. When a Chabad woman (in Crown Heights) wrote to the Rebbe about driving, the Rebbe answered, how else should you get around? Avrahom Gilman

This is not new
January 4, 2011 1:52 pm

While archaic and probably outdated, this edict has been enforced quite effectively in the Heimishe community.

It probably comes from days of horse and buggy where she’d have to be sitting high up in front of the wagon which would be a legitimate breach of tznius…. This probably stems from some subconscious fear of having a woman in the drivers seat (and a need to control no doubt) as though she wouldn’t be visible if she were sitting in the front passenger seat…

pathetic
January 4, 2011 1:45 pm

“..arguing seductive appearance of women distracted men drivers and thus resulted in a large number of traffic accidents”. SO MEN IN ISRAEL SHOULD BE FORBIDDEN TO DRIVE!!! what is this stupidity?? its not saudia arabia – its israel!!! (if that rabbi really wants, he can cancel his wifes licence, but who does he think he is to tell all women not to drive!)

its not so crazy
January 4, 2011 1:30 pm

The rebbe once told a women that the reason y she got into a accident is cuz she was driving in a place where women aren’t aloud to

can we drive with burkas on?
January 4, 2011 1:16 pm
confused
January 4, 2011 12:59 pm

tell israely men not to drive because they might look at a women and crash

Are you kidding?
January 4, 2011 12:55 pm

“..arguing seductive appearance of women distracted men drivers and thus resulted in a large number of traffic accidents”.
So maybe they shouldn’t be in cars at all, or even be near any place where cars ‘may’ pass.

When you're miserable.... seek control
January 4, 2011 12:49 pm

Clamp down even harder and blame/put responsibility on others, right? As other commentors have alluded to – in suit with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the like. What’s there to look forward to/what kind of quality of life is over there?

...
January 4, 2011 12:44 pm

no Sheitals, No driving.. so whats next?

crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 4, 2011 12:32 pm
taken from an iranian website....
January 4, 2011 12:21 pm

article was taken from an iranian website…

decree...???
January 4, 2011 12:17 pm

Welcome to Afghanistan….

abosolutly redic.
January 4, 2011 11:53 am

if these rabbis had there way we would be living in the medieval ages…its people like this that make people look badly on Judaism

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