Hi Rav Shvat! Hope you’re doing well. I have a question for you-if we argue (and I agree) that Chareidim not drafting and serving into the army are violating milchemet mitzva, then shouldn’t women be obligated as well nowadays? How could the tzniut/coed argument for women not serving in the army possibly be enough to counter a milchemet mitzva? Hope that makes sense. Let me know what you think! A. The answer is really technical and pragmatic. There is no shortage of non-kravi soldiers, but rather the dire shortage which must be filled, is in the front-line battle units, both in the standing army and milu’im (reserves). That is exactly where the Haredim and Jews from abroad could and must fill the vacuum of the unfortunately many soldiers who have fallen or been wounded, in addition to the new front-line units which the army has announced must be formed. Those units, which are totally male, are perfectly suited for the Haredi men, and that’s exactly what we lack (and accordingly, the yeshiva boys who can be exempted, should clearly be those who are not fit for combat units). There is no lack of non-combat nor semi-combat soldiers, those units which are unfortunately “very co-ed” (and with almost no religious boys), and could easily be filled by the overload of non-combat male soldiers, of which there is no shortage. Similarly, there are many men, mostly non-religious, who despite being physically fit, choose not to go to combat units, and just like the Haredim, now should be forced to do so.
Theoretically, if the army would need more semi-combat women soldiers, they could and should easily fill the shortage by accommodating the needs of religious girls by founding female-only semi-combat units [see Rambam hil. M’lachim 7, 4 which can be understood in 2 ways- see the Radbaz there, but many aren’t aware that the Rambam himself explains exactly what he means towards the end of his introduction to the Sefer HaMitzvot, that women are (!) obligated in Milchemet Mitzva= wars of self-defense, but again that would only be if they’re needed, and clearly only after drafting all of the men. Although the Sefer HaChinuch (603) exempts women from the Milchemet Mitzva against Amalek, regarding the Milchemet Mitzva of piku’ach nefesh of Israel, he would also agree that women must go, if needed, as in Israel’s War of Independence). But again, at present that’s not what’s lacking, and accordingly, the army has not suggested starting female-only semi-combat units. Shabbat Shalom ושנשמע בשורות טובות! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)