than religion and the unreasonable values and customs practised by believers. To regard a woman with contempt has only one effect upon me, that I should regard all extremists with exactly the same degree of contempt, and thus I do. I disregard them when they approach me and I refuse to have any dealings or interaction whatsoever with them. If we all treated them the same way instead of bowing down to them and treating them as "holy men" then they might change their attitude.

Where is it in Torah? Where is it written in Torah that you cannot hear woman sing?!

Those who desert battlefield have no right to serve in officer rank. Hashem may have brought them to IDF, but he does not chose their battlefields. Get out of army if you can not handle real world.

If the IDF becomes progressively more religious and Israel's enemies find out about this, they will be able to force Israelis out of Eretz Yisrael by simply sending their women across the border, singing as loudly as they can. The IDF will have no option but to flee this highly dangerous weapon.

As a gay man and not so well versed in all the intricacies of the Torah, yet having come from a Jewish traditional background, I must beg to differ from the comments that this is an act of contempt for women, since this prohibition was instated with the purpose of, among other things, safeguarding modesty, which nowadays seems a rather unheard of concept. As a 21st century educated individual, I can relate to it, because I believe that women should not be objectified. And I also believe in respecting diversity. If these soldiers are religiously commanded to observe this law, then the Army should have been a bit more thoughtful, since: 1) we live in a Jewish country (if religious Jews can't feel comfortable here, then where else?) and 2) it wouldn't hurt to do that part in the end of the event, and thus allow observant soldiers to leave without much fuss.

This law comes from our Oral tradition as recorded in the Gemara. For an Orthodox Jew, the Torah is the source of all the guidelines for an ethical life. But the laws are not always clear to people in later generations who need the oral tradition to understand why as well as all the do's and dont's. If we rely solely on the Torah, we may be misled by our own interpretation rather than abide by what's believed to be the original intent of the law.

Did not Miriam the sister of Moses compose and sing? Do not women serve with distinction in the IDF?

It is unfortunate that you feel that way. Kol Isha is not derogatory to women, as any one with even a basic understanding of Judaism can tell you. More important, this issue is not about religion. It is about a cadet's right to exercise his right to refuse to partake in an a volitional activity.

The only outrageous, delusional and immoral, is this rabbi Drukman. It should be Drunkman. And this rabbi Hacohen KNOWS (he must be god) that the dismissal f the 4 idiots will hurt the entire Army. What a stupid prediction blurred outby a stupid man.

Let the secularists die for their State. Stay home and learn Torah!

B"H In Judaism it is forbidden for girls to sing from the age of 12 upwards in front of men and for men to listen to their singing. It is against the spirit of tzniut (modesty) even under that age. A husband is allowed to listen to his wife's singing when she is pure, according to the laws on nidda (menstrual cycle), but not when he is praying or learning Torah. Now, the fact that the IDF punishes halachicly correct Jewish behavior is an alarming sign not only of the fact that the army of the so-called Jewish State evidently is anything but Jewish, but of the outright religious discrimination in there against Jews. The discriminating officers against Jews must be dismissed without delay and the IDF must not tollerate anti-Jewish manifestations of anti-Jewish hate.

It is also a well known opinion and religious belief in Torah Judaism. I find it scary that religious Jews are being told how they are permitted to observe their religious beliefs by a non-religious officer. They are serving in the army, doing the officier training. They did not harm anyone. This is not a refusal of a combat order, or even a training incident. This is bad. More oppression of the religious by the secular. It happens a lot in Israel.

I get annoyed with overzealousness about "kol isha" as well, but these soldiers were *not* being overzealous. They did not leave when two women sang together. They did not leave just because women opened their mouths. They only left once a woman began singing solo, which is the law. There was no "lack of camaraderie." They didn't "dis" women singers or their fellow soldiers. If they would've left as soon as any women sang at all, that would be another story. But they remained until a woman was singing solo, which is where the religious law stands. I think the army is being ridiculous, and should have been tolerant. Or should have arranged for two women to sing in harmony together. Which would've been lovely as well, wouldn't it. And wouldn't have ruffled any religious feathers (except of the overzealous, which these soldiers were not).

reliable adviser.

Talk about having your cake and eating it. Hypocrites.

This is something very strange ... the IDF to flee Hamas simply putting women to sing .. or maybe send the Hezbollah terrorists singers. I think the IDF the best in the world but getting rid of these fanatics!!

"To those who believe, there are no questions; for those who don't, there are no answers." If they were "extremists" you would not be free to live the way you want to. Orthodox Jews do not impose their will upon you, that's just your own prejudiced perception. The soldiers walked out because there is a lav against hearing a married Jewish Woman singing. It's a fencepost against illicit relations. The IDF should be sensitive to those issues.

Something called "common sense" cries out that if the soldiers' requirements are an absolute, unyielding total adherence to some Orthodoxy, think Taliban rule in Afghanistan pre-9/11, probably the Army is not for them, let alone serving as officers, which is a privilege, not a right.

I will not send my kids to serve unless this descision is reversed ASAP. I call on all religious God fearing Jews to leave the IDF. Let the social protestors in Tel Aviv serve the Atheist State of Israel. Israel has ZERO claim to the land without the Torah, if Israel wants an IDF without God then let them find other patriotic citizens,

Yes, I am full of hate for all the extreme religious social misfits who are trying to impose their will on the way this country is run. I repeat I hate them for what they do and not for what they are. As far as other religious sects in other denominations are concerned I simply have deep contempt for them as I do for the normal run of the mill religious Jew. You spoke about ignorance. I can assure you that I am not ignorant about religion, history or anthropology. Believing in "God" and prophets and miracles is the epitome of Man's ignorance and is the classical manifestation of the feebleness of the human mind. Religion is without any doubt the greatest folly that Man ever invented and as a matter of recorded fact it has caused more death and destruction than any other single factor in the history bof Mankind. This Sir, is axiomatic so please do not try to evade this issue.

Pity that these filthy rotten parasites called religious were allowed to stay in the army They should not only be dismissed from Officers course but kicked out the IDF in disgrace.

kicked out of the army, they should be kicked out of Israel and out of our lives, if not they will be the ultimate ruination of what we are all attempting to be, a normal democratic society based on Western standards.

You mean Ro'ee Klein z"l, Pascal Avrahami z"l and Moshe Naftali z"l? Religious, Mitnahalim and, because they might not want to be forced to hear some singing, they are unworthy parasites "who should be kicked out of our lives" I cry because your wish came true.

The Z"L they brought upon themselves. Yes these cadets and all super extreme religious individuals in this country should not be here. They are useless and a burden to society. I do not wish to carry anyone except those who who are born with misfortune or those who are injured in defense of our country or unfortunate enough to be injured by accident. These people are unfortunate in that they have chosen a useless path in life but it is their choice and I and others do not have to care for them. As far as I am concerned their deity can look after them.

But here in Israel,our soldiers would walk out if a woman sang at him. HOW RIDICULOUS! In our present state of precarious existence,with the surrounding countries in turmoil,with our lousy government not compromising to make us safe...we STILL HAVE TIME FOR THESE OUTDATED SUPERSTITIONS...AND support these guys so that they can come up with MORE similar stuff. Get out of West Basnk,build houses on our side..there is plenty of room.Prosecute our extremists and their price tag policy.Then at least only one side will have extremists to deal with.

This is the real issue. If the nine felt that their religious custom (it is NOT a "law") against hearing a lone woman's voice singing trumps military law (obligatory attendance at mandatory events), then the punishment is deserved. No military is a democracy and people can't just do what they want, or claim that their own personal "higher authority" overrules the military framework. Assuming that the event was mandatory, as seems to be implied by the article, the proper behavior for the nine would have been to remain in place, hold their ears or otherwise not listen, and submit a complaint to their superiors after the fact. If the event was voluntary, they would have had the right to get up and leave at any time. The article indicated that the event was mandatory, so the behavior of trhe nine seems to indicate that they don't understand the implications of military discipline and rules. If that's the case, they have no business being officers in any military.

While it is possible to base the prohibition in Judaism to the Talmudic comment that "Kol Isha ervah" it should be noted that the prohibition on women's singing before men was adopted only by those Jewish communities living in Christian countries. In those countries, Christian tradition prohibited women performing in public; women's roles in theater and opera were performed by young men. However, in non-Christian countries, women not only sang aloud, but often performed in public. In Saloniki, for example, the typical wedding band consisted of two women vocalists and one man on musical instruments. Virtually all Ladino songs were written for women's voices. Thus, the prohibition should be seen as a European custom that was rationalised after its adoption by reference to the Talmud, and is by no means universal among religious Jews.

Lern Torah? Sure, but why do I have to pay for you and your family ? Be a man go and WORK,

Dear self-hating Jews: if your ancestors had not been "religious" then you wouldn't be here and you would not exist spending so much of your thoughts and energy calumniating traditional Jews. If the army leaders deliberately insult traditional Jews, why shouldn't they have the right to evacuate the auditorium?

I don't believe it's just a matter of the woman singing, the sound of the female voice tends to make people lose concentration on the subject matter at hand, which in this instance was military training Let's just think of it as a "Siren's Song" She should ahve been allowed to sing, they should have been issued shooting muffs to block the sound, or else stick their fingers in their ears