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The Torah gives us halachos of a king, but I'm curious whether anyone discusses whether it is halachically acceptable to have a female reigning monarch - a queen, and if there was one, whether she would fulfil any of the halachos of a king? I don't mean just as the king's wife, but as the reigning monarch.

Moses Supposes
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    https://www.sefaria.org.il/II_Kings.11.3?lang=bi – Joel K Nov 28 '23 at 14:31
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    Note the question of permission and effect are different. It may not be allowed to appoint a queen but a ruling queen might still have the rules of "king" you refer to if she somehow got there anyway – Double AA Nov 28 '23 at 14:32
  • @DoubleAA good point, thanks - I have edited slightly – Moses Supposes Nov 28 '23 at 14:36
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    There was Shlomtzion who ruled after her husband Alexander Yannai died. She was the sister of Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach and supported the sages. – Harel13 Nov 28 '23 at 14:45
  • Shlomtzion, the last Jewish monarch and amazing woman indeed. Was she allowed @Harel13? I believe we have had 3 Jewish leaders who were women, starting with Devorah – Rabbi Kaii Nov 28 '23 at 14:46
  • @RabbiKaii Devorah wasn't a queen though, and Atalia's mother was Izevel, who was the daughter of the King of Tyre and I'm guessing probably wasn't Jewish, therefore Atalia wasn't either (and considering what she did, I really hope she wasn't!)? I presume she was the 3rd who you were referring to? – Moses Supposes Nov 28 '23 at 15:22
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    She doesn't have to worry about "not too many wives", at least – Heshy Nov 28 '23 at 17:38
  • @Heshy That did go through my head too! – Moses Supposes Nov 28 '23 at 17:39
  • @Harel13 She may have been a great person, but I wonder if anyone argues that the fact that the monarchy didn't continue after her is an indication that we shouldn't have a queen? – Moses Supposes Nov 29 '23 at 10:13
  • @RabbiKaii ^^^^ – Moses Supposes Nov 29 '23 at 10:13
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    Technically the monarchy did continue after her. Full Jewish independence under the Chashmonaim was short-lived. It was only for part of Yochanan Hyrcanus and Alexander Yannai's reign, at intervals. So even under partial Roman control, the Chashmonaim monarchy continued for a time and it may not have been much different from being under partial Seleucid or Ptolemian control. Then Herod killed pretty much everyone. But that was decades after her death. So I wouldn't blame her. – Harel13 Nov 29 '23 at 10:25
  • @Harel13 I wasn't really anyway. I'm British so a queen seems perfectly normal to me and the last one we had here seemed pretty decent! – Moses Supposes Nov 29 '23 at 10:28

1 Answers1

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It's unclear. We don't initially appoint woman to be the queen. The Sifrei says on the mitzvah of appointing a king says מֶלֶךְ וְלֹא מַלְכָּה. The mitzvah is to appoint a king and not a queen. However that is discussing the initial anointment. If the situation would be someone becoming a monarch as an inherited position it's possible that a woman would inherit her father's position.

The Minchas Chinuch on the Chinuch, Mitzva 497 raises and discusses the possibility that those who can not be appointed as king can still inherit the positions. He discusses the possibility of a queen being appointed under such circumstances but don't give a final ruling. Rav Schach in his comments on the Minchas Chinuch brings further sources to discuss the question but also indicates that he is uncertain what the halacha would be in such a case.

The Igros Moshe references that Minchas Chinuch in relation to a different question. He seems to lean towards saying that a queen would be appointed if she inherited the position (but that wasn't the question he was asked so he doesn't say definitively).

Schmerel
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