Question: Why are women *Pasul leEidus* ? 

Does this still apply?

Answer: 
Loosely translated from [Kipa.co.il](http://www.kipa.co.il/ask/show/204215-%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%95%D7%A2-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%94-%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%95%D7%AA)

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> Women are disqualified because of a *gezeirat haKatuv,* [an inference from the Biblical text], as the Rambam says in Hilchot Eidut 9:2, based on Devarim 16:6 and 19:15, where it uses the male gender, and not the female. Thus we see that women are *not* disqualified because of their competency or trustworthiness, rather because of a biblical verse.
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> In addition, women are disqualified due to their honor\respect. A court does *not* have the right to subpoena women and subject them to interrogation. The flipside is that women are disqualified to testify, since they cannot be subjected to this disrepectful public appearance. In fact, in cases where the courts seek the testimony of women, messengers are sent to her home to perform the questioning, out of respect.
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> However, women are qualified to testify in certain cases [see article for details].
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I once heard an explanation of this halacha from Rabbi Orlofsky, in which it has nothing to do with women's competence or lack there of, and never implied a former lack of competence (as your question does).

Women are created with a stronger emotional sense, and are meant to be that way. They are meant to be in touch with their emotional side and not stifle it. This is why women are generally more compassionate (Megillah 14b), and they are meant to be.

Therefore, women are excluded from certain things that depend on stifling one's emotional attachment. One example is Rabbanus, where a Rav is meant to decide a psak based on a cold calculation of what is the correct halacha and not bend the halacha based on sympathy (sometimes the halacha itself may lend itself to leniency depending on the circumstances of the individual, but the point here is extra-halachic leniencies based on feelings of compassion) - it is unhealthy for a woman to force herself on such a consistent basis to suppress this part of her. Another example is witnesses - one is required to give testimony that will put someone to death, no matter how difficult of a situation it was for the person - it is forbidden to withhold testimony if you have it. It is therefore an exception for the sake of women to not be bound to such a thing.