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Jan 24, 2011

MBD, Mixed Audiences, And Singing In Front Of Women

The Jewish/Hassidic music industry is still tumultuous with singers under attack regularly.

The latest attack is against Mordechai Ben David. He is scheduled to perform in Israel this week for an organization, Ohr Chaya, in a performance for women only.

Pashkevilim have been put up around Yerushalayim by the Committee for Purity of the Camp attacking MBD for performing in front of women, and they call on the women to stay away as the gedolim have prohibited singers from performing in front of women. (source: Kikar)

So now it is not just mixed performances that are prohibited, but they cant perform in front of women at all? Does that mean singers cannot perform in front of crowds that are only women or even mixed crowds that sit separately?

In another note on the same subject, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, one of the sons of Rav Ovadiah, has paskened yesterday that while singers should not perform in front of mixed audiences, and we must protest it and encourage them to stop, it is still permitted to listen to their music. The performer who does sing in front of such audiences does not become banned or prohibited. (source: Ladaat)

14 comments:

  1. Is it because the women dance in their seats, so he's potentially subjecting himself to looking at women inappropriately? Or is it the same as men even speaking in front of women - facing them at all?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The new chumrah of the Month: Kol Ish. Remember, Kol B'Ish Ervah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Can someone out there please explain to me how these "rabbonim" can asur a women's only concert because of..whatever

    BUT

    They won't asur the practice of allowing known child molestors to continue to teach and be around children?!?!?!

    We have gone really wrong here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. anon1 - your guess is as good as mine. the pashkevils dont say, nor does the article.

    anon2 - kol b'ish erva. I like it. Chumra of the Month.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't like women cause I used to be one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We're really living through a monumental era. We are witnessing the birth of a new religion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've heard that the Sefer Chasidim hasa shitta that Kol Ish is assur for women to listen to.

    ReplyDelete
  8. yoni - even if that is true, and I have no idea if it is or is not, does that mean it automatically becomes halacha and that everyone has to keep to this hanhaga of the sefer chassidim? ad kdei kach that he has to be lambasted in public?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Actually Rabbi "I Heard" is the biggest posek around, out-trumps Sefer Chassidim any day.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't think that everyone should take this chumra seriously if it is only mentioned by anonymous pashkevilim.

    Why do only some people get vilified for appearing in front of mixed audiences? What about Amnon Yitzchak? What about Shuli Rand? I'm sure there are more.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i just got back from the mbd concert!!! it was awsome!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Speaking of which, my children just informed me there is a Jewish acapela group called Kol Ish - ironic! (www.kolish.net)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rafi G.,

    It was in response to the comments disparaging the idead of "Kol Ish". It may not be something which has ever been seriously incorporated into the practical system of halacha, but it's not without root.

    ReplyDelete

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