[HANASHIR:8294] Re: North AMerican Jewish Choral

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Rachelle -- I just thought of something - Josee Wolff will have all the info 
out there for you.   Josee - could you please list the website for the Choral 
Festival?  Thanks!  And perhaps just give us the dates too.   ;-)  Maybe you 
can pick up a 'sample daily schedule' on the website.
Meris Ruzow
meris (at) nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Andy Curry <acurry (at) san-carlos(dot)rms(dot)slb(dot)com>
    To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
    Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 11:19 AM
    Subject: [HANASHIR:8293] Re: Fw: Kol Isha
    
    
    This is a fun topic. 
    
    Let me preface my remarks by saying that the *implementation* of the 
injunction against hearing kol ishah is, in most cases, capricious, 
unproductive, and maddening. In my experience, those who are most concerned 
with it seem to worry more about its minutiae than its spirit.
    
    But one thing I haven't seen is an argument with the following statement:
    
    Shirona writes:
    
        Kol Isha Ervah... our voices an expression of nakedness, 
lasciviousness, forbidden sexuality... Is this really true?? Or does the real 
problem lie in the realm of the male psyche... ( be honest, guys...)
        
    
    This is my outrage - how DARE you men - attach such negative connotations 
to our voices, trying to silence and degrade us women - if YOU are the ones 
having a problem? OK... I realize that this is typical male conduct. Just look 
at the status of women throughout history and try and figure out WHY. Kind of a 
"no brainer" - isn't it.
    
        
        
    <<<<
    When I was a travelling musician/singer in my younger days, I was 
approached by women during and after performances who wanted to take me home. 
Some of these women were married, or had children, or an existing relationship 
with a man. Was it my wit? My sparkling conversation? My bank account? My 
suitability as a spouse? I don't think so.
    
    I can only conclude that they were attracted to me because, aside from 
their own personal issues, my singing reached them in some way (and it was a 
western swing and bluegrass band, so there was nothing overtly suggestive in 
the music).
    
    Now that I am fat and almost fifty, after I daven, women don't try to take 
me home, but they do say things to me which would not be said in other 
circumstances: "You have such warmth"; "I feel your spirit"; et cetera. I take 
their words at face value and thank them sincerely.
    
    Our favorite singers are the ones who, in their performance, reveal 
something of themselves, or make it seem so. The reason people have stage 
fright is that performance requires, to some degree, getting naked in a 
figurative (unless you're a stripper) way. It doesn't matter whether you're 
singing a love song to a flesh-and-blood lover or to Jesus or to HaKadosh 
Baruch Hu - you're trying to convince, to soften, ...
    to seduce.
    
    So yes: Singing, whether by male or female, includes nakedness, possible 
lasciviousness, and [not necessarily forbidden] sexuality. This is NOT a 
negative connotation, but a positive one. Our tradition recognizes that the 
yetzer hara is needed in the world, as nothing, good or bad, would happen 
without it. Singing, and performance in general, might be one of the best 
examples of making something beautiful from the yetzer hara.
    
    But one needs to be careful with the yetzer hara. Were the rabbis who built 
the fence around the Torah living today, they might well have made the 
prohibition mutual for both men and women, given the so-called Sexual 
Revolution. Most of us wouldn't like it and wouldn't follow it, but it could be 
justified from the viewpoint of those trying to keep us far from sin.
    
    Finally, Shirona, please don't paint all men with the same brush, using 
such phrases as "the male psyche" and "typical male conduct". It's not fair and 
it's not useful.
    
    Kol tuv,
    Andy
    
    
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    Andy Curry
    Schlumberger - CellNet Data Systems
    11146 Thompson Ave
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    Office: 913-312-4739
    Facsimile: 913-312-4701
    Home : 816-363-8381
    E-Mail: acurry (at) cellnet(dot)com
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