Re: Kol ishah

[Jonathan Schorsch <jonjack...>]

Sorry for the delayed response, I was busy celebrating sukkot.  I will give
the citations, but be forewarned that, as in all rabbinic texts, from all
periods, even what seems simple ain't.

In two places the Talmud treats what is being called on this list "kol
isha": Berakhot 24a and Kiddushin 70a.  Just to give a flavor, the former
discussion opens by discussing the typically talmudic limit case of a
couple in bed together naked; should they turn their heads the other way to
say the she'ma or not?  What about if a man's children are in bed with him,
all naked, can he say she'ma?  (Remember, entire families used to sleep in
one bed, so this isn't as obscurantist as it seems.)  A talit is needed to
separate them, in one opinion; yes, it is permitted to say she'ma thus, if
they can't see one another's nakedness, says Rav Shmuel.  However, the
"conversation" continues, if one can see a tefah (handsbreadth) of a
woman's body (even one's wife) it is an ervah (sexual abomination?) and one
cannot say she'ma faced with this (pun intended).  R. Shmu'el says in
addition, "the voice of a woman is an ervah," which is understood by
commentators to mean that a woman's voice SINGING is an ervah.  Shmu'el
cites Song of Songs 2:14, "for your voice is beautiful (arev) and your
looks pleasing"  (These are all my quicky, bad translations.)  Get the play
on words "arev" (beautiful) to "ervah" (sexual abomination)?  Etc., etc.,
go look it up yourself...

The issue can be traced in the writings (ad. loc., probably) of Tosafot
Rabbi Yehudah haHasid and Rabenu Asher.  See also Rambam, Laws of Forbidden
Relations (Isurei Bi'ah) 21:2.  There is debate about whether the talmudic
formulations are meant merely as a general warning about tsniyut (modesty)
or that a man CANNOT say she'ma exposed to such an ervah (nakedness or a
woman's singing voice), etc., etc.

The issue can also be found in the Shulkhan Arukh (16th century), in
section Orakh Hayyim, 75:3.  Here, it is understood to forbid female voices
in a synagogue choir.  But be wary: a woman, even naked, can bless and pray
at a yeshivah, since the mehitse (separation between women's and men's
section) keeps her nakedness from being seen... (Ibid., 74:4 and 206:3).

Happy trails!  Mo'adim le-simha!

Jonathan


At 08:40 PM 9/26/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Jonathan,
>
>Can you direct us to the rabbinic sources where can we read about the
>development of the principles concerning Kol Ishah?
>
>Bob



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