Re: kol isha in action

[Alex J. Lubet <lubet001...>]

I think Lori was right to post her story, because it was a news ite.  I
happen to be on her side, but frankly, the debate which is ensuing is
one we've all heard before on this list and we're not going to get any
new insights from it, although we may occasionally reach new heights of
vitriol, a category in which it seems telling Lori to stop working for
Jews may fall.

Although I often choose to push the limits of what's acceptable on this
list vis a vis the political, I hope I do it in a way that's fresh.
This is going nowhere fast, except perhaps into the depths.



Jordan Hirsch wrote:

> on 2/20/03 9:31 PM, Sylvie Braitman at curlySylvie (at) hotmail(dot)com wrote:
>
>
>      Voice is a sensual thing. It's organic to the body and as
>      such "speaks" about the body. This is why we feel so moved
>      and deeply touched (we love it, we hate it), because of its
>      organic nature.
>      It does not matter whether it's a male or female voice,
>      there is always something very physical about a voice.
>      Now, in a patriarchal system, a woman's voice is danger,
>      because right beneath her voice is her body and her
>      sexuality. And the poor men should not be exposed to that!
>      We women can listen to a man's voice and have all sort of
>      intimate feelings about it....we won't complain. Men who are
>      already overwhelmed by their sexuality and don't always deal
>      very well with that, don't want more stimulation.
>      In brief, a woman's voice is TOO beautiful to take.
>
> And feminine beauty, in this
>
> I really wish all those who have not been through the Kol Isha wars on
> this list would check the old postings if they are available and
> consult them. Quite frankly, I think that Lori should find a feminist
> support group to vent her feelings. Not because they are illegitimate.
> Not because I  follow the restrictions of Kol Isha(which I do not) .
> Simply because a discussion of a principle of Halacha, even one with
> admittedly various interpretations, is fruitless in an environment
> where actual knowledge or lack thereof of halacha does not give anyone
> pause to make the most uninformed, anti orthodox, offensive statements
> about a practice which is in the Shulchan Aruch, which is for all the
> branches of Jewish practice at least the starting off point for
> discussions of Halacha. You want to talk about how Orthodoxy is
> repressive? Be my guest. As an Orthodox practitioner, I can assure you
> you are correct. Just don't do it on a list about Jewish Music.
> Because I did not come here to be subject to the kind of reflexive
> anti Orthodox, or Anti Halacha diatribes which are common every time
> this comes up. You want to change the practice? Tell people not to
> follow that halacha. Just don't do it here. And as I have said every
> time this comes up, if you are going to discuss this, look at the
> original source material and at least understand why it is the way it
> is.  And to tell the truth, Lori, if this happens to you so often,
> maybe you need to put safeguards in place so that you don't get hurt
> in this way.  Don't assume you don't have to be upfront about who is
> in your group, or what it is you do, because anyone who follows Kol
> Isha is wrong. Accept that this is halacha, at least for some people,
> and as such has a degree of sanctity. If you can't do that, stop
> working for Jews.
>
> Jordan Hirsch
>
>
>
>

--
Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
Head, Division Of Composition and Music Theory
University of Minnesota
2106 4th St. S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 612 624-8001 (fax)


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