Re: "Kol (Isha)"

[Pete Rushefsky <klezbanjo...>]

Not sure I agree, Alex.
 
Wouldn't most kol-isha supporting rabbinical scholars hold that because men are 
not allowed to listen to a woman's singing voice, it is the woman's 
responsibility not to sing in places that a kol-isha-observant man is likely to 
hear them?  
 
I don't pretend to be a scholar on this, but one of the halakhic tenants is 
that it is an individual's responsibility not to do things that have the effect 
of making it likely that others will violate a law.  A classic example is that 
observant Jews should not participate in a university graduation ceremony held 
on the Sabbath-- reason given is that even if they wouldn't be violating 
Sabbath work restrictions by attending, their family members might feel the 
need to drive to the ceremony.
 
 
 

Alex Jacobowitz <alexbjacobowitz (at) yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
B"H Munich

--- Eliott Kahn wrote:
> 
> >But we spent 20 years fighting a holy war for
> Islam,? said the third commander, who also refused
> to give his name. ?God and the Prophet said women
> should not sing.?
> 
> And they ain't the only ones....
> > 

That maybe the case. But it shows that no matter
how many times you write the truth, you can´t
make people read it. Or remember it. Or quote it.

Ladies and gentleman, please listen up. For the
perhaps umpti-teeny-weenieth time, the law of
Kol Isha is NOT that women should not sing.
Women CAN sing. Women DO sing. And that
is encouraged by Jewish law, and is encouraging!

NOT that women should not sing. It´s
about men not listening to it WHEN AND
IF SHE SINGS. Got it?

There may be valid parallels, and irritating,
even anti-Semitic comparisons between certain strains
of Orthodox Judaism and some fundamental Islamists. No
one posits that educated criticism isn't often useful.


But before anyone sets him or herself up to be the
Next Lawgiver, how about getting the Law right? First?
Or is that asking too much?

There´s a positive mitzva (commandment!) not to change
the laws. Changing the laws would, therefore, be a
sin. Misquoting a law goes even beyond that.
Does it serve a tangible purpose except in helping 
someone make a dubious point?

Alex Jacobowitz

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes