If not, I say it is permitted to listen.<\/p>\n
Historian Marc B. Shapiro writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n My correspondent further wrote: \u201cI wanted to let you know that the son of Rabbi _____ (former president of the RCA [name deleted by MS]) told me that his father used to go to see Broadway shows based on the Psak of the Rav, who felt that if you couldn’t totally make out the face of the female singer it would be permitted.”<\/p>\n One of the commenters on the post called attention to R. Yehudah Herzl Henkin, Bnei Vanim, vol. 4, no. 7. In this responsum, he says a couple of things very relevant to the post. To begin with, he writes that it is permitted to listen to the singing of a single woman if this is something that you are used it, and it will not be sexually arousing.<\/p>\n \u05dc\u05e2”\u05d3 \u05de\u05d3\u05d9\u05e0\u05d0 \u05de\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8 \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e2 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05e9\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d1\u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d0\u05dd \u05e8\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc \u05d1\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc\u05df \u05e9\u05d0\u05d6 \u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05e2\u05ea\u05df \u05d6\u05d4\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e8\u05d0\u05d9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e9\u05e2\u05e8\u05df<\/p>\n This is the same viewpoint I quoted from R. Jacob Pardo, who distinguishes between married women, whose singing is always forbidden, and single women whose singing is only forbidden if it is sensual song. Also noteworthy is that R. Henkin rejects the viewpoint found in various aharonim that a post-pubescent female (i.e., niddah) has the same status as a married woman, and her singing is therefore forbidden:<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05e9\u05e0\u05d4\u05d2\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e7\u05dc \u05d1\u05e9\u05e2\u05e8\u05df \u05e9\u05dc \u05d1\u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d7\u05dc\u05e7\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d9\u05df \u05e0\u05d3\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05d8\u05d4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d3\u05d9\u05df \u05d1\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc\u05df, \u05db\u05dc \u05e9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05e8\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc \u05d1\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05d4\u05e8\u05d4\u05e8.<\/p>\n He concludes his responsum by stating that if the song is not sensual, and the woman\u2019s voice is heard on the radio or out of a loudspeaker, since this is not really \u201cher\u201d voice it is permissible to listen. What this apparently means is that any time a woman sings into a microphone, it is permissible to listen to her (assuming her very appearance is not arousing). This basically gets rid of the entire kol isha prohibition in our time (when the songs aren’t sensual), since today every event with a woman singer uses a microphone. Based on R. Henkin\u2019s responsum, all Modern Orthodox high schools could once more return to having young women sing solos (even though I am certain that this is not his intention).. Here is his conclusion (emphasis added):<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05de\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d0\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05d3\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05de\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05ea\u05d9\u05e8 \u05dc\u05db\u05ea\u05d7\u05d9\u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e2 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d4\u05de\u05d6\u05de\u05e8\u05ea \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05e0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d3\u05d4, \u05d0\u05d1\u05dc \u05d1\u05e9\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d5 \u05d3\u05e8\u05da \u05e8\u05de\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d5\u05db\u05d5’ \u05e9\u05e2\u05dc \u05e4\u05d9 \u05d3\u05d9\u05df \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05de\u05de\u05e9 \u05d5\u05d1\u05e6\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e3 \u05e2\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d8\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05dd [\u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dc\u05df \u05de\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05db’] \u05d5\u05d1\u05ea\u05e0\u05d0\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d4\u05e9\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e2\u05d2\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05e4\u05e9\u05d5\u05d8 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e7\u05dc.<\/p>\n In Bnei Vanim, vol. 2, p. 211, he quotes his grandfather as even permitting watching a woman sing on the television, because again, the voice is not her actual voice. He also notes that his grandfather later expressed doubt on this point.<\/p>\n \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9 \u05de\u05e4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9 \u05e9\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05e8\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05e0\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05de\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8 \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d5 [\u05d1\u05e4\u05e2\u05dd \u05d4\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d5\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e9\u05d0\u05dc\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d1\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e9 \u05e9\u05d2\u05dd \u05d1\u05d8\u05dc\u05d1\u05d9\u05d6\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05e0\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05de\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8 \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d5, \u05d0\u05d1\u05dc \u05db\u05e9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e8\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d5\u05e9\u05d0\u05dc\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d6\u05de\u05df \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05e8 \u05d0\u05e6\u05dc\u05d5 \u2013 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc\u05d9 \u05de\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d5\u05dc\u05e9\u05ea\u05d5]<\/p>\n In vol. 4, p. 30, he refers to a woman singing the national anthem, which based on his argumentation would, I think, be quite easy to permit, even watching on television. As he notes, this is not the sort of song that arouses sexual thoughts:<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05e8\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05e7\u05d9\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e2 \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05e9\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5 \u05db\u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd, \u05d5\u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05e2\u05d2\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d0 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05de\u05d5\u05dc\u05d3\u05ea \u05d5\u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0 \u05d1\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05e8\u05d7\u05d5\u05e7 \u05e9\u05d9\u05d4\u05e8\u05d4\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05ea\u05dc\u05d5\u05d9 \u05d1\u05d0\u05dd \u05de\u05db\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d0.<\/p>\n I would also like to share an email I received from Benny Hutman which relates to R. Moshe Feinstein\u2019s opinion. In my post I called attention to a responsum of R. Moshe Feinstein which I claimed cast doubt on R. Mordechai Tendler\u2019s assertion that according to R. Moshe kol isha is entirely situational and depends on whether or not someone is aroused.<\/p>\n Benny writes: \u05d4\u05dd \u05d9\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d7\u05e9\u05d1 \u05e9\u05db\u05e8 “\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05d4” \u05db\u05e0\u05d2\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e4\u05e1\u05d3\u05d4, \u05d5\u05e9\u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc \u05db\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05e9\u05d3\u05d5\u05d7\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 (\u05d1\u05e8\u05db\u05d5\u05ea \u05d3\u05e3 \u05d9\u05d8 \u05e2”\u05d1), \u05e9\u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05dc\u05d1\u05ea \u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05e2\u05dc\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d2\u05e8\u05dd, \u05d5\u05d4\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d4\u05de\u05dc\u05d1\u05d9\u05df \u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d1\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05d9\u05df \u05dc\u05d5 \u05d7\u05dc\u05e7 \u05dc\u05e2\u05d5\u05d4”\u05d1 (\u05d1\u05d1\u05d0 \u05de\u05e6\u05d9\u05e2\u05d0 \u05d3\u05e3 \u05e0\u05d8 \u05e2”\u05d0), \u05d9\u05ea\u05db\u05df \u05d5\u05db\u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05ea\u05de\u05d8 \u05de\u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05e4\u05d9\u05e2 \u05d1\u05d8\u05e7\u05e1 \u05db\u05d6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5 \u05de\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u05e9\u05d9\u05db\u05dc\u05d5\u05dc \u05d2\u05dd \u05e9\u05d9\u05e8\u05ea \u05e0\u05e9\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e0\u05de\u05e0\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05e4\u05d9\u05e2, \u05d0\u05d1\u05dc \u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05df \u05e9\u05d4\u05d4\u05db\u05e8\u05d7 \u05d0\u05dc\u05e6\u05dd \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05ea\u05ea\u05e3 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d9 \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05e0\u05e9\u05de\u05e2 \u05e8\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05df \u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05e9\u05ea\u05ea\u05e4\u05d5\u05ea\u05dd, \u05d0\u05d5 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05dc\u05d1\u05ea \u05d4\u05de\u05e2\u05de\u05d3 \u05d1\u05d9\u05e6\u05d9\u05d0\u05d4 \u05e4\u05d5\u05de\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If not, I say it is permitted to listen. Historian Marc B. Shapiro writes: My correspondent further wrote: \u201cI wanted to let you know that the son of Rabbi _____ (former president of the RCA [name deleted by MS]) told … Continue reading
\nIt seems to me that R\u2019 Moshe must hold that the prohibition on Kol Isha depends on whether a person is used to hearing women sing. R\u2019 Moshe holds like the Aruch Hashulchan that nowadays one can say Shema in front of a woman with uncovered hair because the reality is that we are constantly confronted with such hair and therefore it is no longer arousing. For this to make sense we need to understand the Gemara in Berachos when it says \u201csear b\u2019isha erva\u201d to mean that hair could be ervah, meaning I would have thought that ervah by definition could only refer to parts of her body, ka mashma lan that hair despite not being skin can be ervah. However it won\u2019t actually be ervah unless it is normally covered. Since the language of the Gemara is exactly the same (as is the source) it follows that the gemara means that Kol Isha could be ervah despite not physically being attached to the body at all. However, just as R\u2019Moshe says that our constant exposure to uncovered hair makes sear no longer be ervah, the same logic dictates that if someone has been listening to women sing all his life kol isha will not be ervah. Arguably it can also be situational so that if someone has been going to the opera all his life such singing will not be kol isha, but pop music will be. It seems to me that this heter should apply to almost all Modern Orthodox men. This would explain how Rabbi Tendler could say that R\u2019 Moshe held that the prohibition is situational despite R\u2019 Moshe\u2019s tshuva apparently holding it is forbidden. It depends on who is asking the question and the time, place and manner of the singing.
\nFinally, R. Hayyim Amsalem, in his recently published Derekh Hayyim, p. 45, states that it is a well known fact that great Torah scholars and chief rabbis have in the past been present at various official events that included women singing, and they did not walk out. As he explains:<\/p>\n