“A woman’s voice is her nakedness”
I have a beautiful voice. I write songs. I am passionate about music. These are things that make up my basic character. Things that make me feel rich and beautiful. I think that I should be allowed to feel rich and beautiful in the talents and beauty that God has given me. So, I take huge issue with the generally accepted Jewish idea that a man cannot listen to a woman sing. I have heard many things on the subject but never really bothered to look up the sources.
Till now.
The first source comes from the Talmud in the tractate of Brachos (blessings):
“Rav Yitzchak said: A tefach (old measurement about the size of a fist) of a woman is nakedness (‘ervah).”
“For what? If you say for looking at it, Rav Sheshes said: Why did the Torah count outer ornaments with inner ornaments? To tell you that anyone who looks at the small finger of a woman is as if he looked at the obscene place? Rather, [Rav Yitzchak is talking about] one’s wife and kerias shema (reading of the Shema).”
“Rav Chisda said: The thigh of a woman is nakedness as it says (Isaiah 47:2) “expose a thigh to cross a river” and it says (ibid. 3) “your nakedness will be exposed and your embarrassment will be seen.”
“Shmuel said: The voice of a woman is nakedness as it says (Song of Songs 2:14) for your voice is sweet and your countenance comely.”
“Rav Sheshes said: The hair of a woman is nakedness as it says (ibid. 4:1) your hair is like a flock of goats.”
So, first of all, we are having a general discussion about what nakedness means here. Almost all modern Jews show more than a fist’s amount of skin, so clearly we don’t literally follow each of these opinions. And only married women cover their hair. Rav Chisda just says you shouldn’t look at your wife while you are saying Shema. Well, duh? Second, I take issue with Shmuel’s source. There is nothing in the Song of Song’s quote that says you cannot listen to her voice, in fact, he (the narrator) obviously has. AND, in the Chumash (the first 5 books of the Torah, given by God to Moshe) Miriam sings to the whole congregation. Please tell me what that means?
A commentary named the Rif says on this:
“Some rishonim (early commentaries) understand the Talmud in Berachos as referring to kerias shema; one cannot recite kerias shema while hearing a woman sing. Presumably, this Gemara does not teach anything about whether a man is allowed to listen to a woman sing.” (sic!)
The next source comes from the tractate of Kiddusin:
“[Rav Nachman said to Rav Yehudah]: Would you like to send regards to Yalta [Rav Nachman’s wife]?”
“He [Rav Yehudah] said: Shmuel said: The voice of a woman is nakedness.”
Here Rav Yehuda does not want to wish another man’s wife regards because he is worried about establishing a close relationship with another man’s wife! This has to do with preventing adultery, not simply listening to a woman sing. This is in the context of two married people being careful not to put themselves in a dangerous space of intimacy. In fact, he isn’t even talking to her here face to face. He is wishing her regards through her husband!
A commentary named the Ra’avad says:
“The Ra’avad has a famous explanation of the Gemara in Kiddushin that puts it into perspective. According to the Ra’avad, it is forbidden to hear a woman’s singing voice or even her speaking voice if there is a close connection between the two. Shmuel’s law does not pertain to kerias shema but to the general laws of looking and listening to women.”
Similarly, another commentary named the Rashba says:
“Rather it seems that only the voice of sending regards [she’eilas shalom] or returning regards [hashavas shalom] like in that case where there is a close relationship [kiruv hada’as].”
Now, I would like to know why I, a single woman, cannot sing a song I wrote on stage to men? Especially, unmarried strangers? Especially, since most of my songs are not seductive but rather about being unlucky in love? Where in the Torah, Navi, Mishna or Gemara does it say that? Please, show me.
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