It had always seemed to me that, for most of us, many of the Torah's laws restricting relations between the sexes are a sort of collective punishment for the sins of a few. But recently my perspective has changed
7 Comments Posted
What an eloquent essay on a heartbreaking topic.
|
Thank you for such a thoughtful and respectful treatment of a topic that can be very confusing. These insights are worth more than a mountain of moralizing.
|
A moving and relevant essay. The lessons in Torah unfortunately are not spread where needed, or else come too late. Keep up your invaluable teachings.
|
Beautifully stated. I was once having my car repaired, and I politely declined to shake the mechanic's hand, explaining that Jewish law does not permit this. I assumed he would be taken aback. To the contrary, he looked at me, sighed, and said wishfully, "I wish my wife would follow that law." What a lesson that was for me! While some may view our lives as old-fashioned, Jewish family life remains the envy of the world.
|
I had a similar situation; my ex wife cheated with her university professor...very sad.
|
I usually find the men are not offended. But when a man refuses to shake hands with a woman, I often hear her complain afterwards. The man backs off, a look of disgust or horror on his face. The visual message is "Yuk, slimeball." Naturally she is insulted, and concludes that observant Jews regard women as inherently disgusting. If she has any respect for her own femaleness, she will not want to join a community where she is regarded as inherently offensive.
Observant men need to learn a more courteous way of avoiding being touched.
|
I think a man and a woman may ride on an elevator together, because it may stop on any floor, and the duration is not long enough to be forbidden.
|
|
LOGIN
ASK THE RABBI
Read this article
