[Avodah] Mixed Singing

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 01:21:00PM +0300, Mike Miller wrote:
: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3565972,00.html
: Assuming we ignore the Halachic (in?)appropriateness of a mixed group
: in the first place, is there any halachic heter for a mixed singing
: performance?

The Seridei Eish (vol II #8) permitted just this very thing, a Bnei
Akiva choir.

1- Terei kolei lo mishtama'ei -- as long as none of the girls are
soloists, one isn't listening to the qol of an ishah, but the qol of the
choir.

2- The SE gives as a senif lehaqil (but usually, better not to rely upon)
the Divrei Cheifetz (cited by the Sedei Chemed, Quf #42) holds that qol
ishah (both din and its rationale) doesn't apply to zemiros, singing to
children and qinos for the dead. (WADR to the DC, either I am atypical,
or at least in the first two cases I have to question his assumption
about the metzi'us.) E.g. Shiras Devorah which she sane with Baraq,
even though bepashtus her husband was Lapidos.

3- Because its purpose is to tie children to Yahadus.

Among his sources was RSRH and R' Azriel Hildesheimer who in practice
allowed women to sing at the Shabbos table with guests at the table.
The SE offers as a possible source: Megillah 23a forbids giving women
aliyos because of kavod hatzibur, not qol ishah.

He also notes the strong opposition to the German practice from the rest
of Europe. And therefore, one may not compell someone who does not listen
to women singing at the Shabbos table to do so. Ad kan the SE. Also in
my notes is Otzar haPoseqim EH vol 21 1:20:3 which lists such opposition.

My notes add that the Nishmat Avraham (5:76-77) cites RSZA and R'
Elyashiv as arguing that the gemara talks about kavod hatzibur because
it would also exclude her aliyah even when the minyan are all qerovim!

I now realize that has strong implications against allowing mechilas
kavod hatzibor. After all, if the gemara were talking about leinign for
immediate family, and didn't consider the possibility, maybe there is
no such possibility.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

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