[Avodah] Mixed Singing

[Mike Miller]

On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 3:47 PM, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:
> 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.

Is this a choir? Perhaps I misunderstood the original article; I
thought the _contest_ would involve individual voices (where one is
specifically trying to hear the singer). OTOH, rereading it, I noticed
that the picture shows girls with microphones (although do they really
put on a performance without any solos?)

> 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.

Which is not this case.

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

I find this to be somewhat of a stretch. This is hardly a group that
tries to attract public school kids to consider a frum lifestyle,
although it's true that some of their members probably are headed in
the DL-lite direction, and hopefully BA can affect that.

Given the quotes from the article [which I suppose is never the best
option], a (the?) justification offered is:

"According to Halacha, a mixed boys and girls singing contest can take
place because the rule stating that a voice of a singing woman equals
lewdness because it may distract one from prayer does not call for
completely divided performances."

Huh?

-- Mike Miller
Ramat Bet Shemesh