1) A male that hears a female singing, even if it's a little girl [above age 6 and below age 9, 11 or 12 depending on which opinion one follows for maximum age] or even his own wife, may not recite Brachos. Tefilos or Divrei Torah while hearing her, as her voice is considered Ervah. (Rama Siman 75:3. See also Mishna Berura Siman 75:17 and Ben Ish Chai Parashas Bo)
If the female singing is his mother or daughter under the age of 11, according to many Poskim it isn't considered Ervah and he may recite Brachos, Tefilos or Divrei Torah while hearing her. Other Poskim are stringent. (See Shulchan Shlomo Siman 75)
Some Poskim allow Brachos, Tefilos and Divrei Torah to be recited while hearing a sister sing, while others are stringent. (See Chazon Ish Orach Chaim Siman 16:8)
2) If one hears females singing and cannot remove himself from the area or otherwise prevent himself from hearing them, he may recite Brachos, Tefilos and Divrei Torah. Of course he should try his utmost to tune their voices out. (See Mishna Berura Siman 75:17. The Ben Ish Chai Parashas Bo Siman 13 says that in such a case he should only "think" the Devarim SheBiKedusah, and not verbalize them.)
Although there is no prohibition to recite Brachos, Tefilos and Divrei Torah when one hears a female talking, if she is telling a story or otherwise speaking lengthy words that he is interested in hearing, he should not recite Brachos, Tefilos or Torah while listening to her. (Ben Ish Chai ibid.)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
I wanted to know if a woman who gave birth 3 weeks before Tisha B'Av and is nursing has to fast on Tisha B'Av?
Answer:
A nursing mother [as well as a pregnant woman] must fast on Tisha B'Av. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 554:5)
If doing so will harm the child, a Rav must be consulted.
For the first seven days after giving birth, a woman may not fast.
From day 7 until day 30 after the child is born (as is your case), a Rav must be consulted as depending on her strength she may or may not be told to fast, and may be told to fast for part of the fast etc.
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmas the late Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Yaakov ben Rav Binyomin Moshe Stein Zatzal.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
At times a person might feel so embarrassed and discouraged over the wrongs he has committed that he will give up trying to improve.
Despair is wrong.
You always have the ability to improve yourself and should never become discouraged.
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin - Gateway to Happiness
www.Jewisheverything.net
We are currently in the period of mourning over the Bais Hamikdash.
As we all know,our Holy Temple was destroyed, and is being withheld from us due to Sinas Chinam. As our Gedolim teach us, the key way to combatting baseless hate is through developing baseless love; Spreading Ahavas Yisroel.
On that note, one of the readers of Halacha for Today has informed me that they have launched a new website to achieve that goal!
Visit www.SpreadAhavasYisroel.com and in 3 easy steps YOU can expedite the arrival of Mashiach!
Important Numbers
