The prohibition of
yichud ' onMouseout='HidePop("39362")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Translation">trans.
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
Seclusion), in
HalakhaHalakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
(
JewishJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
religious lawIn some religions, law can be thought of as the ordering principle of reality; knowledge as revealed by a God defining and governing all human affairs. Law, in the religious sense, also includes codes of ethics and morality which are upheld and required by the God...
) is the impermissibility of
seclusionThe act of secluding, i.e. shutting out or keeping apart from society, or the state of being secluded, or a place that facilitates it . A person, a couple, or a larger group may go to a secluded place for privacy, or because the place is quiet...
of a man and a woman who are not married to each other in a private area. Such seclusion is prohibited in order to prevent the two from being tempted or having the opportunity to commit
adulterousAdultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
or
promiscuousIn humans, promiscuity refers to less discriminating casual sex with many sexual partners. The term carries a moral or religious judgement and is viewed in the context of the mainstream social ideal for sexual activity to take place within exclusive committed relationships...
acts.
The laws of yichud are typically followed by Orthodox Jews. Adherents of
ConservativeConservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
and
Reform JudaismReform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
do not generally abide by the laws of yichud.
The term
"yichud" also refers to a ritual during a Jewish wedding in which the newly married couple spends a period of time secluded in a room by themselves. In earlier historical periods, as early as the talmudic era, the marriage would be consummated at this time, but that practice is no longer current.
Source of the law
There is a prohibition against a man being alone with a married woman. After the rape of King
DavidDavid was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
's daughter
TamarTamar is a character in 2 Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. She was the daughter of King David, and sister of Absalom. Her mother was Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. According to the narrative in , she was raped by her half-brother Amnon....
when she was left alone with her half-brother Amnon, David and his high court extended this prohibition to unmarried girls as well. However, in modern times, since unmarried girls do not go to the Mikveh, they all have the impurity of
NiddahNiddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh ....
, and is likewise Biblically prohibited. These rules are discussed in the
TalmudThe Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
.
Laws of Yichud
The laws of
yichud provide for strong restrictions on unrelated members of the opposite sex being secluded together, and milder ones for close family members. Different opinions exist regarding application of these laws both in terms of situation and in terms of the individuals involved.
Parent/child
A child and biological parent of the opposite gender may be secluded or even dwell together, with restrictions.
- A parent and opposite-sex child dwelling together on a permanent basis should sleep in separate rooms.
- On a temporary basis (such as a hotel), a parent and opposite-gender child may share a room. Though it is preferable for them not to share a bed, if there is no other choice, and both are dressed according to the laws of tznius while in bed, this is permitted. Such a dwelling arrangement should not last longer than 30 days.
Regardless, it is preferable that a parent and a grown child (who has achieved financial independence) dwell separately if a third person (related or not) does not share the dwelling.
Laws that apply to seclusion are stricter for a father and daughter than for a mother and son. This is because a man is more likely to marry a woman a generation or more younger than himself than the other way around. Additionally, while a boy is likely to spend much of his childhood in the presence of his mother, it is more common for a man to be away from his children while they are growing up. In the event that a parent desires a sexual relationship with his/her opposite-gender child, or the child develops such an interest with a parent, seclusion should be avoided.
Unmarried couples
A man and woman who are engaged to be married may not dwell together under any circumstances, and may not stay together even on a temporary basis, such as in a hotel. An engaged woman that secludes herself with her fiance forfeits her ketuba as a virgin (hilchot ketubot).
Babysitting/caregiving
- A female over the age of 12 should not babysit a boy 9 or older. A male over the age of 13 should not babysit a girl 3 or older.
- A person providing care to a dependent adult of the opposite gender may be secluded with that individual for the purpose of caregiving. Even when a same-gender caregiver is available, if the dependent adult prefers the care of the opposite-gender caregiver or otherwise receives better care, this is permitted.
Public/business
- A man and woman who are not related or married, but are together in a public place, should walk or sit together in a manner differently from that of relatives or spouses. Keeping a greater distance between them is recommended. If, in such an environment, it is known to all around they are not related or married, and such contact can normally be expected (such as in a workplace), no special changes need be made, but care should be taken to avoid accidental physical contact.
- In a location of business, a male and female may be together for business purposes provided that the location where they are has the potential to be viewed from outside. If the two must hold a private business meeting, it must take place in a room that does not contain any furniture that can be used as a bed (such as a sofa). Also, two or more people should have immediate physical access to the room.
- Two unrelated, opposite-gender persons may travel in a vehicle together within the local area, but should not take out-of-town trips together, particularly if they are traveling to an area where they are not known to anyone, and will not be able to return on the same day.
- On a bus, train or airplane, sitting adjacent to a member of the opposite gender is permitted, but many Orthodox Jews follow stringencies to avoid this due to the laws of negiah
Negiah , literally "touch," is the concept in Halakha that forbids or restricts physical contact with a member of the opposite sex...
and tzniut.
- There are no restrictions on being secluded together momentarily in a temporary environment, such as an elevator. Since elevators are boarded constantly, there is always a chance that anyone could enter without warning.
Negating the prohibition
Seclusion is only prohibited when there is but a lone man present. Additionally, the presence of older children, the man's close female relatives, his wife or a woman and her mother in law would negate the prohibition. In these instances, the presence of the other individuals would serve to provide a check on the man's behavior. One additional, unrelated woman or any number of minors (under 13, unless they are of an age where they can speak, but do not understand the concept of
sexIn biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
) do not negate the yichud laws.
See also
- Jewish view of marriage
In Judaism, marriage is viewed as a contractual bond commanded by God in which a man and a woman come together to create a relationship in which God is directly involved. Though procreation is not the sole purpose, a Jewish marriage is also expected to fulfill the commandment to have children. The...
- Negiah
Negiah , literally "touch," is the concept in Halakha that forbids or restricts physical contact with a member of the opposite sex...
(guidelines for physical contact)
- Niddah
Niddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh ....
(menstruation laws)
- Rebbetzin
Rebbitzin or Rabbanit is the title used for the wife of a rabbi, typically from the Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic Jewish groups...
(rabbi's wife)
- Role of women in Judaism
The role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible, the Oral Law , by custom, and by non-religious cultural factors...
- Shalom Bayit
Shalom bayit is the Jewish religious concept of domestic harmony and good relations between husband and wife. In a Jewish court of law, shalom bayit is the Hebrew term for marital reconciliation...
(peace and harmony in the relationship between husband and wife)
- Shidduch
The Shidduch is a system of matchmaking in which Jewish singles are introduced to one another in Orthodox Jewish communities for the purpose of marriage....
(finding a marriage partner)
- Tzeniut (modest behavior)
- cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
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