Yichud

Yichud (literally "seclusion") refers to the prohibition for a man and woman, who are forbidden to one another, to be secluded together. The reason for this prohibition is lest the man and woman come to actually live with one another.

General Rules

1. According to Torah law, it is forbidden for a man to seclude himself with a woman who is an Ervah, someone to whom he is forbidden. The Rabbis forbade one from secluding himself with a single Jewish woman, as well as a non-Jewish woman.
2. It is Rabbinically forbidden for a man to seclude with two women.

Multiple Men and Women

1. It is permitted for many men and women to be secluded together. What constitutes many men and many women? Some poskim write that only if there's 3 men and 3 women, some say 2 men and 3 women, and some say 2 men and 2 women constitute many men and many women. The poskim are generally strict to consider it 3 men and 3 women.
2. If the men are involved with inappropriate activities (פרוצים), then it is forbidden even if there are multiple men and women there.

One man with multiple women

1. According to Ashkenazim, some permit one man to seclude with 3 or more women unless in profession he deals with women. Others forbid.
   1. Those who are lenient about this allow one man with three women even at night in extenuating circumstances.
2. According to Sephardim, one man may not be secluded with multiple women.

One woman with multiple men

1. According to Ashkenazim, a woman may be secluded with two men, as long as the men are not prutzim. According to Sephardim, this is forbidden.

Family Members

1. It is permitted for a man to seclude himself with his mother, daughter, granddaughter, or wife even when she in her state of Niddah. It is permitted to have yichud with a granddaughter, whether she is a daughter's daughter or a son's daughter.
2. It is permissible for a man to seclude himself with his sister, however, it shouldn't be done frequently. A brother and sister still living in their parents home may be left alone together for only a few days and not for an extended period of time.
3. Yichud with two sisters is forbidden. Some say that yichud with a mother and her daughter or grandmother and her granddaughter is permitted.

Husband in the City

1. If a woman's husband is in the city, it's permissible to seclude with her unless one has a close relationship with her (Libo Gas Ba) such as if one grew up with her or is a relative.
   1. What is considered a close relationship such that there is no leniency of having one's husband in the city? Some say that even a professional acquaintance is considered a close relationship, while others limit it to a step-sibling or a relative.
2. Some poskim hold that this only applies if the husband can come at any moment but not if a person knows that their husband isn't coming home until a certain time since he's at work or is involved with a specific task. Others are lenient.
3. Some poskim hold that this leniency does not apply if she's not at her own home. Others are lenient in extenuating circumstances.

Wife Protecting Husband

1. When one’s wife is with him, there is no problem of being alone with other women as well. This only applies if one's wife is in the same room with him but not if one's wife is just in the same city.

Mother, Daughter, or Sister Breaking Yichud

1. Most poskim assume that this leniency of having a very close relative such as one's wife isn't yichud and protects from yichud, applies also to one's mother, daughter, and sister as well. Therefore, if a man is in a room with his wife, mother, daughter or sister, and one other woman he does not violate the yichud prohibition. Similarly, the minhag is to permit yichud for a grandchild with one's grandmother. Then even if there's another woman there it isn't yichud because of the presence of the grandmother. Sephardim are strict that there is yichud if there's another women with whom it is permitted to have yichud.

Adopted Children

1. Some poskim allow a man to be secluded with an adopted daughter as long as his wife is alive.

Converted Children

1. A man is allowed to be secluded with his children even if they all converted and halachically aren't related.

Open to the Public

1. It is permitted for a man and woman to be secluded with one another in an area that is open to the public except at nighttime. Nighttime is defined by when people aren't traveling the streets.
2. A door open to the street permits yichud even with a non-Jew or someone who is suspect to immorality.
3. A door open to the street only permits that room and not rooms connected to it on other floors or even other rooms on that same floor.
4. Some poskim hold that yichud is only permitted in the area visible to the street but not to areas in the room that aren't visible from outside.

Neighbor with a Key

1. If a person asks a neighbor to come into his house at random times that works to void yichud. At night for this option to work some say it is necessary to have two neighbors to visit and some say that it doesn't work at all at night.

Apartment Buildings

1. An apartment that opens to a courtyard inhabited by three people or more, or someone who would prevent yichud such as a couple, if the door is open to that courtyard that is considered like being open to the public domain. If someone knows that the neighbors aren't going to enter one's house the door actually would have to be open and not closed but unlocked according to all opinions.

Closed But Unlocked

1. Some say that as long as the door is unlocked even if it is closed that area is considered open to the public, however, some say that it is only considered open if the door is actually open. Practically, some say that one can be lenient only if people in that area enter without knocking and getting permission. Some say that in cases of need one can be lenient regarding any rabbinical form of yichud.
2. According to those who hold that it is permitted to have yichud in a house that's closed but unlocked some say that the same is true with a house that is locked but others who would break yichud have the keys and can enter at any time.

A Woman One Is Comfortable With

1. Some poskim hold that it is forbidden to seclude oneself with a woman which one is comfortable around in an area open to the public, while others permit it.

Windows to the Street

1. If there is a window that makes the room visible from the street someone who is in front of that window is considered as though it is open to the public and there's no yichud. One condition for this to be applicable is that the window needs to be low enough that people from the street can easily see into the room normally. There are some poskim who hold that if the window is high enough that a person from the street could see in while walking on his tippy toes that is also considered open to the public, while others disagree.
   1. There are poskim who significantly limit the applicability of this leniency so that it is almost irrelevant. They explain that if the room has a corner or a place in it which isn't visible from the street through that window then the window isn't considered open to the public since there's a concern that a person will walk away from the window into the secluded area of that room. Furthermore, some poskim say that if the room which has a window is connected to another room that isn't open to the public then again there is no leniency by having a window the public since it is easy to walk away from the window into the other room. Yet some poskim disagree with these last two conditions and hold that a window to the public permits yichud while one is visible to the public.

Children

Acting as a Shomer

1. If there is a child who is at the age that they understand what biya is and would be able to tell others if they saw something but aren't themselves at the age of biya then they can serve as a guard (shomer) for yichud. For example, a female maid left with two boys, one above the age of 9 and one that is 8 then the 8 year old is a guard (shomer) for the other child. The 9 year old would generally be forbidden in yichud with the maid, however, an 8 year old isn't obligated in yichud and is also old enough to be a shomer to prevent yichud.
2. A male that is below 9 can act as a shomer once they know what the idea of biya is and could tell others if they saw something suspicious, however, once they're above 9 they can't be used as a shomer since they are forbidden with yichud themselves. Some say that from the age of 7 or 8 can be used, each one according to their knowledge. Some say that in a case of need even a child from the age of 5 or 6 can be used. Some say that even a child above 9 until they are 13 can be used as a shomer.

Specific Venues

Camera

1. Some say that it is forbidden for a man and woman to seclude themselves together even if there's a camera or webcam that makes everything in the room visible to onlookers in another location. If someone is monitoring the camera, some poskim say that one can be lenient.

Car

1. According to Sephardim, if on the road at that time there's on average a car every 3 minutes and it is possible to see inside the car then there's no yichud for a man and woman together in a car. If the road isn't heavily traveled it is forbidden unless there are three men and three women, such as on a bus. However, on a bus where there was three men and three women and then some of them leave, if a woman is left alone with a male driver the woman must exit the bus unless there is a danger to get off.
2. According to Ashkenazim, some say that it is not proper for a man and woman to travel alone in a car, while many others say that it is only forbidden to travel alone on small streets, where there only a few cars on the road.

Elevator

1. It is permissible for a man to enter an elevator with a woman because the time in travel is usually very short. Some say that it is permitted if the elevator has a travel time of less than 3 minutes.
2. If the building doesn't have a lot of people on each floor such as in an office building after hours, taking the elevator with one man and one woman is an issue of yichud.

Different rooms

1. Many authorities hold that one man may not be in the same house as a woman even if they are in different rooms. However, Sephardim hold that technically there is no yichud if they aren't in the same room. They must be vigilant to make sure that they don't come to forbidden yichud by using the shared area at the same time.
2. If a woman locks herself in a room and the man in on the outside room for Ashkenazim that is considered yichud. However, for Sephardim it isn't considered yichud.

Professionals

Doctor and Patient

1. For a dentist/doctor, yichud may be permitted if one is caught up in his work to the point that he will not do anything inappropriate. This leniency doesn't apply if the patient is the doctor's last patient unless there is a secretary or someone else in the office who is waiting for the doctor to come out of the room. Some poskim don't hold of this leniency alone for yichud. Some poskim are lenient as long as the room is unlocked and others can enter.
   1. A second potential heter for yichud for a dentist/doctor is that he/she will receive professional repercussions if he/she would act inappropriately. This suffices as a preventative measure.
   2. A third way to avoid yichud is by ensuring that other individuals can see inside the room or by simply making sure others are present.
2. If when a dentist sees a patient he/she closes the door, if others commonly walk in, it could be permitted. But if other people never walk in when the door is closed, it would be assur.
3. The relationship between a dentist/patient can be transformed into a libo gas ba situation if they develop a relationship through the professional interactions. Then these heteirim would not apply.

Teachers

1. The minhag is to permit a man to teach children if he's married even if his wife isn't in the same city.
2. A woman can be a teacher for young boys if her husband is in the town all the time (so that no issue of yichud arises).

Men secluding with other men

1. Technically there is no prohibition of yichud for two men to be secluded in the same room since there is no concern that Jewish would violate the prohibition of mishkav zachur. However, it is praiseworthy to be strict to avoid seclusion of two men together.
2. It is forbidden for two men to sleep in the same bed.

Links

• Article on Selected Halachos relating to Parshas Achrei Mos by Rabbi Doniel Neustadt
• Practical Applications of Hilchos Yichud by Rabbi Uri Orlian
• Minchat Ish by Rav Ayal Sharga, the son of Rav Baruch Sharga, a major Sephardi Rosh Kollel in Eretz Yisrael. (Volume One, Volume Two), useful for Sephardim in the absence of extensive Teshuvot from Rav Ovadia
• Gan Naul, another useful Sefer for Sephardim