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Yichud: Difference between revisions
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# Many authorities hold that one man may not be in the same house as a woman even if they are in different rooms. <ref>Sh"t Igrot Moshe 4:65:19. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/762691/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Does_Closing_the_Door_Help_Save_Yichud_Problems Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz] explains that even though Rav Moshe is strict there are some are opinions who are lenient but does not give a final ruling. See also Salmat Chaim 151, Chazon Ish 34:1-2, Shaar HaTziyun 239:27, Chachmat Adam 126:7, Divrei Malkiel 4:22, Tzitz Eliezer 6:40 (chap 7:10). </ref> | # Many authorities hold that one man may not be in the same house as a woman even if they are in different rooms. <ref>Sh"t Igrot Moshe 4:65:19. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/762691/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Does_Closing_the_Door_Help_Save_Yichud_Problems Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz] explains that even though Rav Moshe is strict there are some are opinions who are lenient but does not give a final ruling. See also Salmat Chaim 151, Chazon Ish 34:1-2, Shaar HaTziyun 239:27, Chachmat Adam 126:7, Divrei Malkiel 4:22, Tzitz Eliezer 6:40 (chap 7:10). </ref> | ||
==Doctor and Patient== | ==Doctor and Patient== | ||
# 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.<ref> Igros Moshe (E”H 4:65:1) says that a male OBGYN is so caught up in his work that he will not have any bad desires. He continues that even after he completed seeing the patient and other patients are waiting and he is not necessarily busy with the work at this moment, he doesn’t have time to linger around and must rush to the next patient, so there is no potential issur that he will do in that short time span. If it is the end of the day and no more patients are coming, he can rely on the secretary or someone else in the building to mitigate the issur yichud. | # 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.<ref> Igros Moshe (E”H 4:65:1) says that a male OBGYN is so caught up in his work that he will not have any bad desires. He continues that even after he completed seeing the patient and other patients are waiting and he is not necessarily busy with the work at this moment, he doesn’t have time to linger around and must rush to the next patient, so there is no potential issur that he will do in that short time span. If it is the end of the day and no more patients are coming, he can rely on the secretary or someone else in the building to mitigate the issur yichud.</ref> Some do not like this heter alone for yichud.<ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach quoted in Nishmat Avraham 3:9 quotes the Gemara Kiddushin 80b which says that yichud applies even to a man and woman who are burying a baby in a cemetery, showing that there is an issur yichud even when one is busy with something where theoretically there should be no yetzer hara. </ref> | ||
</ref> Some do not like this heter alone for yichud.<ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach quoted in Nishmat Avraham 3:9 quotes the Gemara Kiddushin 80b which says that yichud applies even to a man and woman who are burying a baby in a cemetery, showing that there is an issur yichud even when one is busy with something where theoretically there should be no yetzer hara. </ref> | ## 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.<ref> The Otzar Haposkim 22:8:7 quotes the Yaskil Avdi 2:17, Tzitz Eliezer 6:40:12:8. Nishmat Avraham as quoted by [http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/814211/rabbi-mordechai-torczyner/dental-halachah-treating-patients-of-the-opposite-gender/ Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner]. Tzitz Eliezer says that this heter may potentially only apply when both individuals involved are busy with the work. In a dentist/patient relationship, only the dentist is preoccupied, so the heter may not apply. See Chazon Ish EH 35:2 regarding this approach. </ref> | ||
## 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.<ref> Yaskil Avdi, Tzitz Eliezer | |||
## A third way to avoid yichud is by ensuring that other individuals can see inside the room<ref>Igros Moshe E”H 4:65:2 says that if a window is low enough for people outside to see, there is no yichud. But if the window is very high to the point that the people outside must climb up a ladder to see inside, which is very unnatural, that would be an issur yichud. When it comes to a dentist/patient, if they are visible to the public through a window, that can potentially avoid yichud.</ref> or by simply making sure others are present.<ref> Rav Moshe Shternbuch says that if one goes to a dentist/doctor of the opposite gender, one should bring his/her spouse or another relative. </ref> | ## A third way to avoid yichud is by ensuring that other individuals can see inside the room<ref>Igros Moshe E”H 4:65:2 says that if a window is low enough for people outside to see, there is no yichud. But if the window is very high to the point that the people outside must climb up a ladder to see inside, which is very unnatural, that would be an issur yichud. When it comes to a dentist/patient, if they are visible to the public through a window, that can potentially avoid yichud.</ref> or by simply making sure others are present.<ref> Rav Moshe Shternbuch says that if one goes to a dentist/doctor of the opposite gender, one should bring his/her spouse or another relative. </ref> | ||
# If when a dentist sees a patient he/she closes the door, if others commonly walk in, it could be muttar. But if other people never walk in when the door is closed, it would be assur.<ref>Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach</ref> | # If when a dentist sees a patient he/she closes the door, if others commonly walk in, it could be muttar. But if other people never walk in when the door is closed, it would be assur.<ref>Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach</ref> | ||
# 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.<ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, quoted in Nishmat Avraham 3:94-95</ref> | # 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.<ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, quoted in Nishmat Avraham 3:94-95</ref> | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
* [http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5757/achrei.html Article on Selected Halachos relating to Parshas Achrei Mos] by Rabbi Doniel Neustadt | * [http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5757/achrei.html Article on Selected Halachos relating to Parshas Achrei Mos] by Rabbi Doniel Neustadt | ||
