Yichud: Difference between revisions

# 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.<ref>Minchat Ish by Rav Shraga Ayal 10:2</ref>

#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. <ref>Kuntres Internet BeHalacha (p. 33) discusses whether having a webcam is similar to having a door open to the public domain and in the conclusion quotes Rav Elyashiv saying that it is not a valid leniency. </ref> If someone is monitoring the camera, some poskim say that one can be lenient. <ref>[http://www.dinonline.org/2012/04/25/yichud-with-video-camera/ yichud with video-camera]. They also write that it is possible that it is also permissible if it is recording, even if nobody is watching. see also [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/m/halacha.aspx?id=714 Rabbi Eli Mansour] DailyHalacha. [http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/821147/rabbi-aryeh-lebowitz/ten-minute-halacha-webcams-in-halacha/ Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz in a Ten Minute Halacha] explained that it seems that a security camera that can be monitored at any time is enough to prevent yichud.</ref>

#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. <ref>Yalkut Yosef Hilchot Ishut EH Siman 22:9, Gan Naul 8:22. Gan Naul cites Rav Meir Mazuz in Or Torah 18:108:37 as agreeing. </ref>

*Lastly, [http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/The%20Yichud%20Prohibition%20-%20Part%202.htm Rabbi Jachter] quotes Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (cited in Techumin 10:311), Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, and Rav Mordechai Willig as ruling that it is permitted for a man to travel alone in a car with a woman unless they are driving in a very remote area or at a time when there are very few cars on the road. Nitei Gavriel (Yichud 44:1) rules that one roads where cars continue to pass by and the roads are well lit, there's no Yichud, however, on small streets where not very many cars travel it's forbidden. See further [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipDate=11/2/2004 Rabbi Mansour on DailyHalacha.com].</ref>

#It is permissible for a man to enter an elevator with a woman because the time in travel is usually very short.<ref>[http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/The%20Yichud%20Prohibition%20-%20Part%202.htm Rabbi Jachter] quoting Teshuvot Igrot Moshe E.H. 4:65:16, Teshuvot Tzitz Eliezer 6:40:22, and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchat Shlomo 1:91:22) say that it is permitted for a man to enter an elevator with a woman and it isn't yichud.</ref> Some say that it is permitted if the elevator has a travel time of less than 3 minutes. <ref>Yalkut Yosef ([[Chinuch]] pg 389), Gan Naul 8:21. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/792159/Rabbi_Uri_Orlian/Hilchos_Yichud Rav Orlian] mentions that potentially going up the glass elevators in CN towers in Toronto which are taller than 1100 ft and the elevators take 58 seconds is a bit of a question of yichud if a man and woman go in together. </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>

#If a woman locks herself in a room and the man in on the outside room that is considered yichud.<ref>Igrot Moshe EH 4:65:19</ref>

#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>

#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 minhag is to permit a man to teach girls if he's married even if his wife isn't in the same city.<ref>Igrot Moshe EH 4:65:13 writes that the minhag is to follow Rabbi Akiva Eiger and not the Chelkat Mechokek 22:21 on this question.</ref>