Listening to Women’s Only Music
Question
My wife and I recently discovered the YouTube channel of an Orthodox Jewish woman who sings the most beautiful songs. My wife and I are huge fans. At the start of each video, before she sings, she has a message that says “for women only.” She presumably expects on honor that only women will listen to her music because obviously she has no control. I personally believe there is no Torah violation in listening to a woman’s voice electronically. Is it really that bad to listen to her music if the only thing I am doing wrong is violating her own personal request with which I disagree and not the halacha I learned growing up that I follow?
Answers
Please allow me to make a somewhat insensitive comment. If the person singing has made it absolutely clear that she does not want men to listen to her why on earth would you deliberately disregard her wishes? Even if your premise that it is Halachically completely permitted to listen to recorded singing were incontrovertible – which is not the case – what does that have to do with the singer’s Halachic and personal stance on the matter? Even assuming that your approach is correct that does not negate the Mitzvah of v’Ahavatah Lereicha Kamocha which is incumbant on all of us.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team