Rabbis Reiterate Ban On ‘Song Evenings’ After Mixed Jerusalem Concert Event Raises Furor

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Stock photo / Courtesy Flash90

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A musical concert which took place at Jerusalem’s Binyanei Haumah conference center Monday night has raised an uproar in the chareidi community after scenes emerged of chareidi men and women dancing adjacent to one another.

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In the past, the gedolim have warned that such musical events can lead to a serious spiritual deterioration if they are not conducted in a kosher manner and with proper decorum. Last week, during the course of the Tzam’ah concerts which take place annually to celebrate the 19th of Kislev, the gedolim protested the fact that male singers sing at a concert for women only and the women dance during the course of the concerts.

However the concert on Monday was a far more serious breach of rules, as the concert featured mixed seating and at various points men and women were dancing adjacent to one another. The concert was touted for the chareidi community and advertising in various chareidi journals and communities but the atmosphere was inappropriate.Various rabbis decried the frivolous atmosphere and one educator remarked that “as a result of the mixed seating things deteriorated to singing and dancing together. Even in the US where they are more open there are no such things. Even those singers who used to appear before mixed audiences don’t so so any more.”

Another educator criticized the “disgraceful scene” in which “yeshiva students were seen dancing next to sem girls as a chareidi singer performs is a terrible breach of rules and weakening of the chareidi fight for purity in our camp. At this rate the youth will soon question why we need to hold weddings and events with separation.”

Last week Rabbi Chaim Kanievski wrote a letter stating that “recently people who violate  rules have begun to entice yeshiva students to all kinds of song evenings under the guise of raising spirits through music and song. When these are conducted without spiritual supervision the atmosphere is far from spiritual strengthening and is more entertainment and lapsing which can cause spiritual damage and wasting time from Torah study.

Rabbi Kanievski compared these evenings to a Moshav Leitzim, a place where mockers of Torah congregate.”

 


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82 Comments
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Golda
Golda
2 years ago

These singers, including the singer mentioned in the article, strive to produce songs that are supposed to sound “modern” but they end sounding totally goyish because that’s what they copy. So the atmosphere they create when they sing is goyish as well.

jay
jay
2 years ago

100% inappropriate no matter from which perspective you look at it. Not only inappropriate but rather אסור מן התורה

Not such a great surprise
Not such a great surprise
2 years ago

When you have an event with a (fine) singer that grew up Modern Orthodox, and is still connected to that world, with Modern Orthodox young people in attendance, singing a Neo-Hasidic song (“geshmak to be a Yid”), it is not a great surprise that some started dancing like that. After all, in such Modern Orthodox circles (like Camp HASC, Camp Morasha, etc.) such things are accepted, or are at least not considered as scandalous as in some Haredi circles.

Phineas
Phineas
2 years ago

Inappropriate. Agreed. Now make Meron safe and provide answers for that man-made disaster.

Anon
Anon
2 years ago

You can do the “mothaland bounce”…but “you gotta keep e’m separated”

Aguttenshabbos
Aguttenshabbos
2 years ago

This is nothing. Let these great rabonim in Eretz Yisroel see what goes on in crown heights at Simchas beis hashoeiva. They would all keel over.

samm
samm
2 years ago

There’s no way to stop it. if you have mixed seating men and women if they dance will be dancing near each other.

Aguttenshabbos
Aguttenshabbos
2 years ago

“last week, reb Chaim Kanievsky wrote a letter……..” Actually, It probably went down just like this. A few ultra fanatical frumies wrote the letter, blew the matzav way out of proportion, and of course Reb Chaim and others signed it. Happens all the time with many great Rabonim signing letters and kol koreh’s.

Last edited 2 years ago by Aguttenshabbos
Anonymous
Anonymous
2 years ago

This is ridiculous and nothing has changed in 40 years. The Rosh Yeshvious had the same concern with Mordichai Ben David, the Jewish Rock Star back in the 80’s. Now look at all those young minds he influenced! They are running around with smartphones, and on the internet posting on VinNews:)

sue
sue
2 years ago

it’s an old story with new lyrics

triumphinwhitehouse
triumphinwhitehouse
2 years ago

this is a serious breach, not sure what heter there is to have concerts in the 1st place.

The great
The great
2 years ago

Guys what’s wrong with u? Don’t have what to do? Just looking to put hate?
Go eat some latkes! I was there and there was nothing wrong!!!

Elenencomment
Elenencomment
2 years ago

This hurts a little, because it truly is geshmak to be a yid but not just dancing to the song. It’s geshmak to Daven Hallel with nice songs. It’s geshmak to learn a good sugya with a fiery shiur. It’s geshmak to dance at a friends chasuna in a big circle. It’s geshmak to have a purpose in everything you do!!
it’s not the same “fun” as partying at a concert tho…

Bal Busser
Bal Busser
2 years ago

100% appropriate. This will Bezras Hashem lead to more straight bochurim and more healthy relationships

Gersey
Gersey
2 years ago

Just take out a gemarah and you find machlokes everywhere. Not with sinas chinam but about halachah. I for one hold Halachah K’bais Hillel. err, on the side of leniency and at kisei hakovod ask if you were right about the pshat. Otherwise as it says in Avos ( the rabbis forgot that one ) DO NOT JUDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sol
Sol
2 years ago

OMG! This will lead to boys talking to girls without their mother’s permission and will solve the shiddach crises.

really
really
2 years ago

Whats the problem. That they celebrated Tu BeAv Early? Zerizin Makdimim

Oygevaltgeshrig
Oygevaltgeshrig
2 years ago

Oy meh hayah lanu. Rav Yakov Herman fought this battle over 100 years ago and now we have devolved back into mixed dancing and other goyish behaviors. Clearly the Holocaust was not enough of a lesson for us.

triumphinwhitehouse
triumphinwhitehouse
2 years ago

we must cancel Mordechai Shapiro.

Hashomer
Hashomer
2 years ago

Another crisis! First its cell phones, then its too few shidduchs, now its tancing! Oy. With each crisis the rabbonim express panic and tighten their grip.