lesschumros – I got a little carried away in my previous post, and I apologize.
That said, it disturbs me to no end that you refer to yiridas hadoros, a concept that was told to us by men far greater than you and me, as a “myth”. In Judaisim, no question is off limits – but please, wait for an explanation before you so casually dismiss something!
“Why is it necessary to make believe that Yehuda didn’t do what he did with Tamar?”
As has been explained, there are many, many meforshim that deal with these types of problems (Yehudah and Tamar, the Aigel, the Meroglim, etc). If you truly want an answer I would suggest either looking them up or asking somebody who is likely to be knowledgeable in these things (like your LOR).
_______________________________________________________
oomis1105 – “Are you seriously comparing actual yichud and negiah to people sitting together at a simcha or talking together in the street, at shul, in school, or at a social event of some other type????? I do not believe this!”
No, I am not saying that mixed seating is assur, as yichud and negiah are. I am, however, pointing out that the Rabbonim obviously did not think “trust” is the way to go when it comes to the yetzer hara of arayos. As Moq, pointed out, it would be nice if you actually responded to my point, instead of informing me that you “do not believe this!” Look at all the halachos that Kasha so kindly quoted in “Al Tarbe Sicha Im Haeisha” and tell me: Can you honestly say that according to daas Torah, there’s nothing wrong with inter-gender contact?
“Maybe according to that way of thinking, a boy should not even be allowed to drive a girl in his car on a date. That is Yichud, too. And she is really at his mercy if the car is on a deserted road.”
As a matter of fact yes, it is yichud for an unrelated male and female to be alone in car in a place where nobody else is likely to pass by.