Home › Forums › Inspiration / Mussar › Talking With Members of The Opposite Gender
Tagged: gender, is coffeeroom muttar
- This topic has 207 replies, 68 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 10 months ago by Mezonos Maven.
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February 24, 2009 4:58 am at 4:58 am #662963qwertyuiopMember
mod42: what do you mean, “again”??$
February 24, 2009 5:03 am at 5:03 am #662964YW Moderator-42ModeratorSorry qwertyuiop, I confused you with your friend asdfghjkl
February 24, 2009 5:07 am at 5:07 am #662968qwertyuiopMembermod42: i forgot about that$
February 24, 2009 5:09 am at 5:09 am #662969qwertyuiopMembermod42: how did you even remember that??$
February 24, 2009 5:13 am at 5:13 am #662970pearlMemberJothar:
I don’t believe there are two “Hills”. IMHO they are one and the same person, so naturally they will hold the same views.
February 24, 2009 12:18 pm at 12:18 pm #662974ujmParticipantJothar,
If you were running this place, what would you do about this situation?
February 24, 2009 3:07 pm at 3:07 pm #662976JotharMemberMod, My anonymous Rebbe ZT”L remains anonymous because my (sometimes too non-yeshivish) views and (sometimes overly argumentative and aggressive) behavior here in the coffee Room are not an accurate reflection of his views and exemplary middos, and I would be doing him a disservice if people started associating my views with his.
FWIW, my anonymous Rebbe ZT”L felt that when addressing other women besides your wife, you call them Mrs. or Miss, not by their first names. Relationships with other women should be cordial but not friendly. When I first started working I tried that, but the constant wear-and-tear and the fact that the veiber I worked with found it offensive (they felt like their mothers) made me drop it.
In that case, I hope we live up to his standards.
February 24, 2009 6:42 pm at 6:42 pm #662977feivelParticipantit was Shaul, i believe, before he was king, whilst he was looking for his father’s donkeys, stopped to ask directions from a couple of ladies. but the Meforshim say he used as little words as possible and did not engage them in “conversation” other than what was necessary.
February 24, 2009 6:50 pm at 6:50 pm #662978JayMatt19Participant??? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????
-???? ??????? ?? ??,?
R’ Yose HaGillili once met Beruria on the road and asked her “By which road should we travel to Lod?” Beruria replied “Fool, Didn’t the Rabbanim say (in Avos) ‘don’t talk excessively with women?’ you Should have asked ‘Which (road) to Lod?’
This is a Gemarrah in Eruvin
February 24, 2009 7:03 pm at 7:03 pm #662979Mayan_DvashParticipantJothar, my Rebbi said the same thing. In my first job, it was at a small company that employed Yeshivish looking people, I was in good company when addressing women as Mrs. _____. Ditto at the second company. Right now I work in a large office where the first few weeks I had to educate the women to avoid contact, that it’s not personal etc…. being that I am the only Yarmulka bearer in the office.
(How many of you thought with a name like Mayan I am female?)
February 24, 2009 7:26 pm at 7:26 pm #662980baal kishronParticipantguilty as charged:)
February 24, 2009 7:41 pm at 7:41 pm #662981Mayan_DvashParticipantThere was a thread a while back where “everyone” supposedly explained their call sign. Mayan Dvash means spring of honey or well of honey. Since I work for Honeywell, I chose that name.
February 24, 2009 7:48 pm at 7:48 pm #662982areivimzehlazehParticipantThis update was very helpful. Sometimes we just need reminders.
Thanks to the hills for bringing back this topic & to mod42 for giving a very clear synopsis of the situation.
and- I’m assuming a general statement that does not address a specific member is always permitted
February 24, 2009 7:55 pm at 7:55 pm #662983JotharMemberMod, I appreciate the public kavod, but I’m trying to bleib a lamadvavnik- once I’m bavust I lose my membership discounts..the other 35 don’t like bavuste lamadvavniks…
February 24, 2009 8:30 pm at 8:30 pm #662984areivimzehlazehParticipantjothar- he wasn’t referring to you 😉
February 24, 2009 8:36 pm at 8:36 pm #662986charlie brownMembersubstitute ego boosters shouldn’t go around deflating people’s egos like that!
February 24, 2009 8:52 pm at 8:52 pm #662987JotharMemberAreivim, his earlier mod did make a reference to me, but he removed it. So I’m still nistar. I am still allowed to attend the annual “36” retreat…
February 24, 2009 9:04 pm at 9:04 pm #662988areivimzehlazehParticipantoh B”H for editing technology. So- how was the leftover cholent?
February 24, 2009 9:52 pm at 9:52 pm #662989JotharMemberUs Lamedvavniks get the best of everything- if we acted all pious people might catch on to us or something. And if you think we’re ugly, gevald are you ugly! (paraphrase from shlomo carlebach’s shvartze wolf story, not a personally directed comment)
February 24, 2009 9:59 pm at 9:59 pm #662990moish01Memberhey jothar i tried posting that and it didn’t make it. oh well.
February 24, 2009 9:59 pm at 9:59 pm #662991squeakParticipantAh, Jothar, I didn’t know! You see, I’m 37nik. So all I need is for you to shove over, and I’m in. I’ve been waiting on the sidelines for so long….
February 24, 2009 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm #662992areivimzehlazehParticipanthow do you get on to the waiting list? how much paperwork, forged signatures, protectzia, layers of clothing etc… necessary?
February 25, 2009 1:26 am at 1:26 am #662993ujmParticipantDoes anyone have a justification for the regular chatting with the other gender?
February 25, 2009 2:53 am at 2:53 am #662994SJSinNYCMemberUJM, I chat with members of both genders regularly. As part of my job, I’ve become friendly with many men. I find it really helps with our job – its a lot easier to work hard for a friend than a coworker.
Also, my husband and I share friends. Some I am closer with and some he is, but its important to me that we have our friends rather than isolating each other. This requires cross-gender communication.
February 25, 2009 3:29 am at 3:29 am #662995squeakParticipantareivim – you know what they say, “If you have to ask….”
February 25, 2009 3:58 am at 3:58 am #662996JotharMemberDon’t worry, Squeak, you’re the “Rudy” of the lamedvavniks. One day you’ll get your chance, if you’re not too bavust beforehand. There’s no shame in being a lamedzayinnik.
February 25, 2009 4:20 am at 4:20 am #662997ujmParticipantSJSinNYC, I am talking about Chareidishe Yidden. You are MO (and by some MO, there is even mixed swimming.) So you are no raya.
By Bnei Torah, talking with the other gender is minimized to the bare possible minimum. And that’s the way it should be.
February 25, 2009 6:25 am at 6:25 am #662998ujmParticipantames, did I ever identify my gender? I think it is mostly irrelevant. Part of the problem is when people unnecesarily think it important to advertise their gender here. I think you even made clear you’re married. How is that relevant?
Obviously here it isn’t as bad as in real life. But if you read some of the kibbutzing threads and see what is going on between the genders, it raises many red flags. Talking “issues” is one thing. I see you and others deeply involved in chatting on non-issue familial terms chatting. This is wrong.
February 25, 2009 6:49 am at 6:49 am #662999asdfghjklParticipantujm: as areirim would say-using a word i taught him-CHILLAX!!!!
February 25, 2009 11:26 am at 11:26 am #663000SJSinNYCMembertrying so hard not to respond to hypocritical drivel…
February 25, 2009 2:39 pm at 2:39 pm #663001squeakParticipantJothar – <gasp> –
Notre Dame and lamedvavniks in the same sentence??? Vey is mir! (woe to me)
February 25, 2009 4:53 pm at 4:53 pm #663002JotharMemberSqueak, that’s what makes a lamedvavnik a lamedvavnik- the ability to look like an ordinary Jew but still maintain a hidden kedusha.
February 25, 2009 5:15 pm at 5:15 pm #663003charlie brownMemberhey I missed this conversation. Jothar, you’re really also a lamed vovnik like me? Wow, any others here in the CR besides the 2 of us?
February 25, 2009 6:08 pm at 6:08 pm #663004chillmasterMemberthe only issur concerning men and women is talking or laughing which can lead to touching. singing is the same thing the only reason why a man cant listen to a women sing is because he will want her and will lead to bad things.
there is no problem blogging with a ‘women’ in reality is could be an old granny or a little boy !! you willl never know!!!!
dont you people work and email or call women in your company or other ones isnt that the same thing
February 25, 2009 7:02 pm at 7:02 pm #663005squeakParticipantames, your Yiddish and my Arabic have plenty in common.
Jothar, what hath an ordinary Jew to do with Notre Dame?
February 25, 2009 7:04 pm at 7:04 pm #663006chillmasterMemberames: good point im a young single working guy dont worry
February 25, 2009 7:06 pm at 7:06 pm #663007anonymisssParticipantchill- thanks for answering my question, wrong thread though
~a~
February 25, 2009 7:20 pm at 7:20 pm #663008JotharMemberA moshol squeak, nothing more. You’re riding the bench for the next opening in the circle of 36.
Charlie Brown, I greet you with the secret handshake.
February 25, 2009 7:22 pm at 7:22 pm #663009cherrybimParticipantIt’s like having anonymous talk.
February 26, 2009 5:17 am at 5:17 am #663012JosephParticipantReb Moshe, in Igros Moshe EH 4:60, paskened that it is assur to talk to the opposite gender in a social context, and assur to be friends with them, and even seeming platonic relationships between boys and girls are assur min hatorah. In the Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah number 188, it states there that it is assur for boys and girls to talk to each other.
February 26, 2009 5:48 am at 5:48 am #663013cherrybimParticipantUJM: When as you said that Rav Moshe paskins: “it is assur to talk to the opposite gender in a social context”, does he mean “any talk” or does he allow “bare minimum talk”?
February 26, 2009 6:50 am at 6:50 am #663015strivingMemberI’m glad that I found this thread because I was thinking of starting one myself. When I started YWN CR a week ago I was thrilled that there was a frum forum for discussing real things. I asked a Q about shidduchim and I received beautiful thought out answers. I was like, “Woah. This place is so cool.” But then, as I started browsing other threads/topics, I realized that there is a bit of sketchiness situations. I saw people constantly identifying their genders and marital statuses. I even saw borderline (or not so borderline) fliratiousness.
I’m not trying to put down YWN CR cuz I think they do a lot of good. I think that maybe the moderators should be a bit more selective in what they allow through the filters. I mean sometimes the comments are just “personal jokes” between posters and totally mess up the train of thought of the entire thread… and often those jokes are between self-identified opposite gender people.
They say “Everything in moderation” and I think that’s what this place needs. A bit more moderation (in terms of moderators) so that we can keep the good emmesdig content and weed out the leitzanus/not-frum-Jew-appropriate stuff!
February 26, 2009 2:17 pm at 2:17 pm #663017gavra_at_workParticipantstriving:
I have seen the same, it used to be much worse. I’m not aroud for the conversation periods (evening) either way.
February 26, 2009 5:18 pm at 5:18 pm #663018Mayan_DvashParticipantI have a question that is purely academic and should not be used as “halacha lemaaseh” It should be clear that Negiah is ossur whether the other person is 12 or 100 years old. Do we say the same Lo Ploog regarding talking? I can hear valid arguments both ways.
February 26, 2009 5:37 pm at 5:37 pm #663019myshadowMemberstriving, your absolutely right.
Personally I never saw that much wrong with the coffeeroom but I hear everybody’s points. We are all kidding ourselves that maybe people that we think are young girls are really 40 year men. Most blogger’s gender and approximate age are very clear.
From all the shidduchim threads, the single girls have been identified therefore technically any man who is posting on this site should really not be stam schmoozing with them.
I don’t mean to sound farfrumnt or anything but I was pretty surprised myself when SJS was able to correctly identify me on the laptop thread, and like chillmaster posted on this thread: “good point im a young single working guy dont worry” (no offense chillmaster!!)
So the question then is, when there is a clear distinction between the guys and girls on the internet, and their true identity is not known, is there any sort of issur?
February 26, 2009 6:10 pm at 6:10 pm #663020gavra_at_workParticipantMayan_Dvash: Hate to say it, but what you claim is clear is not so clear. The Issur is only Derech Kiruv, and there is a big Chiluk in that via age.
February 26, 2009 6:24 pm at 6:24 pm #663021SJSinNYCMemberMyshadow, I hope I didn’t offend you in any way when I called out your gender/age.
Keep in mind, you posted a thread about 20th birthday celebration ideas and said “My friend is turning 20 and she’s the first in our group to leave her teenage years!” [No, I didn’t remember that exactly, but I knew I thought you were a young woman. I just checked your profile to see how I got that idea]
February 26, 2009 6:26 pm at 6:26 pm #663022Mayan_DvashParticipantGAW: that’s not how my Rebbi taught it to us. Do YOU shake women’s hands?
February 26, 2009 7:29 pm at 7:29 pm #663023yossieaParticipantYour rebbi in HS or your Rav? Big difference. I was learning with my rav in a small setting just a few men and we were learning and bottom line is that to shake a non-Jewish female’s hand is not 100% assur, so if you’re in certain situations then it would be OK to shake hands. Shaking a Jewish woman’s hand is a bigger issue.
February 26, 2009 7:59 pm at 7:59 pm #663024gavra_at_workParticipantMayan_Dvash: My answer would be demeaning and blocked. Vhamavin Yavin.
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