Permission to watch films with indecent scenes
Hello Rabbi,
A few years ago (in the 2018 issue of Tzohar, https://www.tzohar.org.il/wp-content/uploads/membet.pdf, p. 71) Rabbi Avraham Stav published an article permitting the viewing of films that contain immodest scenes (up to a certain level, and to a certain amount) provided that the viewer closes his eyes.
Is the Rabbi familiar with the issue? What is the Rabbi’s opinion on the matter?
I would like to point out that the question is purely halakhic, and not an ideological or educational one about watching such films (like the article).
thanks
Completely agree. And I’m not even sure we should close our eyes (the KH discusses this in Be’er Mayim Chaim). I wrote about it here on the site.
Now I found it here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%A6%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D
In Be'er Mayim Chaim, he concludes [by virtue of a contradiction from the Gemara in Pesachim] to be stricter in the prohibition of looking at incest.
So citing him as a source is a bit difficult…
Additionally, I would love to know how you resolve his question from the Gemara on Pesachim, which forced his schism that you seem to not accept.
Here I did not rely on him, but wrote that he discussed it. Indeed, in the link I gave it is implied that he himself permits, but maybe I was wrong about that, I really do not remember his conclusion there. It is also not very important to me.
As for the matter, in the Sugya in Pesachim it appears that if there is a second way, it is permissible. And the first ones there explain that if there is a second way, it means that the alternative path is a little more difficult. It is not a matter of rape. And the explanation of the matter is that when there is another path and you choose this path, it means that you intend a prohibition, and therefore it is not intentional and forbidden. But when the other path is slightly longer, then choosing the short path is not with the intention of a prohibition, but because it is short, in any case it does not intend and is permissible.
As far as I remember, the simple Sugya in B”B implies that one should close one's eyes (for the sake of one's soul), but from Pesachim it appears that one does not. I do not have time to go into this now, and I am planning a column on the matter in the future.
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