Q&A: A Question About Vacation
A Question About Vacation
Question
Hello Rabbi,
My wife and I very much want an inexpensive, laid-back vacation of the sun-and-pool variety.
We’re talking about a place where most of the people are non-Jews.
Is my wife allowed to be at the pool/beach in a swimsuit?
(In the past we used to go regularly. Nowadays we’ve become more observant and would like to hear the Rabbi’s view on what Jewish law says.)
Answer
It is commonly accepted to prohibit mixed bathing. I am not sure whether one can establish an unequivocal halakhic prohibition on this, at least regarding your wife. At most, this would involve causing others to stumble under “do not place a stumbling block” for those who see her (especially if it leads them to forbidden thoughts). But from your perspective it is more problematic, since I assume she would not be the only woman there. If you are convinced that you will not come to forbidden thoughts, then even that I cannot really prohibit outright (see Ritva at the end of tractate Kiddushin). Bottom line: you need to decide in light of your familiarity with yourselves.
Discussion on Answer
*Ron
You said there was a majority of non-Jews, but also Jews.
As for your question, it is explained in the Talmudic passage in Avodah Zarah that “do not place a stumbling block” does apply in relation to non-Jews (although it seems to me that they have no prohibition regarding forbidden thoughts).
If so, in a place where everyone is non-Jewish with high probability, and assuming they have no prohibition regarding such thoughts,
then there is certainly room to permit it
(you can still change destination…)
Correct.
Much appreciated!
My wife adds another question: what about head covering around the hotel if there are only non-Jews there?
Head covering is a Torah law of modesty that does not depend on causing men to stumble into improper thoughts. Therefore, in a public area, the head should be covered.
Thank you very much.
Enjoy your vacation. (:
I assumed the Rabbi would aim the arrow at me, so I already noted in the question that I have past experience with this (:
As for me, I say this without hesitation: for me, when I’m with my wife in those places, only she is with me in thought, speech, and deed. And that itself is the desire here.
As for my wife, I apologize for my ignorance: does “do not place a stumbling block” apply with regard to a non-Jew?