Q&A: The Parameters of “No Other Way”
The Parameters of “No Other Way”
Question
What can be done when every place that has water, even shallow and small places, almost always has some promiscuous, filthy woman walking around in a swimsuit and the like? On the one hand, I don’t want to be there and just want to run away from the place; on the other hand, everywhere we went and switched to, we eventually ended up in a situation where someone like that showed up. This causes unpleasantness and resentment on the part of the children, the family, and my wife.
We try to sit off to the side, but somehow they always pass by and show up there. It’s two full months with the children when everyone around us and the whole family goes out on trips.
This leads to a lot of arguments between us.
What is the definition of “no other way,” such that one may pass by the washerwomen at the river?
Answer
See my columns on immodest films. The definition is any difficulty whatsoever. If this is not a place designated for bathing (like an organized beach), then in my opinion there is no prohibition—that is, there is no obligation to run away every time some woman shows up.
By the way, the expressions “promiscuous and filthy” are really very out of place. Different groups have different norms.
Discussion on Answer
The amount of anti-instinctive reaction I have to expressions of thanks like that from “There Is Still Hope” is even greater than my agreement with the Rabbi’s actual comment about those expressions.
Thank you to the Rabbi for the comment regarding the disgusting label the questioner chose to use for women who do not live like he does.