Women Singing Zemirot

Chana Tolchin Asks: If I am at a Shabbat table where there is more than one family (both men and women are present), should I hesitate to sing out during Shir Hamalot/bentching? I've seen women who whisper and women who sing completely normally. Are kol isha issues different when men and women are singing together for the purposes of tefillah?


Great question. Although almost all modern poskim agree that the laws of kol isha still apply today, even though in our culture men are more accustomed to hearing women’s voices, there is controversy about whether this prohibition applies to zemirot, tefillot, and the like.

This debate surfaced in halakhic literature about 100 years ago in Germany. Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (Shu”t Seridei Esh 2:8) records that on a visit to Germany, he was shocked to find religious men and women singing zemirot together. His immediate reaction was against this practice, but after finding that Rav Azriel Hildesheimer and Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, two major German poskim at this time, approved of this practice, he tried to find a basis for it.

Rav Hildesheimer and Rav Hirsch approved of this practice based on the notion of “trei kalei lo mishtamei,” or, if two voices sing at the same time, it is hard to distinguish each one. Rav Weinberg was unsatisfied with this explanation, and instead cited a different teshuva, of the Sdei Chemed who, in the name of the Divrei Cheifetz, asserts that the prohibition of kol isha does not apply to zemirot because the context is one of kedusha in which men are not thinking about deriving pleasure from the women’s voices. He supports this idea with the story of Devorah the prophetess singing songs of praise to G-d together with Barak, who, at least according to the simplest explanation of the text, was not her husband. This, says Rav Weinberg, is sufficient basis for this practice.

Rav Weinberg then goes on to address the psychological implications of this issue, pointing out that those who sing zemirot have intentions “leshem shamayim” and allowing women to participate will help them cultivate a love for Judaism. He also explores the flipside: not being allowed to participate in oneg Shabbat by singing with the group is insulting to educated women and will cause them to distance themselves from tradition. Thus, he says, even if it is a measure of tzniut to to refrain from singing zemirot, “et laasot laHashem heferu toratecha,” or, sometimes we need to take measures that seem to be against the Torah in order to actually preserve the Torah. Given the times, denying women this religious expression would alienate them, causing more harm than good. Thus, says Rav Wienberg, one can rely on the lenient opinion and allow mixed singing for zemirot. Though he does not address Shir HaMaalot or bentching specifically, these seem to be in the same category as zemirot.

There are many who oppose this leniency (see Rabbi Howard Jachter’s article at http://koltorah.org/ravj/The%20Parameters%20of%20Kol%20Isha.htm for sources of more stringent opinions), and in many communities and instances, women do not sing zemirot aloud out of tzniut considerations. In fact, the Sdei Chemed himself says it is fitting to be strict, even though he supports the lenient approach as halakhically acceptable. But, given that education and religious expression for women is certainly as much, if not more, of a value in our modern communities as it was a century ago in Germany, I would think that women who want to follow the lenient approach certainly have halakhic sources to rely on. I believe that in the Modern Orthodox community, women participating in zemirot on Shabbat can foster an extremely positive environment of religious growth and expression that includes all members of the community.