Giloy Arayos (Movies, etc.)

Sacrilege, not really possible to be over on giluy arayos through those, but there is a problem of hirhur. Also, many movies and songs are not positive Jewish influences, although I would agree that there are some worthy movies and songs that have been made over the years. It is not black and white, but one should carefully think it over. Even in the best movies, often there will be at least a scene or two that are embarrassing and not family fare.

There’s more to it than giluy arayos.

I think what you refer to comes from the unique lav of lo sikrivu ligalos erva, meaning don’t come close to transgressing this sin, as opposed to others where the Torah simply states to do or not to do something.

One issue, for example, is that music has a unique power and it connects to the soul, so to speak. Therefore, one would obviously not want to hear music that was not made and performed by as pure a neshama as possible.

And an issue that concerns both music and movies is that everything we see or hear has an impact on us. So even if the movie (or song) in question does not have a blatant tznius/arayos problem, it’s essentially impossible that the song/movie’s influence will be 100% in keeping with the Torah’s hashkafa, and, therefore, listening/watching it is not a simple thing. IMHO.

Are you a beis yaakov girl?

As a side point, black and white movies really are better than the current stuff, both in quality and for your soul.

Citizen Kane is a mussar shmooze in of itself.

Is hirhur arayos an issur or is it one of those not-such-nice- things-that-you-should-refrain-from?

Li Nireh, since you are a girl, it is the second. If you were male it would be the first.

My bigger problem is that I think the movies are affecting my haskafos, and thats why I think I’m more motivated to stop, or try to.

Then that is your answer. Acharei L’vavvichem is just as Assur as Acharei Eyneichem.

Gavra, Aharei levavchem is apikorsus. I don’t think this what we are talking about here.

Gavra, Aharei Levavchem is minus, and there are strict gedorim as to what that is. Period.

It is more a sakana for a boy than a girl, because it can lead to physical actions which are totally contrary to Torah. It is bad for a girl because it is just not “kosher” to see certain things. We are not dogs in the street, and the people who act in such scenes in movies ARE acting like animals with no sense of shame or privacy. Though a girl will not be oveir on shfichus zera l’vatalah, it is not good for her neshama to be privy to something that is meant to be filled with kedusha.

If she is married — any man. If she is single — her nephew, her brother-in-law etc., for sure. If she is a niddah and single (and all our single women, generally, are niddos), any man is an erva to her. But about this last thing I am not sure, if there is an issur of hirhur. Shulchan Aruch, however, forbids reading dirty books as it brings yetser hora on a person.

It is extremely difficult to be madgir the issur of hirhur for women; I suggest we leave it alone. It is difficult to concieve that hirhur would be forbidden based ervah; basing on Niddah would be even more difficult, I’d be curious to see a source.

Lo Sikrevu on Hirhur? Is that even true for a man? Source! (Hishamer Lecha Mekol Davar Rah would apply for a man because of the resulting issurim, but not for a woman. The Ramban in Yevamos speaks of Hirhur for women being problematic, but not based on a posuk).

BUT-

But the influence is real. We become more promiscious, more violent – we are influenced by what we see and hear. This is real. There is a double digit billions industry called advertising – which means that behaviorism works. What we see, what we hear – we do. I do – you do. This is how marketing & advertising work – and are they successful!

This is why the Torah tries to influence us on a constant basis. Say the Shema – twice a day. Everyday. Repition. Behavioralism.

America has destroyed it’s soul through the media. Destroyed it’s values & morals. True, some music is wonderful, some movies perhaps once upon time were as well – but today, since 99% percent is garbage and will influence us to evil – not because we are weak, but because we are human.

You honesty & desire to grow is certainly a great maalah, more then anything you listen to or see. But, to keep that wonderful maalah, you should water it – not poison it.

But L’Maaseh, we are not going to sit and read sifsey chaim all day. Find a hobby. Get involved. Do something you enjoy, spend time with real people with real feeling. Learn a musical instrument and fill those needs for real music.

Enjoy what is real, what is here, what is now.

And worst of all – TV & Movies teach us that life is constantly – well, on the edge of life. We lose our taste for real, beautiful, refreshing day to day life. We become zombies on the last minute saved by the dashing hero before the nuclear goes off and destroys the universe.

And we fall fate to the ultimate killer – the belief that life is later & elsewhere. Life is after I graduate, get married, lose ten pounds, marry off my grandkids – then life begins.

And that is a sad life, never ever lived. And is worse then any issur; it is lose of the point of it all. It is a living death. A life where only the fake is called real. Made in The USA, of course.

The Gemara says V’Nishmartem MiKol Davar Rah, an issur Aseh, as mentioned. It mentions it for men, though.

Lo Sikrevu? I don’t think so – again, source anybody?

Moq, if a woman imagines doing an actual aveira with a man to whom she is an erva, she is over on “Lo sosuru aharei einiychem…” (Igros Moshe, Even HaEzer, heilek 1, tshuva 69).

“oomis – not everyone acts like dogs, what movies are you watching? 😛 “

I know of it purely through hearsay. 🙂

As far as violating the issur of “Lo sasuru aharei eineyhecm…” goes, it is very possible ( I just need to research it more) that she is not allowed to have hirhurim about any man because she is a niddah. For sure, she is not allowed to have hirhurim about forbidden relatives (brother-in-law etc.). But, anyhow, the Shulchan Aruch forbids reading dirty books (kol she ken movies with dirt) because it brings yetser horah on a person.

Going to the mikva removes the status of an erva from her for most men. It is still, probably, not-such-a-nice-thing-to-do for a Bas Yisroel, but technically, pashtus, would not be ossur. however, like I said before, single women should not go to the mikve.

As you wish; curiosity doesn’t only have feline victims. Halachic concepts out of extensive context and haskafah are destructive – and in this area, more then anything.

This area of haskafah & halacha has no place on an internet forum, and should be passed in the confidences of one woman to another, mother to daughter, student to teacher, with the feminine wisdom that they possess. Without that, mere facts are lies.

This is my opinion, with genuine respect. I will not protest further.

squeak-

I have been wondering about that for a long time, yet I don’t know of any poskim who say that way l’halacha. I have my suspicions, but I’d be interested if you have a source. Otherwise, I certainly agree with moq and I don’t think you should be making snap psakim especially in this area.

Squeak, I take offence at your accusation of making things up. I am not. And I have not changed what I was saying here from my first post. I am indeed not sure about a single niddah.

When and where?

I did not accuse you of making things up. I actually was trying to ask you to explain your accusation against me.

As far as the Pashuteh Yid goes, he says there hashkofos that you would not hear from Rabbonim. He seems to have his very own set of hashkofos.