Singing on Video and Kol Ishah

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There’s a video of me singing that I’d like to post on youtube. I’m dressed tzanua but singing solo. Is it okay for me to post it publicly? Do I need to add a warning label saying that it’s kol ishah?

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Asked on April 26, 2021 10:39 am
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It’s wonderful that you’ve found an artistic outlet.

As we note here, in our series on kol isha, there are different perspectives as to whether a man watching and listening to a woman singing on a recorded video violates kol isha. Even according to the stringent position that he does, you are still permitted to post the video. This is because a man would have to actively choose to play it with sound in order to watch and hear you, and the responsibility for that choice is his.

We mention in our piece here on kol isha and mutual responsibility an analogy to people hosting a guest who keeps to different kashrut standards. Mordechai (Yevamot 1) permits the hosts to continue to serve food at their standards at the table as long as they inform the guest of what they are serving.

Following this reasoning, it is correct to label the video. But you don’t need to use the term “warning” or even “kol isha.” It suffices to make it clear that a woman is singing. For example, instead of “Yedid Nefesh–WARNING: Kol Isha,” you could simply write something like “Chani Sings Yedid Nefesh” or “Yedid Nefesh by Chani.”

To learn more about kol isha, please see our series, starting here.

See more Q&A here.

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Answered on April 26, 2021 10:43 am