Parshas Eikev 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 15
- 2 min read
Monetary, Interpersonal Laws and Din Torah (43)
Traveling: Yichud. Most Poskim hold that if a car is traveling in a public place made for travel, there is no isssur of yichud. This is because others can see into the car and it is the same as “Pesach Posuach” to a public place where it is permitted to be together. Even at night, a regular street is not considered a private setting. Therefore, a man could drive a baby-sitter home at night. However, in a secluded side street or dead-end street, or if the area is poorly lit, one should be strict. One possible option is to turn on the roof light inside the car and then at least one of them could be seen from outside the car [which is enough to permit yichud] for quite some distance. It is hard to give an exact measure and definition, as much depends on the distance between houses, seasons of the year, types of neighborhoods, etc. However, we could give a general ruling that whenever people would feel they are comfortably alone, without fear of being seen by others, it is prohibited. Otherwise, it is permitted.
Tinted Windows. If a car has all of its windows tinted [in some places it is prohibited by law to have the windshield tinted] there is an issur yichud. However, one untinted window would be permitted. A bus with tinted windows is the same as a car with the following exception: Yichud of two frum men and one lady is permitted during wake-time hours because the presence of the other man guards both of them from sin. However, if a lady is with two non-observant men or two gentiles, there is an issur. Therefore, in a bus where the only untinted window is the front window, and only the driver can be seen from the outside, there would be an issur yichud at the back of the bus if both men are non-observant or they are gentiles.
Country Roads. In vacation areas, like the NY Catskills, there are many secluded streets and roads, and one could debate if even turning on the inside light is a proper deterrent. This is certainly true by night and possibly by day according to how secluded the road is. Therefore, one who is vacationing in these areas should organize his driving in advance, knowing that sometimes the only solution is to have his wife in the car with him.