Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Men and women are also not supposed to shake hands in Orthodox Judaism but that does not seem to rankle Western countries, for some reason

"The practice of the traditional Jew is different. The rule is that people of the opposite gender do not even touch each other, let alone shake hands, unless they are husband and wife, siblings, or children with parents and grandparents.  What is the rationale for the Jewish prohibition on men and women touching, let alone shaking hands?  The prohibition of touching (in Hebrew negiah) goes back to the Book of Leviticus (18:6 and 18:19) and was developed further in the Talmud. A person who observes this prohibition is often called a shomer negiаh. It applied not only to close contact such as hugging and kissing, but also to shaking hands or patting on the back. The practice is generally followed by traditionally observant Jews, both men and women, including Hassidic Jews, and those who are referred to as Haredim. It is also observed within the Modern Orthodox community depending on how traditional the person is."  Yet, when one Muslim student refuses to shake hands with a woman, there is an international uproar: "Teachers boycott graduation after Muslim student refuses to shake hands with female principal."