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Did women ever sing publicly with men present, other than their close family, in Bible history?

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The 4th century church father, Jerome, argues against the Pelagians in his day who evidently allowed for women singing. He writes : > Who does not know that women should sing in the privacy of their own > rooms, away from the company of men and the crowded congregation? But > you allow what is not lawful, and the consequence is, that, with the > support of their master, they make an open show of that which should > be done with modesty, and with no eye to witness. It looks like Jerome was not alone in his view, for Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) also writes (emphasis added): > Let men be with men, and women with women. For now I need the example > of Noah’s ark: in which were Noah and his sons, and his wife and his > sons’ wives. For though the ark was one, and the door was shut, yet > had things been suitably arranged. If the Church is shut, and you are > all inside, yet let there be a separation, men with men, and women > with women : lest the pretext of salvation become an occasion of > destruction. Even if there be a fair pretext for sitting near each > other, let passions be put away. Further, let the men when sitting > have a useful book; and let one read, and another listen: and if there > be no book, let one pray, and another speak something useful. And > again let the party of young women sit together in like manner, either > singing or reading quietly, so that their lips speak, but others’ ears catch not > the sound: for I suffer not a woman to speak in the Church. **And let > the married woman also follow the same example, and pray; and let her > lips move, but her voice be unheard,** that a Samuel may come, and > your barren soul give birth to the salvation of God who has heard your > prayer; for this is the interpretation of the name Samuel > (Protocatechesis, 14, NPNF, s. 2, v.7). A Wikipedia article writes the following about Orthodox Judaism : > In Orthodox Judaism, men are generally not allowed to hear women sing, > a prohibition called kol isha (literally "a woman's voice"). The > Talmud classifies this as ervah (literally "nakedness"). The majority > view of halakhic authorities is that this prohibition applies at > all times, and forbids a man to pray or study Torah in the presence of > a woman who is singing, similar to other prohibitions classified as > ervah. A minority view holds that the prohibition of praying or > studying in the presence of kol isha applies only while reciting the > Shema Yisrael prayer. Is there any evidence that women every sang publicly with men present in Bible history? This is similar to the question of whether women of faith were ever ever allowed to show their ankles in public before men or whether they uncovered the top of their bodies while engaging in mix gender bathing in ancient Roman & Bible times.
Asked by Jess (3702 rep)
Nov 15, 2021, 03:11 AM
Last activity: Nov 18, 2021, 11:36 PM