Saturday, January 3, 2026

Strange Policy

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An oddity: Numerous frum publications will not print picturess of women. Mishpacha magazine has a section specifically intended for women and even there no pictures of women appear. 

OK - I get the frumkeit. 

In favor! 

But the Gemara [מגילה כ"ח] says clearly that one may not look at the face of a rasha and the frum press is FILLED with pictures of reshaim. 

So a 93 year old rebbetzin wearing a sheitel from the 1940's - no. 

A rabid neo-nazi - yes. 

It is also worth noting that nowhere in the Gemara does it say that one may not look at a [modestly] dressed woman [otherwise we'd all be in trouble.. Chazal are filled with stories where men interacted with women]. But it DOES say that one may not look at a rasha. 

Writes Rav Nissim Karelitz: 

 ומכאן תוכחה לעיתונים המדפיסים תמונות של גויים או של רשעים, והרי כוונתם כדי שיתבוננו בדמותו להכיר ולדעת מיהו, כגון נשיא או מלך גויים או רשעים, ולא סתם ראיה בעלמא דלמה להם להדפיס תמונתם ודיוקנם, אלא ודאי כדי שיתבוננו ויכירו מי הם וזה בכלל להתבונן בדמותו שאסור, ואף שזה הדפסה בתמונה ולא התבוננות בהם גופא. מ"מ גם בזה יש איסור.

Now the answer is that there are heterim to look at the face of reshaim. OK .... but there are also heterim to look at the picture of a woman. 

This is NOT a call to start printing pictures of women [although there are many who are very offended by this practice] but to stop printing pictures of reshaim. 

I am SURE that looking at a picture of Donald Trump [good for the Jews but if you are a woman don't be in the room alone with him.... He has being accused of many really bad things by many different women - including his first wife] or Tucker Carlson or Mamdani does MUCH more damage to your Neshama than looking at a picture of Sarah Schneirer. But Donald, Tucker and Mamdani they print. 

Sarah is out. 

Odd.