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May siblings of the opposite sex that share only one parent be secluded (yichud) with one another? Does it matter which parent they share?

Menachem
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alltheinterwebs
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2 Answers2

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Nitei Gavriel (Hilchot Yichud, chapter 3, halacha 11, footnote 14) brings several opinions (including R' Moshe) that all half-siblings have the same halachot as full siblings. This is what the Nitei Gavriel says in the halacha as well.

He then brings that R' Eliyashev says only half-siblings on the mother's side are considered like full siblings. The reason given is that they have a natural feeling of love to one another (that I'm assuming is more than the natural feeling of love half-siblings on the father's side share).

The Nitei Gavriel (I think) then concludes that it really only applies if the half-siblings grew up together (I think he is saying all the opinions hold this). My understanding is that if they have not grown up together than there is no familial bond felt between them, and therefore they are treated as strangers with regards to Yichud.

Menachem
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  • Would RYSE hold that full siblings who grew up apart have a problem with yichud? 2) Aren't paternal half-siblings much more strongly connected familialy per halacha (yibbum, yerusha etc.)?
    • – Double AA Jun 26 '12 at 04:20
  • Ahh thanks for clarifying. My first question still holds though on the Nitei Gavriel and the second on still holds on RYSE – Double AA Jun 26 '12 at 04:27
  • @DoubleAA: I didn't check the source referenced, so I don't know exactly what he says. I clarified the third paragraph. I understood that statement to be the Nitei Gavriel's regarding all the opinions. I understand Yichud between siblings to be separate from other familial halachot. In footnotes 1 and 2 of halacha 1, the Nitei Gavriel brings many opinions of why siblings are different than mothers/daughters and strangers. http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=46544&pgnum=56 . One may temporarily do Yichud with a sister because the Yetzer Harah is not as strong towards sisters... – Menachem Jun 26 '12 at 04:34
  • ...The Nitei Gavriel (I think. I updated the answer to reflect that) is saying that the halachic authorities who say this also applies to half-siblings only say the Yetzer Harah is weakened if they grew up together. If not, the fact that they are strangers who are not fully related means that their attraction will not be lessoned with the knowledge that they are related. – Menachem Jun 26 '12 at 04:37
  • @DoubleAA: It would definitely be beneficial to look up RYSE's statement in the "‫תורת‬ ‫היחוד‬" and see exactly what he says. – Menachem Jun 26 '12 at 04:40
  • I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that work. Do you know if it is available online? – Double AA Jun 26 '12 at 04:46
  • @DoubleAA: I'm not familiar with it either. I didn't see it on hebrewbooks.org – Menachem Jun 26 '12 at 04:52
  • Well, I'll keep an eye out for it, but until then I just want to point out that varying the psak based on individual cases seems like a very dangerous road to travel on here. Not only is it natata devarecha leshiurin, but it opens up the door for other theoretical possibilities where it seems that there is no yetzer hara (also consider the case of step-siblings/children). I'm much more comfortable with a formalistic approach in this area. – Double AA Jun 26 '12 at 04:56
  • @DoubleAA, I cannot recall where I saw this, but when I was doing research (my niece baorded with us for a time), there were opinions that held that step's that grew up together had no yichud issue. I never clarified a psak for this since it wasn't relevant for me. – YDK Jun 26 '12 at 18:25