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As previously cited1, the Talmud Bavli (Masekhet Berakhot 24A) refers to a woman's voice as her nakedness (based on Shir HaShirim 2:14).

If a woman's voice is her nakedness, why would the man speaking in the verse (2:14) ask to hear the voice of the woman being referred to?

יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה:

My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the coverture of the steps, show me your appearance, let me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasant and your appearance is comely.'

1. Technically, the first citation I found was HaRav Hayim (Howard) Jachter's The Parameters of Kol Isha.

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Lee
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    was she singing in the verse? we hold that just talking isnt ervah –  May 13 '15 at 10:25
  • @Lee thank you, i was trying to make a point –  May 13 '15 at 10:35
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    if she wasn't singing in the verse, then how can it serve as a source for kol be'isha erva? that, I think, is what Lee is asking. – josh waxman May 13 '15 at 10:42
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    @Scimonster I purposely didn't include the pasuq as I cited it twice. If you think it's really necessary, go ahead and leave it. Otherwise, I think it just clutters. – Lee May 13 '15 at 10:44
  • @joshwaxman of course seductive talking is problematic –  May 13 '15 at 12:38
  • I was explaining the question. There is a disconnect. Is he allowed seductive talking? If this is something allowed, how can it be the basis? The answer has to do with the nature of derash or the nature if shir hashirim – josh waxman May 13 '15 at 13:53
  • I'm still bothered by the pasuq; but, the more I think about @wfb's earlier comments, the interim answers and the rest of what's going on in Shir HaShirim, the more I'm realizing the question might be baseless. She is permitted to him. Despite her voice being her nakedness, the greater context makes it quite clear that they are permitted to one another such that any her nakednesses (sp?) are not forbidden to him. Should I delete the question? – Lee May 13 '15 at 13:57

2 Answers2

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Because they're lovers. And lovers can and should do all sorts of ervah-related things in private that don't belong in public. (That verse is actually the Talmud's prooftext.)

Shalom
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Shir hashirim is in the form of God speaking to his lover/wife Israel. Even if voices are ervahs for you and me, the husband is obviously permitted to his wife's voice and see her real hair and other things.

Clint Eastwood
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