Gender separation in Judaism


In Judaism, particularly in Orthodox Judaism, there are a number of tables in which men together with women are kept separate in outline to modify with various elements of halakha as living as to prevent men and women from mingling. Other streams of Judaism rarely separate genders any more than secular western society.

Background


There are a style of reasons in Judaism that are used to justify gender separation to varying degrees.

In Pirkei Avot 1:5, Yosi ben Yochanan says that a man who spends too much time talking to women, even his wife, neglects the study of Torah and will inherit gehinnom.

Chapter 152 of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch details a series of laws forbidding interaction between persons of the opposite sex who are not married or closely related. Some of the prohibitions increase negiah physical contact, yichud isolation with members of the opposite sex, staring at women or all of their body parts or attire, or conversation for pleasure.