Tznius when inviting Shabbos guests
Question:
We would like to invite a family for the Shabbos day meal. However, they have a 15-year-old son and 2 daughters ages 11 and 8. We have a 13 y.o. son and a 14 y.o. daughter. Would it be acceptable to host this family for the meal –are they boys/girls of the two families too close in age to be at the same table?
Answer:
While technically it’s not forbidden to host single bachurim and girls at the same meal, this is considered inappropriate. One should go to great lengths to arrange their hosting of meals in such a way that bachurim and girls aren’t invited at the same time. Rumor has it that the Rebbe instructed that Yeshivos not allow bachurim to eat out at families who have girls home, even if they are little girls.
The general age for when to separate kids is when they start maturing to understand the concept of separation between men and women. This is generally between the ages of 6 and 9. Children of 9 years and older, must be educated not to mingle and should be seated separately.
Where circumstances require such an arrangement, they should be seated at different tables.
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