Editing Negiah (section)

===Shaking hands ===
Whether halacha permits a man to shake a woman's hand (or vice versa) is a matter of dispute.  Opinions range from saying that it is prohibited for a man to return a woman's handshake even if doing so would embarrass him or her, to saying that returning a handshake is permissible to avoid embarrassment but not otherwise, to saying that handshaking is entirely permissible.

Some authorities prohibit returning a handshake, even to avoid embarrassing the other person. These include the [[Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz|Chazon Ish]],<ref name="din">{{Cite web|url=http://dinonline.org/2016/01/18/shaking-hands-with-women/|title=Modesty - Shaking Hands with Women - Din - Ask the Rabbi|date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>see also [[Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky|Kreina D'igrsa]] 1:162; [[Moishe Sternbuch|Moadim Uzmanim]] Vol. 4, section 316 n.1 (p.p. 130-131); [http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=3984&highlight=Shaking%20hands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006234606/http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=3984&highlight=Shaking%20hands |date=2013-10-06 }}.</ref> [[Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky]],<ref>[[Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky]] Letters of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky - The Steipler (1899-1985). 3 vols ''Karyana D’Igarata'' 1:162-163</ref> Moshe Stern,<ref>Moshe Stern of [[Debrycin]] (1914-1997), "The Debretziner Rav" ''Be’er Moshe'' 4:Q130</ref> [[Yitzchak Abadi]],<ref>Rabbi Yitzchak Abadi, Lakewood, NJ/Har Nof, Jerusalem. As quoted by his son. See [http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=3984&highlight=Shaking%20hands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006234606/http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=3984&highlight=Shaking%20hands |date=2013-10-06 }} and [http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=5516&highlight=Shake%20hands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006235254/http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=5516&highlight=Shake%20hands |date=2013-10-06 }}</ref> [[Sefer Hasidim]] (who prohibits even when wearing gloves),<ref name="din"/> and [[Yosef Hayyim]].<ref>[[Yosef Hayyim]] of Baghdad, author of Ben Ish Hai. Od Yosef Chai, Parshat Shofetim n. 22</ref>

Rabbi Feinstein gives the benefit of the doubt to those who return a handshake, stating that they apparently hold that doing so is not {{Transliteration|he|derekh khiba v'taavah}} (דרך חבה ותאוה), but concludes that such leniency is difficult to rely upon.<ref>R' Feinstein ''Igros Moshe'' 1959 Even HaEzer 1:Q56 (last paragraph); Even HaEzer 4:Q32, paragraph #9. For a translation of R' Moshe's three Teshuvos (responsa) on men shaking hands with women, see [http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol10/v10n045.shtml#01]</ref>  Although Feinstein did not address the mitigating factor of preventing the other person from being embarrassed, and fell short of stating outright that returning a handshake is forbidden, it is commonly assumed that R' Moshe prohibits returning a handshake even to avoid embarrassing the other person.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=7966&highlight= |title=See, e.g., ''Halichos Bas Yisrael'', vol. I, p. 110 n.33; see also |access-date=2008-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726213330/http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=7966&highlight= |archive-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  One publication states this in very strong terms.<ref>''Nine to Five - A Guide to Modest Conduct for Today's Workplace'' by Rav Shmuel Neiman, p.14 (Safra 2001) ("[i]t has been rumored that Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, zt"l, ruled that it is permissible for men and women to shake hands. '''Nothing could be further from the truth!''' In his responsa, he agonized over this unacceptable practice and repeatedly stated that '''it is forbidden''' and infringes on giluy arayos" (emphasis in original)). This book has been criticized as containing many Chumros (stringencies not required by Halacha) that, while perhaps practiced in certain insular communities, are unrealistic to impose on all Frum (Orthodox) Jews in today's workplace; this opinion is shared by [[Yehuda Henkin|Rav Yehuda Henkin]] in the October 4, 2002 edition of [[HaTzofe|Hatzofeh]]. See [http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2007/03/abandoned-by-rabbis.html]. ''Cf.'' Rifka Schonfeld (March 2008): ''What Do I Say? What Should I Do? Challenges for the Ben Torah and Bas Yisroel in the Workplace'', The Jewish Observer, p.17 (stating that there are "a number of excellent publications [about workplace interactions between men and women]", and that she recommends, in particular, Rabbi Neiman's ''Nine to Five - A Guide to Modest Conduct for Today's Workplace'').</ref> [[Yaakov Kamenetsky|Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky]] has also suggested that there may be room to be lenient in this situation.<ref>''Emes L'Yaakov'' on Tur and Shulchan Aruch, p. 405 n.4 (translated from the original Hebrew: "Regarding returning a handshake to women when they extend their hand first in greeting, not in an affectionate manner, this is a very serious question and it is difficult to be lenient. However, in circumstances where the woman may come to be embarrassed, perhaps one could consider being lenient. This requires further study").</ref>

[[J. Simcha Cohen]] has been quoted as giving a novel basis for permitting handshaking, based on the [[Jerusalem Talmud|Yerushalmi]] and the ruling of Maimonides.<ref>[http://www.ottmall.com/mj_ht_arch/v24/mj_v24i15.html#CDQ Shaking Hands with Women]; the Yerushalmi is in Tractate Sotah 3:1, and the Rambam is in Hilchos Sotah 3:15.</ref> Likewise, Yehuda Henkin holds that it is permissible to shake a woman's hand according to "the basic halacha" (the Rambam and Shulchan Aruch), and that those who feel otherwise are stringent.<ref name="henkin" /> [[Hershel Schachter]] quotes [[Chaim Berlin]] as saying that shaking hands with women is strictly speaking ({{Transliteration|he|me'ikar haddin}}) permitted, particularly if to do otherwise would make the Torah look bad,<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3688910283657443807# "Gender Separation in Halacha"], at 5:35 ff.</ref> and indicates that he agrees with this position.<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3688910283657443807# "Gender Separation in Halacha"], at 8:45 ff.</ref>

According to [[Yitzchak Yaacov Fuchs|Fuchs]], only German Rabbis have traditionally permitted returning a handshake;<ref>''Halichos Bas Yisrael'' vol. I, p. 110 n.33. translation A Woman's Guide to Jewish Observance, Targum Press</ref> and a man who is stringent about shaking hands may be lenient and shake hands with his sister (and vice versa), since we find other leniencies concerning brother and sister.<ref>''Halichos Bas Yisrael'' vol. I, p. 110 n.32, citing ''Sefer Taharas Am Yisrael'' p. 44.</ref>
  
The Career Development Center at [[Yeshiva University]], a Modern Orthodox institution, informs its students that "Shaking hands is a customary part of the interview process. Halacha permits non-affectionate contact between men and women when necessary. A quick handshake can be assumed to be business protocol. Since failure to shake hands will most likely have a strong negative effect on the outcome, it is necessary non-affectionate contact, which is permissible."<ref>[http://www.yu.edu/career-center/student-faqs/#Orthodox Tips For Orthodox Students, Yeshiva University Office of Career Services].</ref>

However, nonetheless, it has been said in the name of prominent Yeshiva University rabbis that one should not engage fully in a handshake, but rather, one should not hold a tight grip.  His hand should be "helpless" and as if the other person is initiating and completing the full action, with his hand being the innocent bystander.  Acting as such prevents embarrassment and or loss of a business deal, while at the same time allows one to stay in the framework of halacha (Jewish Law).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.workplacehalacha.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Chapter-12-Shaking-Hands.pdf |website=Workplace Halacha |access-date=3 May 2019|title=YUTorah Online }}</ref>