Citing Bible, Israeli singer refuses to shake Biden’s hand
In an encounter that went viral on Israeli social media, Israeli singer Yuval Dayan refused to shake US president Joe Biden’s hand.
During a meeting at the president (of Israel’s) residence, Biden, along with his host President Isaac Herzog were entertained by Israeli singers Yuval Dayan and Ran Danker. The duet performed a rendition of the Israeli song huyahee in a mashup with the Beatle’s classic ‘Let it be.’
Following the performance, Biden approached Dayan to shake her hand, but Dayan refused. The reason she refused is that as a religious Jew, Dayan is Shomeret Negiyah, a Biblical commandment to refrain from touching members of the opposite sex who are not a spouse.
The prohibition against opposite-sex contact is sourced from two verses in Leviticus:
None of you shall come near anyone of his own flesh to uncover nakedness: I am Hashem. (Leviticus18:6),
and
Do not come near a woman during her period of uncleanness to uncover her nakedness (Leviticus 18:19).
Although these verses seem to be directed towards men, women are equally bound by the commandments associated with these verses, just as they are with all other negative commandments.
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