1)

SECLUSION WITH A MOTHER OR DAUGHTER (Yerushalmi Halachah 11 Daf 48a)

מתייחד אדם עם אמו ודר עמה. עם בתו ודר עמה. עם אחותו ואינו דר עמה. וישן עמהן בקירוב בשר.

(a)

A man may be secluded with his mother and reside with her; with his daughter and reside with her; with his sister but he may not reside with her and he may sleep with them without clothing.

תני ר' חלפתא בן שאול הבת אצל האב עד בת שלש שנים ויום אחד. הבן אצל האם עד בן תשע שנים ויום אחד.

(b)

Beraisa (R. Chalafta ben Shaul): A daughter may sleep with her father (without clothing) until the age of 3; a son with his mother until the age of 9.

הגדילו זה ישן בכסותו וזה ישן בכסותו.

1.

From this age, each must sleep with their own covering.

תני שנים שהיו ישינים במטה אחת זה מתכסה בכסות עצמו וקורא וזה מתכסה בכסות עצמו וקורא. אם היו בנו ובתו קטנים מותר.

(c)

Beraisa: If two men were sleeping in one bed, each covers himself with his own covering and recites the Shema. If the other person was his own child, it is permitted (since he will not have inappropriate thoughts).

תמן אמרין איש ואשתו מותר.

(d)

In Bavel they say that for a man and wife, he is permitted to recite the Shema if he faces away from her (even without being separated by a covering. Since he is used to her, he will not have inappropriate thoughts.)

ר' יעקב בר אחא בשם ר' לעזר לאיש ואשתו נצרכה

(e)

R. Yaakov bar Acha citing R. Elazar: However, here we are unsure about a man and wife, whether for the recital of Shema there is no need for a covering to separate them since they are considered the same body. The Gemara does not answer this question.