Shomer Negiah

Asked by A School Rabbi · January 11, 2005 · Family Purity & Modesty (Tzniut)

Question

I work in a Jewish day school with children ages 2-6. In the course of teaching and interacting with them, I develop very warm relationships with them. Sometimes, they may run up and hug me or want to hold my hand when walking from place to place. Is this a problem with the female students? If not, at what age does it become a problem? If it is a problem, can you offer a nice way to explain it to such young children? Thank you.

Answer

Answered by Chaim Yisrael Abadi

When the girls are 7-8 years old, depending on their looks/development, you should stop and explain to them that it is not proper. The method to explain is dependant on the case. CYA