Is a mechitza required for dancing at Jewish weddings? Why?

Question

If the men and women aren't dancing together, is it strictly required that there also be a mechitza between them? If so, why? What guidelines would this mechitza have to meet?

Or is it simply a smart practice, to avoid gawking and/or mixed dancing?

Answer 1

From page 10 of here:

It is expressly stated in the Commentaries Bayith Hadash Beth Shmu'el on Shulchan Aruch Eben ha-Ezer 62, that the formula, "We will bless our G-d in whose abode is joy," is not to be recited at the Grace after a wedding feast [as it usually would be], if men and women are found together in one room-because there is no joy in G-d's dwelling when the yetzer hara' (Evil Impulse) is present.

See page 13 as well:

It is forbidden for women to mingle among the men, either at a ritual meal or at any other occasion; rather must women be apart and men apart, for we reason from the lesser to the greater: if for a time of mourning it is written that the House of Israel shall lament every family apart, the House of David apart and their wives apart, how much more is separation necessary at feasting and rejoicing, for then the Evil Impulse is provocative (Sefer ha-Pardes, 19b).

The previous quote is referring to a statement in the Talmud (Sukkah 52A), see page 7:

They [the Sages] came across a verse and interpreted it: And the land shall mourn, every family apart: the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart (Zechariah 12:12). Said they: Can we not reason from the lesser to the greater? If in the [Messianic] future when they will be occupied with mourning, and the Evil Inclination will have no sway over them, the Torah says that men and women shall be separate, now that people are engaged in festivity, and they are subject to the Evil Inclination, how much more certainly must they be separate (Sukkah 52a).

Answer 2

I know my answer will make people angry, but whatever. When I was a child, weddings had separate dancing, no mechitzah. As I got older, bushes and plants were used to create a division between men and women on smaller dance floors. As I got even older, dance floors got larger, and giant 8-10 foot tall mechitzas were found in the middle of the wedding. And now ofcourse, people aren't even allowed to eat with their spouses or families. As for my own wedding, we had low flowers down the middle, and there were plenty of Black Hat Rabbis at our wedding, all happily dancing.

Ofcourse, the whole wedding here/ dancing and eating there thing is new as well. Take a look at these old pictures where the dancing was done at the chupah, and the people are completely mixed and mingled about.

http://borzykowski.users.ch/Mariage.jpg

http://dancutlermedicalart.com/AlbertEinstein'sZionism/images/250%20pixels/1861%20Jewish%20Wedding.jpg

http://images.arcadja.com/gurevich__eduard-jewish_wedding_in_old_vilna~300~11174_20100216_13_43.jpg

And a photograph from 1899, Yaffa, showing the same basic setup. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/static/blogs/20071115113255.jpg

Answer 3

I would like to add as I've heard from Rav Shimshon Pinkus zt'l and more recently by Rav Shmuel Dishon at the Totah Vodaas Annual Bain Hametzorim gathering as well as on Tisha B'av day at Ateres Chynka that most people think of a mechitza as an exclusionary measure. In truth however it is an inclusionary measure. The standard use of a mechitza is in Shul for davening. The presence of a mechitza allows woman to join in the tefila. The same would apply to a simcha. No doubt that a mechitza is needed to avoid Kalos Rosh; to avoid gawking and/or mixed dancing. But even more so in order for women to join in the simcha and be a part of it.

Answer 4

To avoid Kalos Rosh.

http://www.jemsem.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153&Itemid=54

Answer 5

other than the reasons people mentioned in the other answer, there's the simple rule that a man can't see women dancing, so there's the need to put something to cover his field of vision.

I believe that because of the reality of today's generation you need to be more careful than in previous generations.