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Is it permitted for a woman to go to a mixed beach in let say Spain in the summer wearing a modest swim suit, such as Aqua Modesta?

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    – DonielF
    Jan 22, 2019 at 20:15
  • Is there a specific standard of modesty that Aqua Modesta conforms to? Are all of their swimsuits equally modest? Are they the same in terms of modesty as the woman's regular clothing and just simply designed for use in water?
    – Alex
    Feb 15, 2019 at 21:38

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According to Rav Moshe Feinstein, a woman should be stringent and not swim with a male lifeguard. There’s technically nothing wrong there, as he’s “busy with his work” - implying in an ordinary case, where there are men on the beach who are not lifeguards, the leniency would not apply and it would be strictly forbidden.

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    Since that teshuva is discussing a place that's women-only, except for the lifeguard, how sure are you that he's referring to swimming specifically wearing a modest swimsuit?
    – Rish
    Jan 22, 2019 at 22:02
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    I don't see the kal vachomer. Swimming with a male lifeguard is putting yourself in a situation where you might need him to touch you. (Yes, it'd be pikuach nefesh, but you're putting yourself in the situation.) Swimming with men is not putting yourself in such a situation. I'm not saying R'MF would permit swimming with men (and doubt he would): I'm merely saying that your kal vachomer doesn't seem to hold.
    – msh210 ♦
    Jan 22, 2019 at 22:03
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    I hear what you are saying and the sort of kal vachomer, although the issur of hirhurim and shmiras anyim do not apply to non Jews, so a Jewish woman who is going on holiday to let say Portugal where there are likely to be no Jewish men, whilst making an effort not to go where there are many men, wearing a modest swimwear, would there be any basis for leniency?
    – Torah Dose
    Jan 24, 2019 at 22:49
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    Is there any indication in the responsum that he's talking about modest swimsuits like this question is? Maybe the leniency for lifeguards is when she's wearing an immodest swimsuit, but if she's wearing a modest swimsuit it would be permissible even if there are other men. If anything I would argue that the responsum is indicative of an immodest swimsuit since his argument is that it's not pritzus because it's a place designated for women and therefore like her own house.
    – Alex
    Feb 15, 2019 at 21:35

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