Questions To Rabbi Mandel
Question:
Hello, Thank you for your consistent inspiration and Chizuk. I am a single girl living out of town. I attend a non-Jewish only girls gym class, that plays non-Jewish music that is exercised to. This class has really helped me lose weight, as well as with my overall health and vitality. When I don't go for a while, I feel very sluggish and down.
Recently, however, I have been feeling that the music is too vulgar for my Neshama, and it stays in my head. I have tried using earphones to play my own kosher music. However, because the music in the class is so loud, I have to play the music in my ears really loud as well. I am afraid that I am ruining my ears with the loud booming music in my ears.
How do I approach this? I am not ready to give up going to the class. And as I live out of town, there is no other option for an exercise class of this caliber. Should I keep on wearing the headphones and potentially ruin my ears? Can I have a Bracha so that it will not harm my ears? Or should I take a giant leap and give up going to the class altogether? Thank you.
Answer:
First of all, you must ask a Rav. Now you should know that I sympathize with your predicament. Even in frum places where Yungerleit go exercise, these gyms put on garbage music, and it’s hard for these Yungerleit. On the one hand they need the exercise, but the place is insensitive and puts on bad music.
Now, health is not a joke. If the Rav Paskins that you could go, then you shouldn’t worry about the music, and how it’s bad for your Neshama. The pain you have about having to go will clean your Neshama. Additionally, you should daven that they should play different music.
