Question:
- Is there a yichud problem to go on a shuttle in an airport when there are no connecting doors between the cars and people can’t see in from the outside, and all the other passengers in the car are not-Jewish?
- Would it be ok if there are no other passengers in the car that I’m in?
- If it is a problem, would it be ok if there is a non-jewish child there?
Ans
Sources:
Igros Moshe E:H 4-65(22), Minchas Yitzchok 5-95, Chinuch in Halacha chap. 10 ftnt.8, quoting R’ T. Goldstein zt”l, Orchos habayis 14 ftnt 80.
Answer:
- A shuttle that is in an airport will not have a yichud issue if the time between the stops is less than 5 minutes according to many poskim (Some poskim say only until 2 minutes). The reason for this is because when the shuttle gets to the next stop the doors open automatically and the yichud will be broken. This is similar to yichud in an elevator, that the poskim say that yichud will not apply in a local elevator since the doors can be opened from the outside via someone wanted to use the elevator and pressing the button from the outside. If the time between stops is longer than this, and no one can change cars while the shuttle is in motion, then it would be a potential yichud situation, however if there are a number of other people there, even if they are gentiles it is considered a reshus horabim, a public place, and yichud will not apply. It is for this reason that it isn’t yichud to be on a plane alone with a number of gentiles, even as the only Jew there, since there are a lot of people there it is considered like a public place.
- If there are no other passengers in the car that you are in then obviously it will not be yichud.
- According to the poskim that I consulted with, although they did not have any specific proof, that a gentile child will not be a shomer to protect from yichud. However if there are other permitting factors, such as a video camera in the shuttle than it would help.
Sources:
Igros Moshe E:H 4-65(22), Minchas Yitzchok 5-95, Chinuch in Halacha chap. 10 ftnt.8, quoting R’ T. Goldstein zt”l, Orchos habayis 14 ftnt 80.
