Permissibility of Torah Study and Prayer in the Presence of a Woman’s Perfume

Question:
Dear Rabbi,

I would like to ask about a situation I recently encountered. I was traveling on the subway and seated across from a woman who was dressed in a manner that was not modest. At the time, I was learning from the daily learning packet that the Rabbi so thoughtfully prepares, for which I am very grateful. I am aware that one may not daven or learn Torah while within sight of ervah. To address this, I made sure to keep my eyes focused on my learning tablet and did not look at her at all. However, the woman was wearing very strong perfume, and the scent was noticeable to everyone nearby, including myself. I know that it is forbidden to smell the perfume of an erva for the sake of enjoyment. My question therefore is: Was it permitted for me to continue learning Torah even though I could smell her perfume?

Answer:
Yes, it was permitted for you to continue learning Torah, even though the scent of the woman’s perfume reached you.

Explanation:
In the laws of Kerias Shema, we rule that it is forbidden for a man to daven or learn Torah when he has ervah within his sight. Rabbinically, ervah is defined as any part of a woman’s body that is normally covered and is currently uncovered and visible to him. In addition, the singing voice of a woman (kol isha) may prohibit Torah learning or davening if it draws a person’s attention and prevents him from removing his thoughts from it. Similarly, the exposed hair of a married woman falls under this category.

Notably, however, the poskim do not list the scent of a woman’s perfume as a factor that prohibits learning or davening due to ervah. This omission indicates that Chazal did not consider the mere smell of perfume to create an ervah obstacle to Torah study or prayer.

One possible reason for this distinction is that fragrance is a more external and indirect sensation than sight or sound. Additionally, a scent alone does not clearly identify its source—it could just as easily be from a man’s cologne—and therefore does not inherently draw one’s thoughts toward the woman herself. While it is indeed forbidden to intentionally smell the perfume of an erva for pleasure as you correctly stated, however, this does not automatically prohibit learning Torah or davening when such a scent is present unintentionally, so long as a person is able to maintain proper focus and keep his thoughts free of anything inappropriate. Therefore, since you were careful to avoid looking, did not seek out the scent for enjoyment, and were able to keep your mind focused on your learning, there was no halachic barrier of ervah present.

Sources:

Gan Naul 5:12; Om Ani Choma; Mishneh Halacha 217; Levusha Shel Torah 64:9

See regarding the general prohibition to smell the perfume of an Erva: Michaber O.C. 217:4; E.H. 21:1; Rambam Issurei Biyah 21:2; Brachos 9:8; Gan Naul 5:1

See regarding the general prohibition to Daven or learn in sight of Erva: See Admur 74:1; Michaber 74:1