Q. It is brought down that a man should not walk between 2 women. Does that also apply to walking between one’s mother and one’s sister? or between one’s mother and one’s grand mother? or between two of one’s sisters?
A. The source for this tradition is the Talmud Pesachim (111a) that teaches; Three should not be allowed to pass between two people walking along a road, and people should not walk between two of them, and one of them is a woman. Talmud Horios (13b) mentions that this is one of the ten acts that cause the forgetting of the Torah. Although this Halacha is quoted in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (50: 8), it is omitted in Shulchan Aruch, yet the minhag is kept.
It is quoted that Horav Chaim Kanievky Shlit’a maintains that it applies also to close relatives, such as a mother, sister or daughter. (Gam Ani Odecho 2: p. 5 and Kovetz Zera Yaakov 24: p. 27)). Chut Shoni (3: 286) is also stringent. A story recorded in Migdolei Torah Vachasidus (p. 96) mentions that Horav Leib Eiger zt’l, when still a youngster was careful not to pass between his mother and grandmother.
Mishnas Yosef (6: 3: p. 6) debates this shaila and the reasons involved.
Nitei Gavriel (Yichud 57: 8: p. 370) also deliberates the issue and maintains that it needs further consideration.
However, Divrei B’nayohu (Y.D. 39: p. 321) mentions that the minhag is to be lenient when close relatives are involved.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should follow the tradition of his family.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a