Why don't we have the option to close our ears?

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Interesting Discussions

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Denim

Wed, Apr 25 2018, 11:30 pm

My daughter mentioned the other day that her teacher said the reason we have earlobes is to put them up & block our ears when someone is speaking lashon hara. It just made me wonder, because I have never ever seen anybody do that, and it is not a comfortable thing to do, seeing as you would need both hands to do so.
Why do you think G-d did not give us an option to close our ears? We can close our eyes and completely block out any vision. Why can we not have ear lids to block out any sounds?

amother

Vermilion

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 12:07 am

We have feet to help us walk away from a conversation so that we dont have to be apart of it

amother

Yellow

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 12:15 am

amother wrote:

we have fingers we can stick in our ears, the same way we have fingers that can squeeze our nose (smell is a sense like hearing).

If we could easily close off all our senses, we'd be very vulnerable to our surroundings. Best that we access them quickly.

amother

Denim

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 12:22 am

I hear you. There is another side to this question though. It's not so much about the lashon hara. I actually suffer from misophonia, which is extreme sensitivity to ordinary sounds. How I wish I could switch off my hearing sometimes! I really wonder why G-d did not see fit to give me that option...

amother

Blush

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 12:30 am

amother wrote:

I'm big fan of ear plugs or rubber ear buds work really well too

seeker

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 1:33 am

It's a good question.

But I never heard that earlobe thing. I've heard things like fingers are pointy to block your ears, and also the little bump in front of your ear makes a great earplug, but I think of the lobe as the side where earrings classically go.

If I had to take a biological/evolutionary guess I'd say it's because it's safer that way. Imagine you close your eyes because they are tired or the sun is too bright or something. If a predator comes near, hopefully you will hear them and open your eyes. If you closed your eyes and ears, you'd be almost defenseless, your hazard would need to be close enough to feel or smell.

amother

Burlywood

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 3:10 pm

Can you imagine being the mother of children who can literally close their ears and not hear you shock

leah233

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 4:52 pm

For safety reasons it's illegal to sell ear plugs that block out more than 35 decibels. They would block out fire alarms and other danger warnings.

Those reasons may also be part of why Hashem doesn't allow people to close their ears.

amother

Denim

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 5:25 pm

amother wrote:

Can you imagine being the mother of children who can literally close their ears and not hear you shock

Good point! Thanks

amother

Denim

Fri, Apr 27 2018, 12:11 am

I appreciate all your responses. You have given me a new perspective. Thank you.

Page 1 of 1