Thursday, August 3, 2023

Reclaiming Dignity/ What I Do First Thing In The Morning/ Kavod And Kavod Habriyos

For those who like long posts - I am sorry for the brevity of this one. 

A book recently came out about Tzniyus that a lot of people are talking about called "Reclaiming Dignity". I didn't read the book [nor am I planning to - I have a very very very loooong reading list already. And for a guy who spends most of his time watching Welcome Back Kotter reruns and cooking and baking - I don't have time to read all that much anyway] but heard and read about it. 

One review of the book was written by an academic with a PhD from Hebrew U. [his dissertation was about Tzniyus] and who spent time studying and teaching at places like Berkeley [๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿ˜ฒ]  and NYU [๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿ˜ฒ] . Places where the standards of Tzniyus are ESPECIALLY high. So you know from the get-go that this dude won't be saying things like "It is GEVALDIK that books are being written to be mechazeik Tzniyus in Klal Yisrael. Kein Yirbu!! In our pritzus-dike world, we need chizzuk in this critical area. Filter those smartphones you shouldn't have in the first place!!" Of course not. He is going to try to show how you don't really need to be Tzanua. It is very common that just by seeing who wrote an article, you already know the conclusion. I have read many, many academic papers and books in my life and don't remember ONE whose message was - be a better Jew! Grow in Avodas Hashem!! Remember the Tachlis of man in this world!!! [So why was I reading them? That is another story...] 

Lo and behold - SHOCKING -  his central thesis is that Tzniyus and all that goes with it is a modern invention. Just fanatical religious people making stuff up, possibly [as he writes in a different article] so that the male patriarchy can thereby subdue women. I don't know about you but when I get up in the morning the FIRST thing I do after Modeh Ani and negel vasser is to think of ways to control women. Ya know - like many rabbis throughout the centuries. [Note: I don't believe that. Satire]. So I will tell my wife "You better make sure your hair is fully covered before you leave this house!! This way - you are under my control!! HEY! That skirt you are wearing is AT LEAST two millimeters too short. Either lengthen that or .. or... or.... I will tell my mommy on you!!!"

So just to dispel that notion and show that Tzniyus in dress is firmly rooted in earlier sources, we bring a sample: 

 ืึธืžึทืจ ืจืณ ื™ึดืฆึฐื—ึธืง: ื˜ึถืคึทื— ื‘ึผึธืึดืฉึผืึธื” ืขึถืจึฐื•ึธื”. ืœึฐืžึทืื™? ืึดื™ืœึผึตื™ืžึธื ืœึฐืึดืกึฐืชึผึทื›ึผื•ึนืœึตื™ ื‘ึผึทื”ึผ, ื•ึฐื”ึธื ืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ ืฉืึตืฉืึถืช: ืœึธืžึผึธื” ืžึธื ึธื” ื”ึทื›ึผึธืชื•ึผื‘ ืชึผึทื›ึฐืฉืึดื™ื˜ึดื™ืŸ ืฉืึถื‘ึผึทื—ื•ึผืฅ ืขึดื ืชึผึทื›ึฐืฉืึดื™ื˜ึดื™ืŸ ืฉืึถื‘ึผึดืคึฐื ึดื™ื โ€” ืœื•ึนืžึทืจ ืœึธืšึฐ ื›ึผื‡ืœ ื”ึทืžึผึดืกึฐืชึผึทื›ึผึตืœ ื‘ึผึฐืึถืฆึฐื‘ึผึทืข ืงึฐื˜ึทื ึผึธื” ืฉืึถืœ ืึดืฉึผืึธื”, ื›ึผึฐืึดื™ืœึผื•ึผ ืžึดืกึฐืชึผึทื›ึผึตืœ ื‘ึผึดืžึฐืงื•ึนื ื”ึทืชึผื•ึนืจึถืฃ.

Rabbi Yitzแธฅak stated: An exposed handbreadth in a woman constitutes nakedness. The Gemara asks: Regarding which halakha was this said? If you say that it comes to prohibit looking at an exposed handbreadth in her, didnโ€™t Rav Sheshet say: Why did the verse enumerate โ€œanklets and bracelets, rings, earrings and girdlesโ€ (Numbers 31:50), jewelry that is worn externally, over her clothing, e.g., bracelets, together with jewelry worn internally, beneath her clothing, near her nakedness, e.g., girdles? This was to tell you: Anyone who gazes upon a womanโ€™s little finger is considered as if he gazed upon her  genitals, for if his intentions are impure, it makes no difference where he looks or how much is exposed; even less than a handbreadth.