Modesty. Religion champions it, liberalism disdains it. In our modern and free society, many question why a woman should be told how to dress, and ultimately view modesty as a form of oppression for the modern woman. Is there truth to this outlook?
This issue was addressed at the Sinai Scholars Academic Symposium 2016 where Students and academics meet to study, discuss and present their thoughts on various subjects that deal with Judaism and the modern world.
Video: Lecture
Video: Q & A
it’s a mitzvah that was given for your good. it really brings honour, kedusha and happiness to the people who keep it.
don’t be so afraid to live higher, live deeper.
the Rebbe urged crown heights women to dress better way before todays shocking trends surfaced. Yes, in crown heights, if youre jewish – respect that this is the headquarters of Chabad Lubavitch. Just as you wouldnt smoke in an airplane, because of the physical danger not only to yourself, but to others, so too in a Frum Chabad neighborhood, respect others rights to spiritual safety.
general: “tznius” is welcomed by those whose body benefits from equalizing clothing, and is oppressive to those who might want to show what they consider to be beauty. Not everyone has to honor inner beauty. people get to choose and the democracy of humanity will determine. To 5: CH is a public place. Your logic of people conforming to standards of “CH” escapes me. Who establishes standards in a public place. I can understand your position in someone’s house, not a neighborhood. The logic actually goes the other way. You need to respect everyone else’s standards in the street. Any… Read more »
Whether it’s self-respect or not, is in my humble opinion, perhaps a secondary issue. What should be more important is having respect and courtesy for others, who expect a certain minimum standard of proper dress. If you – man or woman – worked in an office and showed up one day in jeans with piercings all over, you’d be tossed from your job or would not be taken very seriously, even if you were the best at it. Similarly, if you wanted to hang with the ‘cool’ crowd and you joined up in a suit and tie and military haircut,… Read more »
I have no idea how you got that from her speech. I found it very enlightening and true according to our belief system we were raised with. Yes, some ppl give the message over wrong, but the message is still the same. Modesty is about so much more than self respect. Yes, it boils down to that in many ways, but what if someone finds it self respectful to wear a mini skirt? She has such great legs and all, it’s her biggest way of self respecting herself. So self respect is relative. The bottom line is, tznius is about… Read more »
Worth Every Minute!!!
Watching 2 min of this is oppressive, seriously. I find it suffocating to watch random ppl judge how the rest of the women in the world should dress act etc. If you don’t want modestly to seem oppressive, well don’t make it something oppressive! Don’t make it about conforming, about listening to others all day, about the tiniest detailed law, about no room for variation, about cultural expectations for women’s restricted roles (don’t tell me for a second that that doesn’t exist, it certainly does, though no one is really obligated to listen to it…), about men talking about how… Read more »
aright aright, we’ll stop mixing in or tell you what to do just all we ask when visiting please stop flashing your knees. Those kneecaps are turning yellow and it’s becoming nauseating to look at least put on a Pink Bandaid on that boo boo it will look better with the Pink Slurpee. Whichever way you choose, we still love you,
— Bubby and Zeidy