By Leah Lichy
Our sages say that every good action has it’s reward, whether it is one revealed in this world or one being saved for us in the world to come.
I remember how inspired I felt the year after seminary, the unstoppable feeling of wanting to do anything and knowing I could. But how could I take this inspiration, “wrap it up”, and keep it forever?
Tznius was always a struggle for me when I was a young girl. Either it was imposed too harshly on me in school or my wanting to be a fashion designer clashed negatively with this specific mitzvah.
I had learnt in one of my seminary classes about going out of your comfort zones, and each time you do, it’s your own little Geulah (redemption). I figured Tznius was my mitzvah.
I took all this bottled up inspiration and used it on something I knew would always stay with me. I would look out for those beautiful mothers out there, modestly dressed and shining, that’s the woman I wanted to be!
And so I worked on it, day and night and still every day now. I learned to love it and it gave meaning to getting dressed in the morning. How beautiful is it that we have a mitzvah that can make us feel special by only choosing your outfit for the day?
I remember the day I got the call from the people behind the Tznius campaign of TheRebbesLetter.com.
Just that morning, I was figuring out a way to make a specific dress tznius (one I was wearing for a date that evening). I began to feel frustrated, but still focused on making it work, which I did!
“You entered your name in a raffle on “therebbesletter.com” and you won a sheitel!” said the voice on the phone.
What was even more amazing what the fact that this call came moments after Yossi Lichy and I decided to go to the Ohel and ask a bracha for our engagement.
Every good action has its reward.
To # 19 you expanded on the young ladie’s words very well and gave me something to think about. Hatzlacha!
Leah-
You are so beautiful inside and out. You always were and you always will be. That you have become a dugma chaya to young women makes me so proud of you. It made me cry to read the young women’s comments above. We always said what a beautiful Mommy you will make, but now you are a role model through your tznius, your geulah, and through using your talents to share the Tzohar in you.
I love you very much and I am SO proud of you, Mrs Lichy 🙂
With lots of love and nachas, Mrs G
#23 I agree with you. I live in a community where the girls High School goes overboard on Tznius. They are measuring skirt lengths when skirts are already at a Tznius level (with sitting down) and expecting a few inches longer…if not they are sent home. The girls are made to wear school sweatshirts on top of their shirts all the time which includes some very hot days. Unfortunately, just as you wrote…a lot of girls feel stifled and end up going the other direction in their dress code. Beautifully written article. May all our Precious Jewish Daughters be imbued… Read more »
What Hashgacha Pratis! The beautiful essay on Tznius appeared on COL just shortly before the story of the Manhattan
explosion. Any small steps towards Tznius may well be the
Refua(cure) before the Macca.
Beautifully written! Tznius is a sensitive subject that really has to be taught in a less aggressive and more positive manner. Unfortunately, when the schools and communities go overboard and expect girls to wear tights and extra layers, they are not enbuing the girls with a positive or healthy view of tznius. This has s boomerang effect, and as soon as the girls are out of the school system, they dress less and less modest.
Thank you so much for sharing
I am so touched by your article. Thank you so much for opening up heart and sharing your struggles and thoughts as you navigated yourself through this challenge. No doubt, this article is an inspiration to all those that read it. So happy you won the shaitel. May Hashem shower you and your husband with overflowing brachos always. A gut gibentched year!!
I am so impressed with the honesty and vulnerability that outing such a statement out there, with her name connected! Thank you! You give our young girls something real to look up to!
You’re righr. One reason may be because tznius does not refer to dress but to the way we walk before Hashen. It refers to ol malchus Shomoyim. The way it is taught is not about ol nalchus Shamayim but about listening to authority or about living in the Rebbe’s shechunah, etc. It is also about loving and respecting oneself as the daughter of the King and having others, including teachers and fellow students, treat you like the daughter of a king.
So proud of you, Leah! And Mazal Tov from the UK. Yes it was the most amazing Sem-wish it was around when I was younger. Wishing you all the best and all your Sem-mates. Brocha vHatzlocha!
Which seminary did you go to?
It’s so inspirational that you are sharing this.
K’siva Vachasina Tova L’shana Tova U’mesuka
Mazal Tov
Kol Hakovod for writing this under your own name. That probably has a greater effect than anything.
I recently saw an article of a muslim fashion designer who had her own catwalk show featuring only clothes that would meet her religious code of dress… it was very inspiring. Rather than ‘making it work’ she took the initiative to create something amazing
You brought tears to my eyes…
a high school girl in LA who truly read this and thought, this girl is beautiful, special and your outlook is exactly what is needed for future generations of girls
Unfortunately these days tznius is not tought correctly. I’m sure there are exceptions, but most of the time its done by force, and anything that one is forced to do, it won’t be coming from within, and it won’t last long, we have tanya, and a entire ocean of chasidus, there’s no excuse for parents, or a school not to be able to convey some of that to each and every child, u can’t just start yelling at a teenager and expect to see amazing results. If he/her doesn’t understand the the point of this all, then we don’t have… Read more »
I am a 16yr old girl living in Crown Heights and do desperately need a mashpiah like you.
Kol hakovod!!!!, keep it up!!
BS”D beautiful message and courage for putting a name to it K’Siva v’ Chasima Tova L’Shana Tova u’ Masuka to you and your Mishpacha.
So wonderful to hear! May you have continued revealed brachos in the zchus of tznius.
Tznius is just so worth it!!!
This is a way of having a good life, great children and being an example to the whole world. You are the Rebbe’s Children.
MAZEL TOV….YOU DESERVE TO WIN…YOUR A BEAUTIFUL BAS MELECH♡
Just saying to women out there that don’t realise, skin tight isn’t tznius.
Thanks so much for sharing! BH, we are so lucky to have the mitzvah of being tzinius!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!!
inspiring.
Thankyou for posting