Tzeniut
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Tzeniut (or Tznius or Tzniut) (Hebrew: צניעות, "modesty") is a term used within Judaism. It is used to describe both a character trait and a group of Jewish religious laws pertaining to conduct in general and especially between the sexes.
Humility is a paramount ideal within Judaism. Moses is referred to as "exceedingly humble, more than any man in the world" (Bamidbar 12:3). The Jewish people, as a whole, are said to be humble (Yevamot 79a.)
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Description
Tzeniut includes a group of laws concerned with modesty, in both dress and behavior. It is first mentioned in this context by the prophet Micah (6:8): "[...] and to walk humbly (hatzne'a leches) with your God".
One of the defining characteristics of the Jewish religious personality is Tznius which means, roughly, modesty. Normally, the problem of Tzeniut is discussed in rather technical terms: how low or how high a hemline, the length of sleeves, the form of dress, the number of square millimeters of skin that may be exposed, and so on. Indeed, these are important issues, but they are aspects or details of Tznius, not its "heart". What is important is the classical world view of Judaism that informs the concept and the practice of Tznius, an exceedingly important Jewish principle and value that touches the very fundamentals of Judaism.
Practical applications
In the more liberal Modern Orthodox community, women do not wear sleeveless shirts, shirts with low necklines, or tight pants, and cover their knees with opaque tights, skirts, or sometimes pants. Stricter Modern Orthodox practice is for sleeves to reach the elbows and shirts to cover the collarbone, skirts to cover the knees, and to eschew pants in the presence of men. Halacha (Jewish law) requires married women to cover their hair. Some married Modern Orthodox women cover their heads, some cover their hair (except for a few inches at the hairline), and some do not cover their heads or hair at all. Virtually all married Modern Orthodox women wear a head or hair covering in synagogue. The most common head/hair covering for Modern Orthodox women is a hat or beret; younger married Modern Orthodox women will wear baseball caps and bandanas. Modern Orthodox women whose clothes are somewhat "hippyish" wear bright and colorful scarves tied in a number of ways.
In the Charedi (Ultra Orthodox) community, all married women cover their hair whenever non-family members are present. Women cover their elbows; wear skirts which reach a few inches below the knee, often mid-calf; generally avoid skirts with slits, preferring instead kick-pleats; cover their collarbones; wear stockings and closed-toe shoes; avoid certain colors, especially bright red. In some communities such as the Charedi community of Jerusalem, women wear loose vests over shirts. The most common hair coverings in the Charedi community are the snood, the tichel (scarf), and the sheitel (wig); some Charedi women will cover their hair with hats or berets.
Men must wear shirts, with sleeves. Modern Orthodox men will wear shorts, but Charedi men will not, and many of them will not wear short sleeves at all.
Men are not supposed to hear women sing, a prohibition called kol isha. The most lenient interpretation of kol isha bans watching a live performance of a only women singin, but allows men to listen to any recorded music. The most stringent interpretation bans listening to a woman's voice, even recorded, even if the woman is not known to the man and even if he has never seen her or a picture of her.
Men and women are not supposed to touch each other, a prohibition called shmiras negiah (observance of the laws of touching) or shomer negiah. A person who refrains from touching the opposite sex is said to be shomer negiah. Shmiras negiah applies to touching which is derech chiba (related to affection). A quick handshake may not fall under this category, as opposed to a hug or kiss. However, people who are stringently shomer negiah will avoid shaking hands with a member of the opposite sex. It is almost universally observed within the Haredi community and somewhat observed within the Modern Orthodox community.
Men and women are not supposed to seclude themselves in a locked room, the prohibition of yichud.
Men and women are not supposed to mingle during religious services, and synagogues are supposed to include a shoulder-height divider, called a mechitza, which may be partially see-through; often it is a veil. In many synagogues this requirement is fulfilled by having a balcony for the women's section. Conservative and Reform congregations do not separate the sexes during services.
Interpretations
Tznius is the subject of differing interpretations between various segments of Judaism.
Issues that have received wide interpretation are:
- The degree to which a woman's legs must be covered (thickness of tights/stockings/socks as well as different length socks vs. knee-highs vs. thigh-highs)
The principal guiding point is that a Jew should not dress in a way that attracts attention. This does not mean dressing poorly; in fact, a man is required to dress nicely and a woman should dress properly in a feminine manner. But neither men nor women should dress in a way that overly emphasizes the physical or attracts undue attention.
Criticism
Many feminists argue that these laws focus excessively on women, and claim that Jewish law is pessimistic about (male) human nature.
From the 1960s to 1980s, this issue became a major topic of conversation within the non-Orthodox Jewish community. By the 1980s these issues began to publicly emerge within the Orthodox Jewish community as well.
Levels of modesty required according to the Torah and Halakha
There are several levels to the observance of physical and personal modesty (tznius) according to Orthodox Judaism as derived from various sources in Halakha.
- A person should not dwell on lascivious or immoral thoughts.
- Avert one's eyes from staring at members of the opposite sex, particularly at any part of the female anatomy.
- Keep most of your body clothed in respectable clothing.
- Avoid the company of uncouth individuals and where an atmosphere of levity and depravity prevails.
- Avoid looking at pictures or scenes that will be sexually arousing.
- Avoid touching a person of the opposite sex (i.e. by observing negiah), especially in a lingering arousing manner (shaking hands very quickly in greeting between sexes is a point of dispute, and depends on customs).
- Do not wear the clothing of a member of the opposite sex.
- Do not look at animals or birds copulating.
- Do not erotically hug (chibuk) or kiss (nishuk) your spouse unless you are in private and when the wife is definitely not a Niddah ("menstruant").
- Masturbation by men (hotza'at zera levatala -- "excreting semen in vain") is not allowed.
- Yichud is the prohibition of secluding oneself with a person of the opposite sex.
- Sex with anyone of the same gender, or with any type of animal, or with a corpse is forbidden.
See also
- Bais Yaakov (schools for Haredi girls)
- Jewish view of marriage
- Negiah (guidelines for physical contact)
- Niddah (menstruation laws)
- Rebbetzin (rabbi's wife)
- Role of women in Judaism
- Shidduch (finding a marriage partner)
- Yichud (prohibitions of secluding oneself with a stranger)
References
- Elyakim Ellinson Women and the Mitzvot: The modest way. An extensive review of the laws of modesty including synagogue separation, mingling of the sexes, and women's dress. ISBN 1583301488.
- Shmuley Boteach Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy Main Street Books, 2000, ISBN 0385494661. Written from a Modern Orthodox perspective.
- Elliot N. Dorff This Is My Beloved: This Is My Friend: A Rabbinic Letter on Intimate Relations, The Rabbinical Assembly, 1996. Written from a Conservative Jewish perspective.
- Rabbi Pesach Eliyahu Falk: "Modesty: an adornment for life". Phillip Feldheim, 1998. ISBN 0873068742. Encyclopedic work on Tzeniut, although considered quite stringent by some. Written from a right-wing Orthodox perspective.
- Michael Gold Does God Belong in the Bedroom? JPS, 1992. Written from a Conservative Jewish perspective.
- Gila Manolson: "Outside/Inside". Targum Press. ISBN 1568711239.
- Gila Manolson: "The Magic Touch". Targum Press. ISBN 158330102X.
- Wendy Shalit A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue Free Press, 2004, ISBN 0684863170
External links
- Modesty in Concept and Dress as Taught by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson chabad.org
- You are What You Wear
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