C8: Clothes

Issue Navigation:

Some Jewish attitudes

There is an important idea in Judaism called tzniut, modesty.
The prophet Micah said: "What does God require of you?
Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk modestly
with your God" (Micah 6:8) Traditionally, tzniut is understood
to refer to attitudes towards clothing and the way men and women interact with to each other.

IN GENERAL Judaism encoursges us to act and dress sensibly and sensitively in every situation. Jewish law asks us to wear respectable and decent clothes in our everyday lives. Fashions change and trends vary, but there are certain basic ways of dressing which reflect dignity and common sense. Since all humanity is created "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27) we must respect that image by presenting ourselves in a responsible and non-degrading way.

AT PRAYER In prayer, we open ourselves up. We try and be as transparent and honest as possible when standing before God and thinking about our lives. It's not so easy to do this when dressed for a fashion show. Prayer is about the internal, not the external. Jewish prayers are said communally, but the feelings and emotions in the prayers can be very personal. To make the most of the experience, it makes sense to dress smartly but not too obtrusively.

CROSS DRESSING The Torah considers that the physical difference between men and women should be reflected in the way they dress. Therefore: "Men's garments should not be on a woman, and a man should not wear a woman's garment" (Deuteronomy 22:5) In discussing this law, the Sages make a number of important remarks. Firstly, this law doesn't apply to clothes which are worn by both men and women, and secondly, it is dependent on conventions of your society which and are governed by time and place. Exceptions are generally accepted on Purim when it is clear that people are dressing up in jest.

FOR WHOM? Your clothing clearly has an effect on the people around you. Consider the common words used to describe how a person looks: smart, messy, respectable, decent, attractive, seductive, presentable, sexy, sloppy, plain, over the top, flashy and so on. They can be divided into two categories: dressing for ourselves and dressing for others. We can dress to feel good or we can dress to impress. Both are valuable because we care how others see us as well as caring about ourselves. The problem occurs when we concentrate too much on one or the other. A person who dresses exclusively for other people so that they are liked, loved and wanted is lacking in self respect. Similarly, a person who dresses only for themselves and doesn't care about the effect their appearance has on others is lacking in respect for other people. Judaism asks us to take both into consideration when choosing what to wear.

Clothes and death

Judaism relates to every aspect of living. It also deals with death. The Jewish laws of mourning and burial can teach us some deep ideas about clothing:

DOING KERI'AH "Then arose the King and tore his garments" (Shmuel II 13:31) This verse is about King David mourning the death of his son. The Sages learnt from this that if a member of a Jew's immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter or spouse) should die, then they must make a tear (keri'ah) in their clothing which they will then wear for the seven days of mourning (shiva). The pain of losing a close loved one makes clothing seem worthless. The comfort, confidence and individuality of our clothing is silenced in the face of death. Underneath we are just flesh and blood, nothing more.

DRESSING IN WHITE Every organised Jewish community has its Hevrah Kadishah, "Holy Society", whose members are dedicated to the burying of the dead. Any adult member of the community may join, after they have learnt the relevant laws and obligations. The Hevrah Kadishah washes the dead body and dresses it in simple white linen shrouds. In Temple times, Yom Kippur was the only day in the year when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies. On all other days, he wore elaborate and colourful clothing, but on Yom Kippur he dressed in simple white linen garments. In the Holy of Holies he would repent and ask forgiveness for his sins and for the sins of the people. From this we learn that when a Jew stands before God, their Maker, they should be humble and repentant, wearing simple, white, unadorned linen garments. For this reason, we generally wear white clothes for Synagogue on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

NO MIRRORS In a house of mourning it is traditional, amongst some Jews, to cover up all the mirrors. This conspicuous custom goes back to the Middle Ages and has a few reasons. A mirror is used for personal grooming and cosmetic purposes which have lost their importance for the mourner. They do not want the comfort that using a mirror can bring. Also, during the shiva, it is customary to hold daily prayer services in the house of a mourner and it is prohibited to pray in front of a physical image, even if it is one's own face reflected in the mirror. Mirrors may show physical looks, but they hide what is inside. In prayer we try to hold up a mirror to our very souls.

Next Page