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. Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel, the West Bank, the United States, and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Modesty describes a set of culturally or religiously determined values that relate to the presentation of the self to others. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, with around 14 million followers (as of 2005 [1]). It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ... Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...

Humility is a paramount ideal within Judaism. Moses is referred to as "exceedingly humble, more than any man in the world" (Numeri 12:3). The Jewish people, as a whole, are said to be humble (Yevamot 79a.) Humility is the state of being humble. ... Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic موسى Musa, Spanish Moisés, Ethiopic ሙሴ Musse) was a son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. ... The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew ba-midbar במדבר, i. ...

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 lechet) with your God". // Who wrote it? Micah wrote the book in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, roughly 735-700 BC Few Old Testament scholars today would defend Micahs authorship of the entire book. ...

In its wide definition, Tzeniut means placing limitations on arousing other's feelings, be it frustration, annoyance, anger or lust. In its limited sense, Tzeniut has come to mean a "dress code", especially as practiced within Orthodox Judaism. Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary...

One of the defining characteristics of the Jewish religious personality is Tzeniut 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 Tzeniut, not its "heart". It would be a pity to allow an understanding of Tzeniut to be restricted to merely that which can be measured by a ruler, while ignoring its "conceptual matrix". What is important is the classical world view of Judaism that informs the concept and the practice of Tzeniut, an exceedingly important Jewish principle and value that touches the very fundamentals of Judaism.

Practical applications

The principles of Jewish law and custom guiding the laws of Tzeniut comprise two areas: Standard laws that are considered normative, and practices determined by personal stringencies and local custom. Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...

In the 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, but opinions range widely as to how much hair must be covered. 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, following a practice which emerged in Eastern and Central Europe in the late eighteenth century. 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. Modern Orthodox Judaism is a philosophy that attempts to adapt Orthodox Judaism and interaction with the surrounding non-Jewish, modern world. ...

In the Haredi (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. In some communities such as the Haredi community of Jerusalem, women wear loose vests over shirts and avoid certain colors, such as red. The most common hair coverings in the Haredi community are the snood, the tichel (scarf), and the sheitl (wig); some Haredi women will cover their hair with hats or berets, but they will not allow hair to be visible underneath the hat, as is the practice by Modern Orthodox women. Haredi Judaism, also called ultra-Orthodox Judaism, is the most theologically conservative form of Judaism. ...

Men must wear shirts, with sleeves. Modern Orthodox men will wear shorts, but Haredi men will not.

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Orthodox men and women swam and danced together. Agudat Israel and Young Israel, ultra- and modern- orthodox institutions (respectively), hosted dances for young people. Many yeshiva day schools held proms. Since the sexual revolution, stricter interpretations of tzniut have marginalized these practices.

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 suggestive song, but allows men to attend operas, listen to any recorded music, and listen to women of their acquaintance sing non-suggestive songs. The most stringent interpretation bans listening to a woman's voice, even recorded, even if the woman is not known to the man. Since the sexual revolution, the standards for kol isha have become more stringent. Rabbis considered to be Haredi, such as Rabbi Hutner, were known fans of live opera. Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner the Rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin at a special Purim celebration in his yeshiva. ...

Men and women are not supposed to touch each other, a prohibition called shmirat negiah (observance of the laws of touching). A person who refrains from touching the opposite sex is said to be shomer negiah. shmirat 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. As was true in many laws of tzniut, this practice has been observed with varying levels of stringency with time. The sexual revolution spurred new attention to this long-neglected law, and 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. Yichud (Hebrew:ייחוד) in halacha (Jewish religious laws) refer to forbidden seclusion between a man and a woman, that are not married to each other, in a closed room or a private area. ...

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 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

Tzeniut is the subject of differing interpretations between various segments of Judaism. In many respects, previous "customs" have evolved into law, and deviations of custom are seen as breaches of law.

Issues that have received wide interpretation are:

1. The degree to which a married women's hair is to be covered
2. The exact requirement of covering the arm (the entire elbow or the top half of the elbow)

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. Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...

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.

Many apologetics written by women such as Gila Manolson and Wendy Shalit praise dress restrictions for ensuring that women are not regarded as sex objects when dressed traditionally. Wendy Shalit was born in Milwaukee in 1975. ...

Levels of modesty required according to the Torah and Halakha

There are several levels to the observance of physical and personal modesty (tzeniut) according to Orthodox Judaism as derived from various sources in Halakha. The following goes from the less severe to the most extreme prohibitions: Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...

• 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.
• Do not wear the clothing of a member of the opposite sex.
• Try not to be naked or unclothed for unnecessary reasons.
• Avoid looking at pictures or scenes that will be sexually arousing.
• Do not look at animals or birds copulating.
• Avoid the company of uncouth individuals and where an atmosphere of levity and depravity prevails.
• 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 erotically hug (chibuk) or kiss (nishuk) anyone besides your spouse, and then only 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 stranger.
• Do not have sex with anyone who is not your spouse.
• Sex with anyone of the same gender, or with any type of animal, or with a corpse is forbidden.

Negiah (נגיעה meaning contact or connection or touch in Hebrew) is a notion in Jewish law (Halakha) that restricts (or forbids) physical contact with, or touching of, a member of the opposite sex (particularly in an erotic manner), except for ones spouse, and immediate family such as children younger than... Physical intimacy is: Physical closeness Touching, especially tenderly Touching intimate parts, outercourse Sexual penetration The list is logically in order of increasing degree, with each form implying the previous one, but of course, it is not necessarily in order of increasing enjoyment. ... The Kiss by Francesco Hayez, 19th century. ... Niddah (or nidah, nidda, nida; Hebrew), in Judaism, is technically a state of marital separation when a woman is menstruating and seven subsequent days until she immerses in a ritual bath known as a mikvah. ... Yichud (Hebrew:ייחוד) in halacha (Jewish religious laws) refer to forbidden seclusion between a man and a woman, that are not married to each other, in a closed room or a private area. ...

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)

Bais Yaakov or Beit Yaakov or Beth Jacob (literally House [of] Jacob in Hebrew) is a loosely-organized group of Orthodox Jewish day schools throughout the world for young Jewish females from religious families. ... Judaism considers marriage to be the ideal state of existence; a man without a wife, or a woman without a husband, are considered incomplete. ... Negiah (× ×’×™×¢×” meaning contact or connection or touch in Hebrew) is a notion in Jewish law (Halakha) that restricts (or forbids) physical contact with, or touching of, a member of the opposite sex (particularly in an erotic manner), except for ones spouse, and immediate family such as children younger than... Niddah (or nidah, nidda, nida; Hebrew), in Judaism, is technically a state of marital separation when a woman is menstruating and seven subsequent days until she immerses in a ritual bath known as a mikvah. ... Rebbetzin (in Yiddish, or Rabbanit in Hebrew) is the title used for the wife of (usually) an Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic rabbi. ... The role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible, Talmud (oral law), tradition and by non-religious cultural factors. ... In Hebrew a shidduch or shiduch (שידוך, pl. ... Yichud (Hebrew:ייחוד) in halacha (Jewish religious laws) refer to forbidden seclusion between a man and a woman, that are not married to each other, in a closed room or a private area. ...

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

Elliot N. Dorff is a Conservative rabbi, a professor of Jewish theology at the University of Judaism in California, author, and a bio-ethicist. ... Originally set up as the alumni association of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) is the official, international body of Conservative rabbis, with some 1400 members. ...

External links

• Modesty in Concept and Dress as Taught by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson chabad.org
• You are What You Wear