[Avodah] Why Jewish Women should NOT wear a Burka

[Chana Luntz]

RSB writes:

> > why wearing a Burka (or equivalent) is NOT appropriate for a Jewish 
> > woman.
> >
> >Issues like "Bal Tosif"; the true meaning of Tzni'ut; Chukot HaGoyim
and 
> >other relevant issues could be discussed.

And later RMM writes:

> It's simply stupid, that's all. Not to mention anti-Torah.

Sorry for clearly being stupid, but why is it stupid, or, for that
matter anti-Torah, any more than any other chumra?

Now perhaps it is rather ironic that I am the person making this point
here - because those of you who have been around for a while will know
that I am not crazy about the tendency towards chumra in general - and
have written numerous pieces here on Avodah to that effect (some quoting
gemoras about fools and darkness, others talking about how chumras in
one area almost inevitably result in kulos in other areas).  And the
same points can be made here as with any other chumra.  In fact the
article RSB quoted indicated precisely such a case, where the chumra of
dress clearly resulted in a kula in shalom bayis to the extent that the
husband sought a divorce.

But, why is this chumra any worse than all the other chumros out there
in our chumradik society?  Many of the other chumros people indulge in,
particularly, as I have frequently pointed out on this list, in kashrus,
also severely impact shalom bayis and relations ben adam l'chavero.  In
fact, I really can't see why these women taking upon themselves a
personal chumra to wear a burka is any worse than the chumros vis a vis
tznius imposed by your common garden Beis Ya'akov - at least the women
are themselves deciding their own level and doing it out of a genuine
yiras shamayim, and not having chumra imposed upon them.

And while I agree there are baal tosif issues to the extent that these
women do not understand that this is a chumra and not halacha, again I
can't see why this is any worse than the standard behaviour of Beis
Ya'akov - who again rarely teach that what they are demanding of their
girls is a chumra (in almost any area - the way dinim is taught in
general is a complete mishmash of chumra and basic halacha and all
sorts), or for that matter the endless list of chumros demanded by the
various yeshivos of their bochrim and arvreichim or the various kashrus
agencies etc etc.  If anything, to wear a burka is better sourced (the
Rambam seems to be suggesting something very similar and the Shulchan
Aruch follows his loshon) than the requirement to wear a black hat or
black stockings versus cream stockings or not to wear denim or, maybe,
even taking trumos and ma'asros in chutz l'aretz.

> Mikha'el Makovi