[Avodah] Tz'nius

[rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com]

Joseph Kaplan:
> If the RHS/RMB definition of tzni'ut were truly a jewish ideal (and I  
> believe it is not), then RY would have taught this to their talmidim  
> who would then be understanding why their rebbe did not take the  
> kibud.  And, of course, I did not say, nor did I mean to imply, that  
> RY were concerned about their kavod.  But if taking the, let's call  
> it a public role and not an honor or a kibud, truly conflicted with  
> tzni'ut, they'd act on it.  I haven't seen, nor have I heard of our  
> poskim and other leaders, including those advocating this definition,  
> acting on it.

Ein hachi nami
BUT
I will echo Micha. There are indeed NO legal bounds being crossed here

Thus:
> I haven't seen, nor have I heard of our poskim and other leaders,

Is in this context a red herring 

Rather - this is an issue of machshava, Mussar and Dei'os (Rambam's term)

And what do sifrei mussar say?  Some seriously object!!

EG
R Chaim Vital Shaarei Qedusha Part 1 shaar 5 (p. 24 in my edition)

"V'sivrach b'chol kochacha min haserarah (BTW it's a sin not a shin)
haqoveres es b'aleha!"
Tr;
"Escape with all your might from office-holding (or perhaps from
officiating)- that buries its masters or owners."

How about "us'na es harrabanus". 


Again a RY who Honors a Chassan by reading his Kesubbah is not violating
this, because his office bestows honor on the Chassan-kallah

Similarly - bar minan - when a RY gives a hesped.

-------------------------

Digression 

Reb Shraga Feivel hated the title rabbi, and I know it cost K'vod hattorah
when a young rabbi dismissed him as a mere "baleboss". Halevai I should
be such a mere baleboss.

His talmid - R. Charles Batt AH - is more responsible for my Hinuch than
anyone in the world aside from my parents AH - who worshipped Charlie
Batt and also knew about Reb Shraga Feivel and Dr. Joe Kamnetsky, too!

_______________

Digression 2 
R Tukachinsky (Gesher Hachayim) said not to place the title "Rav" on his
Tzuyyun, but caveated that since today the title is so meaningless it's
probably no big deal anymore! :-)

KT
RRW
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