[Avodah] Parshas Tazria: Rav Shamshon Rephael Hirsch - When The Whole World Goes White

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 03:52:32PM -0400, Prof. Levine wrote:
> If white is the color of purity,  then why do so many Orthodox men wear 
> black, and why do I see a trend amongst  observant women to favor wearing 
> black over clothing of other colors?  YL

OTOH, black is the color of tzeni'us (for simple physics reasons -- dark
doesn't catch the eye) and fighting the YhR. Judging from the Rambam's
invocation WRT teshuvah, there are two sides of the same coin. See Rambam
Hil' Eidus 12:9.

It appears to be a tool for anonymity - the "besokh ami anokhi yoshaves"
of tzeni'us.

MQ 17a:
    If someone sees that his yeitzer of overpowering him? What should he
    do? He should wear black, cover himself in black, go to a place where
    they do not recognize him, and he should do what his heart desires.

The Ritva RH 16b asks how the gemara could possibly let someone sin. He
quotes "mori", who I think in this instance is the Rashba (the other
likely candidate if the Ra'ah), who says this is not about a yeitzer to
do an actual cheit, but one who would do something permissable and if
recognized, would cause a chilul Hashem.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 23rd day, which is
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