[Avodah] When The Whole World Goes White

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 09:30:01PM +0000, kennethgmiller at juno.com wrote:
: If white signifies purity, the does not necessarily mean that black
: signifies impurity...

Actually, the metaphor in question is white vs red -- "Im yihyu
chat'aeikhem kashanim, hasheleg yalbinu" (Yeshaiah 1:18), the wool of
the se'ir hamishtaleiakh, etc...

: My understanding is that those who wear black do so for humility,
: ordinariness, anti-ostentatiousness, and similar goals.

I suggested tzeni'us, meaning more your second two suggestions than
"humility". (I just want to see if someone runs with a discussion
of the interplay of anavah and tzenius.)

: There is a time for purity, and many Orthodox men do go out of their
: way to wear white on Yom Kippur...

Is that purity or death? I thought we were wearing tachrikhim (qitl /
sargenes). As per Aqavia ben Mehallel (Avos 3:1), "ule'an atah holeikh".

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 23rd day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        3 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Gevurah sheb'Netzach: How does my domination
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            stifle others?