[Avodah] Moderates criticize rabbi’s women’s modesty views

[Prof. Levine]

 From http://tinyurl.com/bbt8m4u


National-religious moderates express concern over directives for 
modest dress issued by leading Rabbi Shlomo Aviner.

The publication by leading national-religious figure Rabbi Shlomo 
Aviner of a set of principles for modest dress for women last weekend 
evoked considerable consternation within the community.

Aviner, dean of the Ateret Yerushalayim Yeshiva in the Old City of 
Jerusalem and the rabbi of the Beit El settlement, issued a list of 
directives for modest dress in his regular column in the weekly 
Shabbat pamphlet "B'Ahavah U've'Emunah" ("With Love and Faith"), 
which many saw as inappropriate and overly strict.

"Clothing should cover the entire body, it should not be transparent, 
it should not be tight, and it should be quiet and reserved," the rabbi wrote.

The opposite of tight clothing is a garment that conceals the form of 
the body and does not emphasize any limb, continued Aviner, who is 
considered to be on the conservative wing of the national-religious community.

<Snip>

The rabbi also issued directives regarding the color of clothing to 
be worn, saying that women should refrain from wearing anything red, 
body-colored, orange, bold shades of yellow or green, gold, silver or 
anything shiny.

Arms should be covered to at least below the elbow, but the sleeves 
should not be baggy because any movement of the arm will expose the 
area above the elbow, but "how much better and pleasant is it" to 
cover the arm up to the hands, Aviner noted.

The rabbi's directives continue to discuss skirt length, 10cm. below 
the knee, stocking thickness, shoe type and color and other issues of 
modest attire.

See the above URL for more.
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