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<font size=3>The following if from today's Hakhel email bulletin.
<br><br>
Special Note Four: With the summer fast approaching in the Northern
Hemisphere, the heat and humidity could pose a challenge to the most
basic standards of Tznius. We asked Rabbi Dovid Weinberger, Shlita,
who has given outstanding Shiurim for Hakhel and Bnos Melochim on the
topic of Tznius, whether he could provide us with the minimum rules so
that no one was <i>nichshal</i> <i>c’v </i>due to lack of knowledge, by
regarding a real halacha as ‘only a chumra’. By the following
link --
</font><a href="http://tinyurl.com/6d5p76x"><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
http://tinyurl.com/6d5p76x</a></font><font size=3> -- we
provide the basic rulings of our Gedolim, and a previous appeal issued by
the then Va’ad HaRabonim of Far Rockaway. Any help you can provide
in spreading the word (and giving chizuk to others) would most certainly
serve as a Torah counter-measure to the to’eva law referred to
above.<br><br>
While one hears much about tznius for women, I personally have
heard almost nothing about this issue when it comes to men. I have
from time to time wondered why this is the case, particularly in light of
the following from
<a href="http://www.davening.net/tznius.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.davening.net/tznius.html<br><br>
</a>Humility is a paramount ideal within Judaism. Moses is referred to as
"exceedingly humble, more than any man in the world" (Bamidbar
12:3). The Jewish people, as a whole, are said to be humble (Talmud,
Tractate Yevamot 79a.) <br><br>
Tznius includes a group of laws concerned with modesty, in both dress and
behavior. It is first mentioned in this context by the prophet Micah
(6:8): "[...] and to walk humbly (hatzne'a leches) with your
God". <br><br>
Men must wear shirts, with sleeves. Modern Orthodox men will wear shorts,
but Haredi men will not, and many will not wear short sleeves at all.
<br><br>
<b>Mandatory laws<br>
</b>There are several levels to the observance of physical and personal
modesty (tznius) according to Orthodox Judaism as derived from various
sources in halakha.
<ul>
<li>A person should not dwell on lascivious or immoral thoughts.
<li>Avert one's eyes from staring at members of the opposite sex,
particularly at any part of the female anatomy.
<li>Keep most of one's body clothed in respectable clothing. Avoid the
company of uncouth individuals and where an atmosphere of levity and
depravity prevails.
<li>Avoid looking at pictures or scenes that will be sexually arousing.
<li>Avoid touching a person of the opposite sex (i.e. by observing
negiah), especially in a lingering arousing manner (shaking hands very
quickly in greeting between sexes is a point of dispute, and depends on
customs).
<li>Do not wear the clothing of a member of the opposite sex.
<li>Do not erotically hug (chibuk) or kiss (nishuk) your spouse unless
you are in private and when the wife is definitely not a niddah
("menstruant").
</ul>Is there perhaps a double standard regarding this issue within the O
community? YL <br>
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