<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Regarding this topic, it would seem that there are arguments<div>on both sides.</div><div>The argument for conformity could be "<i>minhag hamakom</i>"<br><div apple-content-edited="true">
<div style="font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">In addition the following are some references which imply definite </div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">standards by which we are expected to comply.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><font><br></font></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><font><u><b>Megilla 24a</b></u> A person in rags may repeat
the blessings before the shema and translate, </font><font>but he may not read in the Torah
nor pass before the ark nor lift up his hands. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </font><u><b>24b</b></u> Question (Ula bar Rav):<font color="#d82042"> </font><font color="#424242">I</font>s a child in rags allowed to read
in the Torah? Abaye replied: You might as well ask about a naked one. Why is
one without any clothes not allowed? </div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Out of respect for the tzibbur. Here, too,
[he is not allowed] out of respect for the tzibbur.</div><div style="font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><font><b>Berachot 30b</b> Read not hadrath [beauty]
but herdath [trembling]. But how can you learn from here? Perhaps I can after
all say that the word 'hadrath' is to be taken literally, after the manner of
Rab Judah, who used <u><b>to dress himself up</b> </u>before he prayed!<o:p></o:p></font></p><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0.1pt 0in; "><font><b>Shabbos 113a</b> The School of R. Jannai said: They
learnt this only of one man, but [it may] not [be done] by two men. And even of
one man, we said [this] only of new [garments], but not of old [ones].
And even of old [garments], we said this only of white, </font></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0.1pt 0in; "><font>but not of colored
[ones]. And we said this only if he has no others to change, but if he has
others to change it is not permitted. It was taught: [The members] of the
household of R. Gamaliel did not fold up their white garments, because they had
[others] for changing. <o:p></o:p></font></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0.1pt 0in; "><font>R. Huna
said: If one has a change [of garments], he should change [them], but if
he has nothing to change into, he should lower his garments. R. Safra
demurred: But this looks like ostentation? — Since he does not do this every
day, but [only] now [on the Sabbath], </font></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0.1pt 0in; "><font>it does not look like ostentation. </font>And thou
shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways: 'and thou shalt honor it',
that thy Sabbath garments should not be like thy weekday garments, and even as
R. Yohanan called his garments 'My honorers' (the garments dignify the person).</div><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><font><b>113b</b> Wash thyself therefore, and
anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee. R. Eleazar said: This refers to
the Shabbos garments. (Source: Ruth 3:3 “simlosayich”)<o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><font><b>114a</b> Whence do we learn change
of garments in the Torah? Because it is said, And he shall put off his garments,
and put on other garments<sup> </sup>(Vayikra 6:4) and the School of R. Ishmael
taught: The Torah teaches you manners: In the garments in which one cooked a
dish </font>for his master, one should not mix a cup [of wine] for his master. R.
Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Johanan's name: It is a disgrace for a scholar to go
out with patched shoes into the market place. But R. Aha b. Hanina did go out
[thus]? — Said R. Aha son of R. Nahman: The reference is to patches upon
patches. R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in R. Yohanan's name: Any scholar upon
whose garment a [grease] stain is found is worthy of death (not
literally), for it is said, All they that hate me [mesanne'ai] love [merit]
death. (Mishlei 8:36)</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">On the other side, it could be argued that it is better to welcome everyone to shul whether or not they are dressed formally.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> <span style="font-size: 19px; "><b>Shabbos 127a</b></span><span style="font-size: 21px; "> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: Hospitality to wayfarers is greater than welcoming the presence of the </span><i>Shechinah</i>, <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> for it is written, And he said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, etc. Bereishis 18:3</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The essence of the mitzvah of "hospitality," says R. Isaiah Horowitz (the <i>Shelach Hakadosh</i>) is that of following in God's ways for are we all not guest in His world? For this reason, welcoming mortal guests leads to humility, for we realize that all are equally guests before the Almighty. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin once received guests who came to visit him before shacharis, so that he missed t'fillah b'tzibur for he held that hachnasas orchim is greater…</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">From this one could reasonably infer that it is better not to criticize someone who might not be dressed as we deem appropriate. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>