Modesty
The concept of “modesty” drives one of the greatest myths about Judaism’s approach to women. Many people assume that women who dress and behave in the spirit of Judaism should be pitied. “How tragic that they cannot express their femininity.” But is that really the case?
As a concept, modesty both broad and comprehensive, and applies to men and women alike.
Many laws related to modesty apply equally to men and women, and some apply to men alone. However, because God designed the female gender to be more beautiful than the male, the concept of modesty is more relevant to women.
In Jewish law, modesty does not apply only to clothing (size, etc.) but encompasses much more: tt includes modesty in speech, behavior, and, yes, in thought.
It is important to realize that the Torah and the sages throughout the generations placed special emphasis on the status and dignity of women. They established unique practices to protect and safeguard women’s physical safety and dignity, and even their more “extreme” requirements were established out of concern for the dignity and status of the woman.
We see the opposite reality taking place all around us. Permissiveness and promiscuity – specifically – lead to the disparagement of women, to the breakdown of marriage and the family unit.
This is why the Torah recommends that women follow the practices of modesty, and that they raise their children to follow modest practices, especially their daughters.
