Our Sages relate[2] that at the time of the Exodus certain nations insisted that it was literally impossible for the Jewish people to have retained their sanctity, holiness and purity, after 210 years of exile. Especially so, since the Egyptian exile was one of the most difficult exiles, where the Jewish people were enslaved and held captive by the despotic Pharaohs - in the words of the Haggadah: "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt."

In response to this, G-d testifies at the conclusion of the second census recounted at the conclusion of the book of Bamidbar, that each and every Jewish family remained pure and holy; the Jewish people left Egypt with exactly the same degree of purity and sanctity that they enjoyed when Jacob and his family descended from the Holy Land into Egypt. In fact, the Jewish people were taken out of exile precisely because of their undefiled and holy state, not having succumbed to the customs and mores of the land in which they found themselves, the land of Egypt.

At that particular point in history Egypt was a highly advanced civilization. This was so both with regard to their culture, as well as with regard to their general knowledge, wisdom and philosophy. In these areas, Egypt outshined by far all other nations that were then extant. So much so, that their knowledge in certain areas - such as the art of forming particular vessels, dyes, etc. - stymie and confound us to this day.

The Jewish people, enslaved as they were to the mightiest, largest and most developed country, nevertheless did not adopt the mores and customs of their Egyptian neighbors. Rather, knowing as they did that they were sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and daughters of Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, they realized that "I shall descend with you to Egypt,"[3] that G-d was with them in Egypt every step of the way. Consequently, they recognized that they must surely and steadfastly cling to G-d and conduct themselves according to His dictates. Only then would they be able to leave Egypt whole, unsullied and unblemished.

Thus the Torah relates that the Jewish people departed Egypt whole and complete, "with our youth and elders, with our sons and daughters,"[4] i.e., children, parents and grandparents were entirely united in their outlooks, perspectives and attitudes without any generational gaps - a unified nation, a whole and intact nation, and a healthy nation, both physically and spiritually.

It was with this spirit of unity that they all left Egypt in order to receive the Torah on Sinai in the month of Sivan, with the Torah as their - and our - eternal guidepost in life, thereby ensuring that the spirit of unity between generations endures for all time.

Our Rabbis tell us[5] that one of the things in whose merit the Jewish people were freed from Egyptian bondage was that "they did not change their mode of dress." Jewish men, and especially Jewish women and daughters retained their distinctly modest Jewish mode of dress, and were not at all influenced by the Egyptian style of dress and conduct.

It was a given that their uniqueness as a people would prevent and prohibit them from altering their Jewish dress code, notwithstanding that they were dispersed among the Egyptians. To have done so would have meant lowering and demeaning themselves by chasing after Egyptian fashion, that because Egyptians are wearing such garments we must - Heaven forfend - imitate and copy them.

Indeed, modesty of dress is one of the most fundamental principles of tznius - the central theme of your convention - for the aspect of tznius which is most readily discernible is with regard to clothing.

Here, too, Torah teaches us that we are not to change our mode of Jewish dress. Moreover, retaining our Jewish dress code will not cause us to lose favor and respect among our non-Jewish neighbors. Quite the contrary, the nations among whom we find ourselves will realize that we are a people who sticks to our principles. And even if doing so may sometimes prove difficult, we are not frightened by this, for we realize that by observing our Jewish dress code, observing tznius, we preserve our identity, guaranteeing our strength and existence as a nation and as individuals. This is the path that leads us out of exile.

There is yet another aspect to this: When G-d said that He bears witness that the Jewish families remained holy and pure, something that depends on the conduct of Jewish women[6] [then and now, and all generations in between], there was but one single exception among all the millions of Jews.

This solitary deviation occurred because there was a lack of tznius in speech - this individual did not speak in the manner expected of a Jewish woman or daughter.

Herein lies an even more profound lesson: One may demand of Jewish women and daughters that tznius be applied not only to something so fundamental as dress, but also with regard to conversation. There as well, G-d blesses and enables us - if we but so desire - that even our conversations with one another be conducted in a manner of tznius.

As mentioned on numerous occasions, Torah is not - G-d forbid - a history book that recounts events that transpired many years ago, with the sole purpose of relating to us that which took place with our forebears. Rather, Torah is a "Torah of Life," a "living Torah," in a manner whereby "the deeds of our ancestors are signs to their progeny" - when the Torah relates that which happened with our ancestors, it is a sign to us how we are to conduct ourselves.

This, in itself, demonstrates that now as well, this year and this very day and wherever one finds oneself, all Jewish women and daughters are capable of conducting themselves in a manner of tznius with regard to all matters: conduct, dress, and even speech. Moreover, they are capable of doing so with joy and gladness.

Excerpt from a Sicha of the Rebbe, Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VIII, pp. 222-225

   

Notes:

2. (Back to text) Shir HaShirim Rabbah (4:12), quoted in Rashi, Bamidbar 26:5

3. (Back to text) Bereishis 46:4.

4. (Back to text) Shmos 10:9.

5. (Back to text) Midrash Lekach Tov, Shmos 6:6, Devarim 26:5. See also commentators on the Haggadah on the verse metzuyanim sham.

6. (Back to text) As stated in Rashi, quoting from the Midrash.