Do you think that 4 inches below your knee is halacha?

Chayalle

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 2:06 pm

amother wrote:

Yes, our mechaneches went around with a ruler.

When my DD was in upper elementary school they had these spot-checks where they would bring in some Rebetzin and she would go around with a ruler. I called the principal and asked her to do me a favor, if she ever notices my girls' skirts being too short, she should feel free to call me, but don't ever do the ruler thing to my girls as it would offend them.

DD said when they got to her seat the principal just moved the lady along and bypassed her.

I wish they wouldn't do it at all. IMVHO subjecting girls to this is offensive to the dignity of Bnos Yisrael.

kollel wife

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 2:10 pm

Pink Fridge - I may be older than you (I'm close to 50) but you bring back memories of when slits were the issue.

I do remember by my Bnai Akiva Shabbos afternoon group - we were having a discussion about slits. The "madricha" explained why slits in general were wrong - we all wore pants mind you in those days. She said when it shows and hides and shows and hides etc, that's a problem. Even if the slit began below the knee!!

These were not Bais Yaakov girls by a long shot.

amother

Amber

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 2:12 pm

amother wrote:

When I was in HS they taught it as Halacha. They said that the rabbanim paskened it's not tznius. It turned me off against tznius in a big way. I wanted to know who are these rabbanim who are looking at women's legs to determine the cutoff point of what's tznius. Anyway they don't teach it that way anymore because they see it backfired.

Since when can't the Rav look at his wife ????

watergirl

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 2:53 pm

kollel wife wrote:

Its a funny thing - I am younger then you are, and I remember in NCSY of all places being told the same thing about slits. And that pants are not ok because it creates a V shape, pointing right to your crotch. And this was by one of the best advisers there, not a college kid - a woman who is a kiruv professional and knew better. I was in 8th grade then and I was so beyond turned off that, although I stayed in NCSY and credit them for helping my path, I never forgot it, never went back to this woman for advice or guidance, and continued to wear pants until I was 19.

What do they think they are doing in BY and such with these rulers? Certainly not inspiring a love of tznius, thats for sure!

amother

Pink

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 4:52 pm

Um... Are people covering their knees anymore?

I was outside of Shul a few weeks ago and I overheard this:

"So when I bought this dress it totally covered my knees. But then I washed it and it shrunk. (I'm sure the fact that she should have been wearing maternity, but wasn't, had nothing to do with it). And I feel like since it covered when I bought it, I can still wear it now (a good 4 inches above the knee). "

Huh? shock

PinkFridge

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 5:33 pm

amother wrote:

Growing up I was taught 4'' is halacha. Now, I feel guilty about it, but my skirts are not all 4 inches and I think they are just as tzanua as my longer skirts.

Funny - when I was going to sem (in BP), the rule was 6" below the knee and 4" above the ankle. I had one girl in my class who was not quite 5' tall. she did not HAVE 10" between knee and ankle!

Which is why making sure you're well-covered all the time is the real key.
And re Mommy9, I just want to remind everyone that we're talking about a milieu where there are certain basic standards - married hair, collarbone, elbows, knee and above and quite possibly feet - so inconsistencies are understandably jarring.

imasoftov

Thu, Mar 03 2016, 8:46 am

amother wrote:

when I was going to sem (in BP), the rule was 6" below the knee and 4" above the ankle. I had one girl in my class who was not quite 5' tall. she did not HAVE 10" between knee and ankle!

BY of Sodom had a way to deal with that ...

Leahh

Thu, Mar 03 2016, 9:01 am

amother wrote:

I wonder where all these pro 4" comments are coming from, like where they live.

I live in the heart of the heart of Boro Park (thought by many to be the Official Tznius Capital of the world, or at least one of them), where at least 75% of men wear shtreimlach, and whether right or wrong, most of the women walking next to the men wearing shtreimlach these days, are wearing skirts way shorter than 4" below the knees. From what Ive been seeing, women wearing 4" below the knee these days, are those who cover their Sheitels.

Perhaps the Halacha was changed to being stringent about wearing Sheitels at least 4" below the shoulder, and skirts less than 4" below the knees.

Btw, does BYA and Prospect insist their students wear skirts 4" below the knee, outside of school days when uniforms are worn? I see very little of 4" below the knee skirts on Flatbush streets, except on very Yeshivish looking women.

Who named Boro Park the official tznius capital of the world!?
If that is true we are in a sorry state. The tznius level in BP (not everyone but a large majority) has gone way down. I have seen many woman wearing seam tights with skirts that barely, if at all, cover the knees. I've also been seeing slits. Somehow elbows are still being covered but knees not so much.
Walk down 13 Ave and tell me how many woman have skirts without slits covering their knees and how many have skirts with slits or are barely covering their knees.

amother

Tangerine

Thu, Mar 03 2016, 9:08 am

Leahh wrote:

Please be careful before saying Loshon Hora on an entire community. I walk down Thirteenth avenue several times a day. I live two house off the avenue on a center street. I barely see slits. The few times that I have I assumed the women were not from here based on the rest of their dress, their accents and language etc.

The skirt lengths used to be a problem, but I don't find it so much anymore as midi skirts are in for a while.

Leahh

Thu, Mar 03 2016, 10:05 am

amother wrote:

Read my post and you will see that I wrote not everyone.
Also, take it on context. I was replying to another poster.
And you agree that skirt lengths were a problem when the style was short but now because it's midi it's no longer a problem. So when it goes back to short and slits come back in it will be a problem again.