A powerful speech by Rebbetzin Twersky

abound

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 5:14 am

HindaRochel wrote:

If you want to have a snip in gesunteheit. I don't think it makes you a better Jew.

Anything a Yid does for Hashem (as long as it does not hurt someone else) makes them a better Jew. Wanting to do G-ds will more than our own will, will make you a better Jew.
(that does not mean better than someone else, just better than you were before, because you are growing in your avodas Hashem)

HindaRochel

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 5:42 am

abound wrote:

You misunderstand; if you are doing it because you feel it merits, that you have looked into the mirror, feel your sheitel is too long and not tzenua, you have what to stand on, then you are doing better.

The act of snipping your sheitel a predetermined amount, or a predetermined length, regardless of how you perceive your sheitel to be in terms of tzenua, doesn't make you a better Jew.

HindaRochel

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 5:47 am

amother wrote:

wrote:
Only after Chava sinned was she required to cover her hair.

Obviously it's very important.

How we dress does affect the klal. Everything we do affects everyone else.

Rebbetzin Twersky decided that this was what she was asking women to do. If you don't want to do it don't do it. If you want to work on other areas work on other areas. This is what she felt was important right now- we should respect that.

Heyaaa wrote:

She covered her hair or she had to braid it herself?

Anyway you make it sound like her whole body was covered and only her hair was exposed until that point.

Where does it say that she covered her hair or braided it? You are using reverse knowledge. "Because our Rabbis say we must cover our hair obviously she did.

NO evidence of this at all. Both Adam and Chava were clothed by Hashem.
Does that mean Adam wore a tichel as well?

shabbatiscoming

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 6:27 am

dbw wrote:

We say every day in davening Talmud Torah k'neged kulum.The Chazon Ish once said that tznius is the parallel for women since they don't have the chiyuv to learn. So it's a major thing to consider. An old rebbetzin once told me, before WWII many women did not cover their hair at all. One of the first things the Nazis did when Jewish women came into to the camps was to shave off their hair. I'm not saying we can make cheshbonos here but she pointed out that the midah kneged midah seems pretty stark here.

I completely missed this post before. How in the world can you say that women were shaven BECAUSE they had not covered their hair. First of all, that is a terrible thing to say. And further more, do you think that women covered their entire hair with mitpachot or wigs at that time did not have their heads shaven as well?
Men also had their heads shaven too.
Im sorry to say this, but I think this rebbetzin has an extremely warped idea of what mida kneged mida is if she equates women not covering for the reason why the nazis (yemach shemo) shaved their heads. Sick in my opinion. Seriously Sad

happysmile1

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 7:29 am

If you would read my post properly you would see that I never said that sheitels are assur. I explained how there was one opinion that allowed wigs but Most poskim in the past didn't allow wigs. And I'm not saying this- Rav Ovadia Yosef said this in a halachic teshuvah. He went through each and every big Posek, Ashkenazi and sephardic. And the heter that was given was for a certain type of wig.

Anyone who genuinely wants to know about the history and truth about sheitels could go and do their own research. Ask any Rav who has studied the subject and you'll see that he will say the same thing.

This info applies to all Jews no matter the background. It's just history about sheitels. Which rabbaim people follow nowadays is another matter.

This is not meant to insult women- this is historical fact! Before you start debating it maybe do your own research.

amother

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 7:37 am

I wear a Tichel because when I walk in the streets I look like a religious jewish woman and it makes a kiddush HaShem. When I wore a wig most nonjews couldn't tell the difference. They would just tell me that I had great hair! It started to feel very hypocritical. But this was just how I felt

eschaya

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 7:49 am

If I can just remind everyone...
This message was a personal communication to a specific group of women who appreciate this. When Rebbitzen Twersky - along with the 3 other wives of the kedoshim - made a public pronouncement to all of klal yisroel it was to strengthen ourselves in AHAVAS CHINUM , to every member of klal yisroel (to include those who wear tichels, snoods, short sheitels, long s-xy sheitels, long but unsxy sheitels, baseball cap, no covering).
Her original message was one of unity. Let's not let this secondary, private message meant for a distinct group (hadar alumni) cause disunity among us.
Good Shabbos.

Ruchel

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 7:56 am

BH I give a good, non shlumpy image with my sheitels! I dislike the very original tichels and the very plain ones both. It can look good if you leave plenty of hair out which I don't want. A woman needs to feel herself.

The wig exists since the Gmara, much before Ashkenazim even existed.

http://gamzouletova.blogspot.f......html may be worth google translate.

And quit the scare tactics, the Shoah things, the talks of hypocrisy. Just, quit.

amother

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:03 am

Rebbetzin Twersky wanted this message spread to all women. It was a message for everybody.

We are supposed to be united in serving HaShem- not United in doing the wrong thing. We are supposed to love each other and respect each other's differences as long as they are within the guidelines of Halacha and the Torah.

Heyaaa

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:12 am

HindaRochel wrote:

In the next quote from amother from chazal/Gemara not sure which, the source said that Hashem didn't braid her hair for her anymore.

saw50st8

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:16 am

In honor of Rebetzin Twersky, I got rid of every wig I own.

I think everyone is looking at this wrong. The men were killed in shul davening. I think Hashem is sending the message that while attending minyan 3 times a day is important, don't forget your family. Spend time with them.

I think there should be a huge push to have men daven vasikin so they can be around when their kids wake up in the morning and see their fathers. Too many men I know do not see (or see their kids very briefly) in the morning because they are rushing out to davening.

happysmile1

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:22 am

Any talk about tznius causes debate! It's not disunity. It's not about not respecting each other. It's about figuring out what is correct and what is ideal and striving for both. I am not chassidush and I don't dress in a chassidush style but I will acknowledge that many chassidush women dress on a very high level of tznius.
If a tznius debate bothers people than they shouldnt read it! The Torah is all about debating while respecting each other. It only causes disunity when people make judgements or talk disrespectfully.

Notsobusy

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:27 am

HindaRochel wrote:

This is what I was trying to say. Just because something is a sacrifice for you to do, doesn't make it a sacrifice to Hashem. So what is the point in everyone cutting one inch off their sheitels? If you believe some people's sheitels are too long, one inch probably isn't enough. If someone's sheitel is not too long, then why cut it?

PinkFridge

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:51 am

glutenless wrote:

You're right that a 1 inch cut on most sheitels is not going to make much difference.

But as far as making sacrifices for Hashem, I don't think that's what Hashem wants from us. The point is not the sacrifice, the point is the halachah. So if I totally believe that my sheitel is not too long, and I take it to my Rav and ask him(I know, I know, absolutely wrong) and he agrees, then what is the point in cutting my sheitel. Hashem does not ask for sacrifices - unless you're Avraham Avinu. He wants us to follow halacha.

I agree with you that ideally people should ask, what does halacha demand of me according to my understanding of halacha (with the guidance of rabbanim, educators, mentors, etc.). If we all did this consistently Moshiach would be here.
But we don't. We have our struggles, and each victory we have, no matter how seemingly minor, is precious to G-d and impacts us positively. So it's not just about cutting an inch at a time, or taking a hemline down an inch at a time (and before I get jumped on for bringing in hemlines, I'm referring to women who wear short skirts and feel a disconnect because it's not in line with what they've been taught), it's about the inner growth and thinking that happens too.

PinkFridge

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:54 am

eschaya wrote:

I'm quoting not just because liking isn't enough but because it needs to be read. In fact, I think I'll bold it to catch readers' attention. Gut Shabbos to you too, and everyone.

amother

Fri, Jan 02 2015, 8:57 am

Every inch matters in tznius- that's said in every tznius lecture. Obviously we have to follow Halacha but there is a concept of going above and beyond for HaShem. Why do so many people try to get the most beautiful esrog? What about setting a beautiful Shabbos table? Is this Halacha? No but it greatly enhances the mitzvah and brings nachas to HaShem.

Cutting a sheitel even by an inch to improve its modesty (no matter how small) is greatly enhancing the mitzvah of kisui Rosh.