- This topic has 12 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by .
-
Posts
-
Also known as “the value of being accepted by a kehilla.” (I’m not referring to uniformity that is halachic in nature.)
Is this a good thing? A bad thing? A Jewish value? A result of the fishbowl effect? Irrelevant?
Discuss…
“There again, progress for progress’s sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned.”- Professor Umbridge
What was it like in the past?
I try not to wear matching socks.
“The clothes makes the man.” Face it; this is a fact of human nature, both on the part of the one wearing “the clothes” (by which I refer to all modes of outward presentation), and on the part of the observer.
There is nothing wrong with the fact that a person is identified by the way he or she chooses to present himself or herself to the world.
The argument that it is judgmental and morally incorrect to make assumptions about a person based on that person’s clothing, etc. is a specious one; we all do this on a constant basis.
This does not mean that I only respect people who I identify as similar to myself; it means that there are people who I identify as similar to myself.
For those people who are above human nature and exercise perfect control over themselves as an expression of their spiritual standing, such trappings may well be unnecessary. For us mere mortals, however, it is important to keep in mind that “??? ???? ??? ????????.”
In the words of the wisest of all men, ???? ???? ???.
I don’t want to be a person who wears matching socks, which is redundant.
?? ????? ?? ??????
??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????
Straight from Pirkei Avos. Conformity is a Jewish value. Unless you’re ????? ???? ???.
+++ for the mismatched socks from a kindred sock mismatcher. In seriousness, it is foolish to rely on chitzonius as much as we do, and neglect sensitivities and mussar that are the internal mark of a refined human being. Twas at a chareidi run chareidi serving supermarket in chareidi area Thursday, and crossing my sight plane were people attired just so properly, yet engaged in behavior that disqualifies them for edus. I try to not be judgmental, and to have a positive view of my fellows, but I was having a really bad day.
Twisted –
Obviously, we can not rely on chitzoniyus, and presentation is no substitute for introspection and self-improvement. The Torah value in all of this is of course as a complement to, not as a surrogate for, “chovos halevavos.”
It is the sad truth that there are some for whom our community is no more than a social club; had these people been born in different circumstances they most likely would live largely the same lives in different clothing. Don’t let these people get you down on the community in general.
Members of sports teams display conformity as do military personnel. Businessmen used to too.
In Eretz Mitzrayim we refused to change our names, language and clothing. There was conformity.
Does this have them do with ????? ??????
I am unique, just like everybody else.
Socks are Dobby’s favorite, favorite clothes, sir! I has seven now, sir. . . . But sir …they has made a mistake in the shop, Harry Potter, they is giving you two the same
RebbYidd23- you and Dobby have a lot in common. 🙂
Not changing the clothing to match the general public is the opposite of conformity.
I think it was Calvin (friend of Hobbes, not the philosopher) who pointed out the irony of ads such as:
“Express yourself – Wear Jordache Jeans”
The nonconformist is as far from the individualist as is the conformist.
Anyway, most of the people that I know who complain about the need to conform in the frum community have no problem conforming to many other “communities”. They simply resent the burden of being required to follow certain rules.
News Flash: Halacha is a constant value, whether you wear a white dress shirt or a T-shirt, or, for that matter, no shirt at all.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.