So I was on an airplane the other day and takeoff was delayed by an apparent argument between three flight attendants, two Chiloni women, and a Chareidi man. I, as well as many other passengers, thought that the man had refused to sit next to these two women and wanted his seat to be switched. We were all startled when the police came on to the plane to escort the two women off. Apparently, they had refused to sit next to the Chareidi man. I profusely apologized to the man for suspecting him and we had a nice conversation during the flight. Without devolving into any political mud-slinging (and one-off stories are a dumb thing to sling mud with as there are nutjobs anywhere and anectodal evidence proves nothing), I just wanted to point out that things aren’t always what they seem. Dan L’chaf Z’chus trumps Occam’s Razor.
Can you please explain to us why your initial inclination was to think it was the Chareidi making the unreasonable demands… so that it was surprising to you when it turned out that that was not the case.
You title this “role reversal”. In your mindset, the typical “role” is evil Chareidi making crazy demands?
In most people’s minds, for better or worse, public disputes involving a Chareidi man and a non-Tznius woman and one refusing to sit next to the other is generally the Chareidi man refusing to sit next to the women and not vice versa.
Bob, I have been on 1 flight to israel and 1 flight to Miami where this sort of thing happened, and it was the charedi man causing all the trouble. This was a refreshing story to hear!
Rav Aurbach z”l (Iforgot his first name, but he was a famouse posek in Yerushalayim,) was once on a bus in Israel, and an immodestly-dressed women sat next to him.
So, not to cause a chillul hashem or embarras her, he stayed on the bus, got out by the next stop and boarded another bus.