Modesty
Psalms 55:14
The daughter of the king is all dignified within; her clothing is of
embroidered gold.
Numbers Rabba 1:3
AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN
THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI IN THE TENT OF MEETING. Before the Tent of Meeting
was set up, He spoke with him from the bush, as it is said, "And God
called unto him out of the midst of the bush" (Ex. 3:4). Then, And the Lord spoke unto
Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying (Ex. 12:1). He also spoke to
him in Midian, as it is said, "And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian."
(Ex.4:19). At Sinai also He spoke to
him, as it is said, And the Lord spoke unto Moses in Mount Sinai, saying (Lev. 25:1). As soon, however, as the
Tent of Meeting was set up, God thought to Himself, ' Modesty is a
beautiful thing, as it is said, "And walk modestly with your
God." (Micah 6:8), and so He then
spoke to him in the Tent of Meeting.
David (in his Psalm) likewise
said, "The daughter of the king is all dignified within; her clothing
is of embroidered gold."(Ps.45:14). The king's daughter, The king alludes to Moses, as is inferred from
the following passages. It is said, And I will give over the Egyptians into
the hand of a cruel lord (Isaiah
19:4); this applies to the plagues that came upon Egypt. And a strong
king shall rule over them (ib.) applies to Moses who was King of the
Torah which is designated strength` as it is said, "The Lord will give
strength unto his people" (Ps. 29:11).
Therefore, "The daughter of the king is all dignified within; her
clothing is of embroidered gold." Ps.45:14). "... her clothing is of embroidered gold. Alludes to Aaron; as
it is said, And you shall make embroidered work of gold (Ex. 28:13).
From here it has been inferred that a woman who conducts herself
with becoming modesty deserves, though she be a lay Israelitess, to be
married to a priest and to rear up High Priests; since it is said, The Holy
One blessed be He, said, "her clothing is of embroidered gold."
In like manner it befits My dignity that I should speak in private, as is
implied in the text, And when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting (Num.7:8-9).
Your Midrash Navigator
1. This Midrash makes the jump from Moses to a "woman's
conduct". What has happened to our concept of modesty?
Midrash Leviticus Rabba 20:11
It is related that Simeon the son of Kimhith went out to talk with an
Arabian king, and a jet of saliva from the latter's mouth was spurted on to
Simeon's garments and defiled him. His brother Judah entered and ministered
in the office of the High Priesthood in his stead. On that day their mother
beheld two of her sons officiating as High Priests. It was said: Kimhith
had seven sons, and all of them served in the office of the High
Priesthood. The Sages sent to her the following enquiry: ' What good deeds
have you to your credit? The beams of my house, she said to them, ' have
never beheld the hair of my head nor the seam of my undergarment. They
remarked: All flours (kimhaya) are but ordinary flour, but the flour of
Kimhith is fine flour, and they applied to her the text, "The daughter
of the king is all dignified within; her clothing is of embroidered
gold." a similar version appears in the Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 5a
(Psalms 45:14).
Your Midrash Navigator
1. Is modesty in dress an end in of itself, or is it a means to achieve
another quality?
Maimonides, the Laws of Relationships 13:11
Wherever it is not customary for a woman to go to the marketplace with
only a head covering and it is required for her to have her bodied covered
with something like her wedding garment, like a shawl, a husband is obliged
to provide this for her. But not the other garments. If he is wealthy,
however, he should provide for her according to his wealth so that she may
go and visit her family home, or a mourner's home, or to a party. For all
women may come and go to their family home to visit, and to a party in
order to bring lovingkindness to
her friends and relatives, so that they will visit her as well. For she is
not in prison and cannot be not to go out and come in. It is, however,
unseemly for a woman to go out constantly, outside and in the streets, and
a husband should prevent his wife from doing so more than once or twice a
month as needed. For a woman's beauty is to dwell inside the corners of
one's home, as it is written: "The daughter of the king is all
dignified within..."
Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of
you, but to do justice, and to love loving mercy, and to walk modestly with
your God?
Your Bible Navigator
1. What does it mean to walk modestly with God?
Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 49b
The School of R. Anan taught: It is written, "O prince's daughter!
your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of an
artist." (Song of Songs 7:2) Why
are the words of the Torah compared to the thigh? To teach you that just as
the thigh is hidden, so should the words of the Torah be hidden.
And this is why Rabbi Eleazar said, What is the implication of the text,
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require
of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk modestly with
your God?"
To do justice means [to act in accordance with] justice; to love mercy
refers to acts of loving kindness; and to walk modestly with your God
refers to attending to funerals and dowering a bride for her wedding. Now,
we can deduce: If in matters which are normally performed publicly the
Torah enjoins to walk modestly' how much more so in matters that are
normally done privately?
Your Talmud Navigator
1. What kind of modesty is being espoused in this story?
Sources: Rabbi Avi Weinstein, Director, Hillel's
Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Learning. Reprinted with
permission. |