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    Tznius Basics

    Tznius (or Tznius or Tzniut) ("modesty") is a term used within Judaism and has its greatest influence as a notion within Orthodox Judaism. It is used to describe both a character trait and a group of Jewish religious laws pertaining to conduct in general and especially between the sexes.

    Humility is a paramount ideal within Judaism. Moses is referred to as "exceedingly humble, more than any man in the world" (Bamidbar 12:3). The Jewish people, as a whole, are said to be humble (Talmud, Tractate Yevamot 79a.)

    Tznius includes a group of laws concerned with modesty, in both dress and behavior. It is first mentioned in this context by the prophet Micah (6:8): "[...] and to walk humbly (hatzne'a leches) with your God".

    One of the defining characteristics of the Jewish religious personality is Tznius which means, roughly, "modesty". Normally, the problem of Tznius is discussed in rather technical terms: how low or how high a female's hemline should be, the length of sleeves, the form of dress, the number of square millimeters of skin that may be exposed, and so on. Indeed, these are important issues, but they are aspects or details of Tezniut, not its "heart". What is important is the classical world view of Judaism that informs the concept and the practice of Tznius, an exceedingly important Jewish principle and value that touches the very fundamentals of Judaism.

    Practical applications

    Dress
    In the more liberal Modern Orthodox community, women have a more relaxed dress code, and often wear sleeveless shirts, shirts with low necklines, or tight pants, and cover their knees with opaque tights, skirts, or sometimes pants. Stricter Modern Orthodox practice is for sleeves to reach the elbows and shirts to cover the collarbone, skirts to cover the knees, and to eschew pants in the presence of men.In the Haredi community, all married women cover their hair whenever non-family members are present. Women cover their elbows; wear skirts which reach a few inches below the knee, often mid-calf; generally avoid skirts with slits, preferring instead kick-pleats; cover their collarbones; wear stockings and closed-toe shoes; avoid certain colors, especially bright red. In some communities such as the Haredi community of Jerusalem, women wear loose vests over shirts.

    Men must wear shirts, with sleeves. Modern Orthodox men will wear shorts, but Haredi men will not, and many will not wear short sleeves at all.

    Hair covering
    Halacha (Jewish law) requires married women to cover their hair. Some married Modern Orthodox women cover their heads, some cover their hair (except for a few inches at the hairline), and some do not cover their heads or hair at all. Virtually all married Modern Orthodox women wear a head or hair covering in synagogue. The most common head/hair covering for Modern Orthodox women is a hat or beret; younger married Modern Orthodox women will wear baseball caps and bandanas when dressed casually. Modern Orthodox women whose clothes are somewhat "hippyish" wear bright and colorful scarves tied in a number of ways. The most common hair coverings in the Haredi community are the snood, the tichel (scarf), and the sheitel (wig); some Haredi women will cover their hair with hats or berets.

    Men, married or not, must cover their heads. The most common head covering is the kippah.

    Female singing voice
    Men are not supposed to hear women sing, a prohibition called kol isha (Babylonian Talmud Tractate Berachot 24a). This is derived from Song of Solomon 2:14: "Let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful." The Talmud classifies this as ervah (literally "nakedness"), and it is generally understood that this prohibition applies at all times, similarly to all prohibitions classified as ervah (Rosh Berachot 3:37, Shulkhan Arukh Even ha-Ezer 21:2)[1]. A minority view hypothesizes that the prohibition of kol isha applies only while reciting a single prayer, Shema Yisrael [2] (based on the opinion of Rav Hai Gaon, cited in Mordechai Berachot 80). There is debate between the poskim (authorities of Jewish law) whether the prohibition applies to a recorded voice, where the singer cannot be seen, where the woman is not known to the man who is listening and where he has never seen her or a picture of her.

    Touch
    Men and women are not supposed to touch each other, a prohibition called shmirath negiah (observance of the laws of touching) or shomer negiah. A person who refrains from touching the opposite sex is said to be shomer negiah. Shmirath negiah applies to touching which is derech chiba (related to affection). A quick handshake may not fall under this category, as opposed to a hug or kiss. However, people who are stringently shomer negiah will avoid shaking hands with a member of the opposite sex. It is almost universally observed within the Haredi community and somewhat observed within the Modern Orthodox community.

    Yichud
    Men and women are not supposed to seclude themselves in a locked room, the prohibition of yichud.

    Public gatherings
    Men and women are not supposed to mingle during religious services, and synagogues are supposed to include a shoulder-height divider, called a mechitza, which may be partially see-through; often it is a veil. In many synagogues this requirement is fulfilled by having a balcony for the women's section. Conservative and Reform congregations do not separate the sexes during services.

    At other public gatherings, men and women are typically separated, especially where dancing is expected to take place. Here, too, a mechitza may be erected, as men are not supposed to watch the women dancing.

    Interpretations

    Tznius is the subject of differing interpretations between various segments of Judaism. Issues that have received wide interpretation are:

    The degree to which a woman's legs must be covered (thickness of tights/stockings/socks as well as different length socks vs. knee-highs vs. thigh-highs)

    The principal guiding point is that a Jew should not dress in a way that attracts attention. This does not mean dressing poorly; in fact, a man is required to dress nicely and a woman should dress properly in a feminine manner. But neither men nor women should dress in a way that overly emphasizes the physical or attracts undue attention.

    Mandatory laws
    There are several levels to the observance of physical and personal modesty (tznius) according to Orthodox Judaism as derived from various sources in halakha.

    • A person should not dwell on lascivious or immoral thoughts.
    • Avert one's eyes from staring at members of the opposite sex, particularly at any part of the female anatomy.
    • Keep most of one's body clothed in respectable clothing.
      • Avoid the company of uncouth individuals and where an atmosphere of levity and depravity prevails.
    • Avoid looking at pictures or scenes that will be sexually arousing.
    • Avoid touching a person of the opposite sex (i.e. by observing negiah), especially in a lingering arousing manner (shaking hands very quickly in greeting between sexes is a point of dispute, and depends on customs).
    • Do not wear the clothing of a member of the opposite sex.
    • Do not erotically hug (chibuk) or kiss (nishuk) your spouse unless you are in private and when the wife is definitely not a niddah ("menstruant").



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