Tzniyut: Should all Jews wear long dresses?

(8) It hath been told thee, O man, what is good, And what the LORD doth require of thee: Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

Rab Joseph b. Rab Nehunyah asked Rab Judah: May a man place his Tefillin beneath his pillow [at night]?

About placing them at the foot of the bed is no question, since that would involve disrespectful treatment; but I ask about placing them beneath his pillow — how is it ? He replied : Thus said Samuel : It is allowed, even if his wife be with him. Against this teaching is quoted : A man may not place his Tefillin at the foot of the bed because it would be disrespectful, but he may place them beneath his pillow. Should, however, his wife be with him, it is forbidden ; but if there is a place three handbreadths above or below, he may place them beneath his pillow ! The refutation of Samuel remains unanswered.

Rab Joseph b. Rab Nehunyah asked Rab Judah : How is it when two sleep in one bed — does one turn his face away and read the Shema' and the other act likewise?

He answered : Thus said Samuel : [That is so] even if his wife is with him.

Rab Joseph retorted : [Samuel mentions] his wife, but is it not the more necessary to mention [the case when he is with] somebody else? For on the contrary, his wife is like part of himself, whereas another is not like part of himself!

It is quoted in objection: If two sleep in one bed, one turns his face away and reads [the Shema'] and the other acts likewise. But there is another teaching: One who sleeps in a bed with his children or members of his household by his side should not read the Shema' unless a sheet separates between them ; but if his children or the members of his household are minors, then he is permitted [to read the Shema' without such separation]! This is quite right according to Rab Joseph and there is no contradiction [between the two teachings], the first referring to his wife, the second to somebody else. But with Samuel's view there is a contradiction.

Samuel could reply to thee: Is it right according to Rab Joseph's opinion? For lo, there is a teaching : If a man sleeps in a bed with his children or the members of his household, he may not read the Shema' unless a sheet separates between them ! What, then, is there for thee to say ?

There are Tannaim [who are at variance] on Rab Joseph's view of the question of the wife, and there are also Tannaim [who are at variance] on my view.

The master said, "He turns his face away and reads the Shema'" — but their buttocks will be in contact ! This supports the opinion of Rab Huna who said that with buttocks there is no concern on the score of nakedness. It is possible to say that the following teaching is a support of Rab Huna's opinion, viz. : A woman may sit and cut off the Hallah while she is naked, because she is able to cover her nakedness with the ground; but it is not so with a man. Rab Nahman b. Isaac explained this [as applying only to a case where] for instance, her nakedness is sunk in the ground.

The master said above, "If his children or members of his household are minors, it is permitted." Up to what age?

Rab Hisda said: With females, three years and one day; with a male, nine years and one day. Others declare : With females, eleven years and one day ; with a male, twelve years and one day — i.e. with both of them until the age when "the breasts were fashioned and the hair grown" (Ezek. xvi. 7).

Rab Kahana asked Rab Ashe : Raba said above, "Although the refutation of Samuel's view remained unanswered, the Halakah is in accord with him" ; how is it here?

He replied : Wilt thou weave all these things in one web? Nay, where it is said, it is said ; and where it is not said, it is not said.

Rab Mari asked Rab Pappa : How is it if a hair protruded from his garment ? The latter exclaimed : Hair is hair.

R. Isaac said : A handbreadth of a woman [if exposed] is nakedness.

For what purpose? Is it a question of gazing upon her? Behold Rab Sheshet said : Why do the Scriptures enumerate the female ornaments worn outside together with those worn under the garments ? This is to tell thee that whoever gazes upon the little finger of a woman is as though he had gazed at her nakedness ! Nay, [the statement of R. Isaac refers] to his wife and for the purpose of reading the Shema'.

Rab Hisda said : The calf of a woman's leg is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Uncover the leg, pass through the rivers" (Is. xlvii. 2) and it continues, "Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen" (Is. xlvii. 3). Samuel said : A woman's voice is to be regarded as nakedness ; as it is said, "For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely" (Cant. ii. 14). Rab Sheshet said: A woman's hair is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Thy hair is as a flock of goats" (ibid. iv. 1).

(1) Anyone who sleeps with one of the forbidden relationships "by way of limbs", or who hugs and kisses in a sexual way and takes pleasure in physical intimacy, receives lashes for a d'Oraisa transgression, as it says (Leviticus 18:30) "do not do any of these abominable customs etc" and it says (Leviticus 18:6) "do not approach to uncover nakedness", which is to say do not approach things which will bring you to transgressing Arayos.

(2) One who engages in these behaviours is suspected of committing Arayos. And it's forbidden for a person to intimate with his hands or feet or to hint with his eyes to any of the Arayos or to laugh with her or to engage in light-headedness. And even to smell her perfume or to gaze at her beauty is forbidden. And one who engages in this deliberately receives lashes of rebelliousness. And one who gazes even at the little finger of a woman intending to derive sexual pleasure is comparable to one who looks at her genitalia. And even to hear the voice of an Ervah or to look at her hair is forbidden.

(3) These matters are [also] forbidden with regard to women with whom relations are forbidden on the basis of [merely] a negative commandment. It is permitted to look at the face of an unmarried woman and examine her [features] whether she is a virgin or has engaged in relations previously to see whether she is attractive in his eyes so that he may marry her. There is no prohibition in doing this. On the contrary, it is proper to do this. One should not, however, look in a licentious manner. Behold [Job 31:1] states: "I established a covenant with my eyes; I would not gaze at a maiden."

(2) The hair of a woman who normally covers, it is forbidden to read [the Shema] in front of it <rema: even his wife>. But virgins that it is their practice to go with an uncovered head, it is permitted. <rema: And so too is the law with the hairs of women that regularly come out of their barriers and certainly foreign (detached) hair even if it is her practice to cover.>

(1) A person must stay very far from women. He is forbidden to signal with his hands or his feet, or to hint with his eyes, to one of the arayos. He is forbidden to be playful with her, to be frivolous in front of her, or to look upon her beauty. Even to smell the perfume upon her is forbidden. He is forbidden to gaze at women doing laundry. He is forbidden to gaze at the colorful garments of a woman whom he recognizes, even if she is not wearing them, lest he come to have [forbidden] thoughts about her. If one encounters a woman in the marketplace, he is forbidden to walk behind her, but rather [must] run so that she is beside or behind him. One may not pass by the door of a promiscuous woman [or: a prostitute], even four cubits [around 6–8 ft or 2–2.5 m] distant. If one gazes even at the little finger of a woman with the intent to have pleasure from it, it is as though he gazed at her shameful place. It is forbidden to listen to the voice of an erva or to look at her hair. If one intentionally does one of these things, we give him lashes of rebellion. These things are also forbidden in the case of ordinary Biblical prohibitions.

(2) Jewish women may not go with uncovered head in the marketplace, whether married or not.