Monday, August 15, 2016

Diary Entry #12 - Vi-haya Machanecha Kodesh

It was Erev Shabbos and I was in a neighborhood with a large frum population. I was lost and needed directions so I spotted a lady whose head was covered so I approached her to ask directions. אל תרבה שיחה עם האשה but it was 190 degrees and I had been walking around for a long time....

Anyway, she was wearing a skirt whose bottom was much, much closer to her waist than to her knees. I could not believe it. Her hair, an ervah, was covered but she was wearing a skirt that women have traditionally worn in order to attract men and thereby provide income. וד"ל. 

This is what I wanted to say but I didn't [maybe I should have]: "Every man who sees you on the street is doing an aveirah and you are causing it. You are contaminating his eyes and soul. Forever. You are causing every man with a drop of yiras shomayim emotional anguish when they see you [even when they look away right away as I did and everybody - I hope - does]. There are other men who will be aroused by looking at you. That is why the halacha requires that you cover your thighs. Why would you want to excite other men? You have your own husband. Does HE want other men to be attracted to you??? How about the wives of all of the men who see you? Maybe their wives are not as alluring and they are more excited about you than they are about them? Their wives walk around all covered up - evenin the heat - like good Beis Yaacov girls and maybe they are not attracted to that. Do you want to destroy the shalom bayis of other couples? Do you realize how much you cheapen yourself?? Aren't you embarrassed to publicly flaunt basic standards of modesty that everyone knows about??"

Maybe next time. If I say it with a smile maybe she won't get offended? Not likely...

Positive note: Her directions helped.....