Tznius (7) - The Winds in the Summer

00:00 The hemsach in reference to the earlier installments where we discussed the Rebbe's letter on tznius, we now continue with installment number seven, where we quote from the Rebbe's sicha on the 28th of Iyar, Tov Shin Chavches, spring 1968. This was an annual occasion when the Rebbe would address neshei u'vnei Chabad. On this occasion, the Rebbe elaborated on the topic of tznius and its downgrade in communities around the world. The Rebbe began as follows, translated here in English. We now begin the summer days, during which the winds begin to blow in the outside world and may draw women to a lack of tznius and not dress as in the style of the past generations, but a new style of clothes that they find various explanations for this. A Yiddish woman or a daughter is approached with the following argument. Since you find yourself in Golus, what is wrong if you don't seclude yourself in your daladamis, your restricted domain, conducting yourself in the specific manner, but instead mingle amongst all? There is no specific commandment prohibition for the lack of tznius. It is not as harsh as desecrating the Shabbos or eating non-kosher, but just a slight change in the manner or style of dress and conduct. In addition, there is the excuse that one cannot be different from the world in which one finds himself in. And therefore, why is it necessary to wage war with the trend and manner of the world's conduct? The Rebbe continues, thus is the directive which comes and tells

02:06 us that one has nothing to fear and does not need to take in consideration the non-positive winds which are blowing in the outside world and are drawing the youth and also the adults in an even greater measure to the left. This eventually brings about all the negative results regarding the youth which we are generally witnessing in these last years, and in particular as it is being read in the newspapers, heard on the radio, and seen on television, that the youth is wandering away in devious or crooked ways, not only in regards to matters of the world to come, spiritual matters, but also causes the opposite of pride and joy regarding matters of the ordinary life values in this physical world. The needed initiative is that the Yiddish woman and daughter carry with pride the flag and the Jewish conduct as it was always by the Am Yisrael, and all this is accomplished despite the fact that the summer period began and people travel in the country which is upstate and figure that while being there through the summer they may conduct themselves with more lax since they are distant from a yeshiva or a shul. When one makes a resolution not to be drawn into the negative events but on the contrary to be a role model for the entire world how the conduct of youth and women need to be, they then receive an assistance from Hashem that they will be able to implement this in their lives in an easier manner than figured.

04:09 And we have a promise that not only will this not hurt, God forbid, in this physical world but to the contrary, etc. And the primary point is that this draws down Hashem's blessings that it should be a Bayis Yehudi in all means and especially healthy children in body and soul and to have much nachas from their sons and daughters and with the time also from their grandchildren. And what will a Yiddish mother not do to ensure the future of her children that they receive the maximum which they can get from Hashem in matters relating to this world and in matters relating to the world to come after 120. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.