Tznius: The Root of the Problem

00:00 The hemshech in reference to the earlier installment where we discussed the Rebbe's sicha on Shvu'ot Tav Shin Chav Ches, spring 1968, on the topic of tznius. We now continue with installment number nine, where we cite an additional talk of the Rebbe delivered on Simchas Teida, Tav Shin Lamed, late 1969. As mentioned earlier, the Rebbe would customarily fabrink, talk for hours towards the conclusion of the Yom Tov. Here again, the Rebbe elaborates on the tznius downgrade in communities around the world, and with a special stress discussing the root of the problem. The Rebbe stated the following, as is translated here in English. The prophet says, He will turn the hearts of the parents to the good. And Rashi explains that turning the hearts of the parents to good is accomplished al yedei bonim by their children, through their children. This is also applicable by mothers and daughters regarding wearing a shekel wig and dressing modestly. Which to our dismay, this became a big pirtzah, a breach or loophole, whereas there is nothing like this. One does not grasp the matter which we are dealing with. And this is also relevant by older women. Therefore, the qualities of tznius need to be explained to them to make it easier for them to overcome this test, and not to figure that America is now different from how it was 20 or 50 years ago. They need to be enlightened with the fact that conduct which is not in accordance with tznius displays and expresses a very low class

02:10 standard, whereas a girl figures that the only way she can appeal in the eyes of a bocher of a boy is not with intellect, having an intellectual conversation, or emotions expressing excellent character traits, but rather by exposing part of the body which needs to be covered. With a behavior as such, she is in a sense carrying a sign and publicizing in public that she has no qualities of a person. No intellect, no emotions, no other qualities. The only thing that she has is to expose something which needs to be covered. And with this, she provokes a boy that he should be willing to become attracted to her and converse with her. This is the lowest level that one can find themselves in. She has nothing but pritzus. And what is more, she prides herself with this like a fool with his foolishness. And the salvation for this situation is dependent on the young girls which need to conduct themselves with tznius, and this will have an impact on the older women. To our disappointment, the children are suffering from the mothers. The mother does not want that her daughter should wear a long dress which will make her look like a rebbetzin. And then people will think that the mother is 70 years old. And a woman does not want that people should discuss her age being 70, although she is really 80. So the mother figures to shorten the dress of the daughter in order that she should look younger, and the mother will

03:58 look younger, to the extent that the grandmother should look like bas mitzvah, although she is 90. Therefore, the Rebbe concludes, we need to utilize the boldness of the youth in a manner that the daughter impacts her mother and the daughter-in-law impacts her mother-in-law. As mentioned earlier, he will turn the hearts of the parents to the good through the children, that they will influence the parents in a positive way. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.