Another thought on tzniut

I would like to add one idea to Ms. Gordon’s post in response to Rikki’s question. It is certainly true, as Rikki points out, that societal standards of modesty change over time, and I also agree that it is possible to preserve the general value of modesty even without adhering to a strictly halakhic dress code. However, I think that religion often operates by creating objective standards to concretize and impart a subjective value. For example, we all know that matza must be baked within 18 minutes or it becomes chametz. I sometimes wonder if all of the matza that Bnei Yisrael ate after yetziat Mitzrayim was actually baked within 18 minutes. But the point is that, whether or not all of the matza at yetziat Mitzrayim was baked within 18 minutes, our matza must be baked within that time frame because we must have an objective standard for what constitutes matza or else we would lose the concept of matza altogether. A fundamental premise of halakha is that religious values and concepts are best inculcated through adherence to a legal code, rather than remaining as amorphous values and concepts. Similarly, the halakha creates objective standards for tzniut in order to make sure that the value of modesty is real and tangible in our lives.