Someone requested that I post something on the topic of tznius so here goes…Let me know if this helped you out in any way and please also let me know what specific things you want to hear about because there's plenty to say!
I know that tznius is such a hard mitzvah. Of course we all know that the harder the mitzvah is, the greater the schar (we know the song by heart already!! The harder the work is to do, the more schar Hashem gives you…) but what is the schar for keeping to this mitzvah?!
I know that tznius is such a hard mitzvah. Of course we all know that the harder the mitzvah is, the greater the schar (we know the song by heart already!! The harder the work is to do, the more schar Hashem gives you…) but what is the schar for keeping to this mitzvah?!
One of the rewards for keeping the mitzvah of tznius is health. Another is good children. What would people give to have these things? How much money would someone pay just to restore her health? Can you put a price tag on eyes that see? On ears that hear? Can you say it’s worth 100 dollars? A thousand? A million? There’s no way to say how much health is really worth! But here – you have the key! Hashem is telling you, Do you want to be healthy?! All you have to do is keep your body covered properly!
Good children – how much would a parent give to ensure children who are good, listen to them, respect them, love them, care about them, follow the right path?! Raising children in today’s world is hard! There are a lot of things that could go wrong. If you had a promise for good children, but it took some work on your part, wouldn’t you try very hard and do anything you can for good children?! There are parents who cry themselves to sleep at night because they are pained by the things their children are doing! But here is something you can do to earn this great reward! And even if you do not have children yet, you can save up those zechusim, start now!! And another thing – you need to get married in order to have children so (this is my guess) maybe, by dressing and acting with modesty, you will also get to that stage too!!!
Chaya Sara commented about this in the last post I wrote on tznius. She said that when I was pregnant with Shalom Baruch, I made sure to be extra careful not to wear maternity clothing that was too tight. Do you know how hard that was for me?! Do you have any idea??? If you would have seen me walking down the street at that point, I don’t think you’d ever be able to guess what a challenge it was for me! Do you have any idea how many sweaters and tops I put back on the racks in stores because they were just too tight, too showy and emphasizes my growing stomach?! And it was not easy!!! It was very, very hard!!! But I kept telling myself that it’s going to be worth it. Instead of shopping in the stores that had things for much less money (and I’m talking about things that were more than half the price of the things that were more tznius), I went and spent more money on my maternity clothes.
And then I told Chaya Sara, “If someone would ask me how much I would pay to have an easy labor and good children, I would pay all the money in the world!! And here I know, that if I am dressed in the proper way, I will have good children! Who wouldn’t be extra careful?! I want my child to grow up happy, healthy, respect and love me, treat people nicely, follow the torah…all these things are included in good!! So even if it’s hard, and the styles are more attractive, it worth it for me to put those things back on the rack and pay more money for clothing that is more modest so that I know I will have good children!!!” And yes, I did have a very easy labor (compared to what people have by the first child)! Of course, it didn’t tickle lol and it’s called labor for a reason (it’s hard work!), but I was so lucky. There are people who are in labor for 12, 15, 24 hours…and my labor, from when I felt the first moment of pain until my baby was born was a total of 4 hours and 15 minutes!! That’s really something incredible for a first birth! My story is a long one, even though it wasn't that many hours, but let me tell you, it was definitely worth it when I held that precious baby in my arms and gave birth to a perfect and healthy little boy!
So keep in mind that even if it’s hard to do this mitzvah, the reward is so great!!
Please let me know if this helped you at all…
It's true that one of the main facets of tznius girls struggle with today is dress, but in essence, tznius is much more than that. It is inclusive of the language you use to speak, the way you conduct yourself, etc. I think the best way to be aware of yourself is to view yourself as a daughter of the king. Ask yourself in unsure times if it's proper the way you act or dress. Always remember that you are a Selem Elokim!
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ReplyDeletei can imagen how hard it was 4 u-cz my sis. didnt want anyone to know that she was preg. She always wore big things 2-she hated it when ppl. started 2 realize that she was preg. and would just walk up2her2 touch her stomack!i dont blame her-who would want anyone to touch s/o elses stomack-espeshialy a STRANGER!at least n/o relized until she was in her 8th month-when she couldnt hide it anymore!it was her first so natraly she didnt want anyone knowing....
my sis-in law h/e was able to hide it until her 11th month being that she was just so skinny! n/o knew unless we told them cz they just thought that she has been standing in a possion w/ her stomack out!LOL!
does that mean that those who arenot tzniut are sick?b/e know that some ppl get sick but are very tzniut-or at least as far as i know trys 2 b.....!
so now i hav all the incentives for tznius which always gives a good push but is there a way to give me a better understanding of what tznius is really about the hashkafa not the halacha like all the "whys" thanx this blog is really awesome
ReplyDeleteThanks luv613! Very true. There's a lot more to this mitzvah, not just in the way you dress, also the way you act and conduct yourself-it's important to remember that!
ReplyDeleteliat-I wasn't doing it so people shouldn't know. I was dressing that way because it isn't appropriate to "show off" your belly. The whole "pregnancy pride" is just not a Jewish idea. A woman is special and holy and doesn't have to go around showing off her body to everyone on the streets!
And if someone is sick, that does not mean they were not tznius!! For sure not!! I was just saying that one of the rewards for this is health and if someone wants to collect extra zechusim for themselves (I think we can all use that), they should improve the way they dress. We don't live in a tit-for-tat world where you see the reward and punishment for mitzvos and aveiros the second we do them. Otherwise, there would be no challenge because it would be so crystal clear. We have to try and do our best in every area and remember that the real reward comes in the next world!!
Anonymous-Did you read the other posts on this blog about the hashkafa behind this mitzvah? Here are the links. You Are a Diamond!! and What a Great Mitzvah!
I hope these help and let me know what else you want to hear!!
An outstanding post! As I read this, I kept feeling prouder and prouder that I'm a Jewish girl! I never knew that the reward for following tznius is health and good children! Wow! There are very few mitzvos that we know how we'll get rewarded if we do them - so when we do know, it's an amazing thing! Something to aspire to! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis post of tznius is always refreshing to read.
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing – you need to get married in order to have children so (this is my guess) maybe, by dressing and acting with modesty, you will also get to that stage too!!! I actually heard from Rabbi Falk directly that this is the case. He said it in relation to the verse in tehillim (perek 128) of "eshtecha kegefen poriyah..." a woman is compared to grapes. Grapes are only plucked when they are ripe, unlike other fruits, such as bananas which are plucked before that stage. So too, a woman that is betznius will carry her child for the full 9 months. He quotes this from the even ezra.
I took my notes from sem, so I can quote you accurately. It was a very nice shiur. He also mentioned that wine has to be covered in its producing process, otherwise it can turn into vinegar. So too, a woman in the stage of pregnancy has to be covered fully. Wine that wasn't covered for even one night becomes passul for kiddush and havdalah!
And the part that you wrote about having good kids comes from the next verse in that same kapitel-"boneicha kish'silei zeisim" your kids will be compared to olives. Like olive oil cannot be mixed with any other liquid, so too will your kids not mix with the goyim and stay on the right path of yiddishkeit.
And like oil that leaves in imprint on whatever surface it comes into contact, so too will the kids of an isha tzenua leave in imprint on the world and touch the lives of others!!
Sorry for the mix of order but I have it in writing in front of me, that Rabbi Falk said that an isha tzenua is zoche to have children and in order to have children you need to be married. therefore tznius is a seguala for shidduchim. I can attest to this as I told you in an email that half of our tznius group got engaged (we learn the sefer together) and actually I have a wedding tonight of one of the girls who was in our group and got engaged after joining us!! She's one of the last of her class, so it's really amazing!!
that was so amazing and inspiring tznius is something that is a real struggle for all of us and as you said something we all wantis children who will resspect us and love us and follow the torah BUT ITS STILL SOSOSOSOSO HARD can you pls post more stuff abt the topic to be eveone mechazekn every one WE ALL NEED IT!!!!!!!! in the zchus of inpiring everyone may u always have siyata dishmaya in everything thanks so much!!!!!!!
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