What bas melech wouldn't want to wear this crown?
This now infamous book hardly needs an introduction. But briefly, it is a sefer that dresses itself as a guide for tznius for women, but more accurately offers halkha with one man's excruciatingly and condescendingly detailed opinions that he wishes would become social norms; without really clearly distinguishing between halakha and neurotica.
Modesty: An Adornment for Life by Pesach Eliyahu Falk includes paragraphs with headings like "Public libraries and their books: danger to children" (pg. 130) and "The wrath of Hashem at eye-catching hair creations" or "A sheitel refined on one woman might not be refined on another" (pg. 247) or "A slit should be sewn up, not just buttoned up" (pg. 324).
An interesting passage appears in brackets on page 56 (spellings in the original):
Hm. It is interesting that he freely acknowledges the role of social norms. Kol hakavod. I can't really formulate into words what I am thinking about his idea that to wear what the Matriarchs wore would make a woman a prutza. Ouch.
Modesty: An Adornment for Life by Pesach Eliyahu Falk includes paragraphs with headings like "Public libraries and their books: danger to children" (pg. 130) and "The wrath of Hashem at eye-catching hair creations" or "A sheitel refined on one woman might not be refined on another" (pg. 247) or "A slit should be sewn up, not just buttoned up" (pg. 324).
An interesting passage appears in brackets on page 56 (spellings in the original):
[ If a woman or girl were to adopt the principle that she will wear whatever can be proven from T'nach or Shas that our Imahos or other nashim tznuos wore, maintaining that such items must be fully tznius'dik, she would be making a serious blunder. Times have changed, and that which was fully acceptable in those times, would be strange and even extremely unrefined when worn in present-day society!
For example, Avraham Avinu sent jewelry with Eliezer his servant to be given to the girl who would be chosen to be the wife of Yitchak. Among the items sent was a nose-ring - see Breishis 24:47. Evidently, in those days a nose-ring was a refined and respectable piece of jewelry. Nonetheless, it goes without saying that, if a woman wore such an ornament within our society, she would be considered a prutza, as she would be adorning herself with something which is ostentatious and extremely unrefined according to present-day norms. This underscores the point stated: places and times differ very much from one another, and one must not assume that everything which is acceptable in one society is likewise acceptable in another.]
Hm. It is interesting that he freely acknowledges the role of social norms. Kol hakavod. I can't really formulate into words what I am thinking about his idea that to wear what the Matriarchs wore would make a woman a prutza. Ouch.
On a totally unrelated note, here are some selections from The Ayatollah's Book of Etiquette.
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