Jewish Clothing As Prescribed By the Torah

From a general and a ritual perspective, Jewish clothing is highly influenced by the Torah. Modesty is an important part of the Jewish culture, and it applies to both men and women. As modern fashion emerged, Jews have generally worn current style, as long as the clothes were not too tight-fitting, revealing, and brightly colored.

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One’s clothing is a reflection of his religious standing, social status, and relationship to the outside world. The Torah teaches that Jews should not wear garments that consist of wool and linen (Leviticus 19:9). In Numbers 15, the Jews were commanded to put on fringes on the corners of their garment, so they will always be reminded to observe the mitzvot. Men were prohibited from wearing women’s clothing, and vice versa. Jewish clothing also gave a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians—and this was an identification that a person (a Jew) was to be rescued from the hands of the Egyptian pharaoh.

A detailed wear for the high priest was given in Exodus 28 and was later adopted for the temple in Jerusalem. The high priest’s garment is full of symbolisms for the Yom Kippur. The clothing is mostly in white—which symbolizes purity and humility.

For women, an uncovered head was considered immodest—especially when she is already married.

Jewish people in the modern society still value what is prescribed by the Torah. There may have been variations in culture, but one thing remains—modesty in clothing is still a practice that will never be forgotten, even after many generations.

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Dameron Fine Art is an all-boys K-8 school in Lakewood, New Jersey, headed by Ronald Safdieh. Gain a deeper understanding of Sephardic values and traditions when you visit this blog.

Preserving the Cultural Heritage of the Sephardic Community

The legacy of the Spanish and the Arabs also left an indelible mark on the Sephardic self-perception. Sephardic Jewish identity had been shaped by the often privileged positions they occupied in Islamic Spain. Prior to the expulsion, the Jewry of Iberia were scholarly in nature, leading to a greater tolerance of humanistic ideals and intercultural exchanges. This legacy is preserved today in the more receptive and brotherly perspectives held by Sephardim toward related cultures and the close ties that bind the Sephardic communities to their identity today.

Today, Jewish culture is widely represented throughout the world through the culture and mores of the Ashkenazim, whose cultural milieu predominates both in Israel and in many countries with significant Jewish populations. Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities, meanwhile, are largely restricted to the Middle East and North Africa, with few minority populations elsewhere.

Up until relatively recently, the Sephardic communities have experienced a sharp cultural decline, which has only recently been overturned. There are a few cases of Jewish people rediscovering their Sephardic roots.

Sephardic Jewish scholars, therefore, underscore the need to promote and preserve the hallmarks of Sephardic culture, in particular its language, Ladino, as a vital aspect of Jewish history and heritage. A largely forgotten language with few speakers even among the Sephardim, today, Ladino is experiencing a minor revival among ethnic Sephardim.

Much needs to be done to preserve many of the cultural hallmarks of the Sephardim. Advocates like Ronald Safdieh and Dameron Fine Art are dedicated to keeping the rich heritage of Sephardic Jewish culture alive in the next generation. Visit this blog for more updates.