“Your camp shall be holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing among you and turn away from behind you” (Devarim 23:15)
The Ibn Ezra defines a shameful thing as something disgraceful in deed or word.
The Sifri (Devarim, Ki Teitzei 258) says that from here we learn that immorality chases away the Shechinah.
When Hashem wanted to create Chava, He considered from which part of the body to form her. He said, “If I create her from the head, she will be haughty. If I create her from the eye, she will be curious…” What did He do? He created her from the ribcage, a place hidden from view, so that she should be modest, remaining in her house (Tanchuma, Vayeishev 6).
The Gemara states (Yoma 47a): Kimchit had seven sons, all of whom served as Kohanim Gedolim. The Sages asked what special merit she had, to which she replied, “The beams of my house never saw the hairs on my head.”
There is no quality more beautiful than modesty (Rashi, Shemot 34).
The honorable woman is compared to the vine. A vine is planted in an obscure corner indoors. When it begins growing, a branch is pulled off to be planted in the sun. The roots remain indoors, while the leaves and fruit flourish outdoors. So, too, does the dignified woman remain in the innermost chamber of her home, out of the public eye. Her wonderful accomplishments are publicized in the streets and market-places, as the pasuk says, “Let her be praised in the gates by her very own deeds” (Meiri on Tehillim).
A man once traveled alone by the light of the moon, across the expanse of the vast desert. Suddenly, he came upon a large wagon caravan. People sat in the wagons, which were drawn by other people. He wondered what was going on. Upon closer scrutiny, he discovered that some of the people had risen from the dead. He asked for an explanation, to which they said, “We are being punished for our sins. When we lived, we used to play with married woman and single girls. Now we must pull wagons until we drop from exhaustion. Then those on the wagon alight and pull us along, until they are weary. Then they climb onto the wagons once again…” One who behaved like a beast must return to this world like one (Sefer Chassidim 168-9).
Modesty is a wonderful trait. One should be modest in all his ways, in his eating and drinking habits, in his speech, in his attire, and with his wife. In all matters, one should conduct himself with modesty and shame. Shame is a wonderful attribute. Rabbi Yosi was extraordinary in his modesty. The beams of his house did not see the hem of his robe. Even in his sleeping quarters, he was modest.
Even in the dark, one must be modest. We learn this from Avraham Avinu, who told Sara, on the way down to Egypt, “Now I know that you are a beautiful woman.” Chazal say that until that point, he did not recognize her fully, due to the great modesty between them.
Modesty is a wonderful trait. A person is adjured to be modest in all his ways, in his food and drink, in his speech, in his walking, and in his dress. He must be modest with his wife. One should always conduct himself with modesty and shame, for shame is a great quality. Rabbi Yosi was outstanding in his modesty, to the extent that the beams of his house did not see the hems of his cloak. This indicates that he was modest even in his bedroom. Even in the dark, we are obligated to practice modesty. We learn this trait from Avraham Avinu. When he and Sarah descended to Egypt, he told her, “See now, I have known that you are a woman of beautiful appearance.” Our Sages state that until then, he was unaware of her beauty, since there was such a high level of modesty between them.
How extremely modest must the Jewish woman be! Her home is her honor. She should hide herself from outsiders as much as possible. Her eyes should always look downward, and she should speak with pleasantness. She should not reveal any part of her body, so that she never causes another to sin by gazing in a forbidden manner. She should not sing in front of others, for a woman’s voice is considered “nakedness,” and she should not allow her hair to show. Even in her most innermost rooms, a woman must be vigilant. The Zohar expands on this sin (Shelah, Sha’ar HaOtiot – Tzeniut).
