Tzniut arms and legs- What are the sources for covering elbows and knees?

Tzniut arms and legs originally appeared on Shayla.

Contents

• Teshuva
• Texts Referenced

Shevat 5582/January 2021

She'ela (Question)

Hi. Please could you help.
My daughter wants to know the source for covering her elbows and knees and where is the source for the length of a skirt or top. Thank you

Teshuva (Answer) from Rabbanit Debbie Zimmerman

If there was a straightforward answer to your question I would point you to a verse in the Torah, a page in the gemara, or a paragraph in Shulchan Aruch – perhaps all three – and that would be that. But in this case, it is not so simple; not only are there are no clear-cut early sources, but this is also a loaded topic – one that can often lead to tension in the household, or between a woman and religious tradition.

So, before I answer your question I will preface it with certain remarks. Then I will do my best to provide you with central sources on the subject. I am also happy to answer any follow up questions.

Preface:

As mentioned above, there are few clear sources in the Talmud and Rishonim that describe halacha of woman’s dress. In my humble opinion, there are both philosophical and societal reasons for the scarcity. Laws of personal modesty are heavily related to societal norms of dress and are therefore subject to some change depending on time and place. Conversely, when societal norms are modest there is no need to discuss these norms. When Talmudic sources talk about “tzniut,” our modern word for modesty, they are not discussing hemlines; the word generally refers to modest behavior that applies to both men and women – behaviors that minimize the physical to accentuate the spiritual.

This idea often gets lost as modern rabbinic authorities try to combat Western culture’s crude emphasis and objectification of the physical body – and specifically women’s bodies. While the intention is worthy, the tools are questionable. All too often the focus is on hemlines and fabric cuts, imposing strict rules for women’s dress, frequently without explanation or clear halachic tradition. And while halachic discussions commonly detail size and length and boundaries – the minimum size of sukka, the precise volume of wine, the exact height of an eruv marker – it can feel uncomfortable when these halachic terms are applied to a woman’s body.

Unfortunately, instead of encouraging modest dress these discussions may come off as outdated and anti-feminist, ultimately another form of objectifying women’s bodies. It certainly doesn’t help that there are a plethora of books and articles dictating women’s dress and almost none that focus on that of men.[i] In my time as an educator for young women I have found that emphasizing these aspects of halacha is often done at the expense of other halachot and Jewish values that are easier for modern young adults to connect to, and arguably more central to Torah observance. Focusing on the aspects of halacha that are more foreign may can unfortunately alienate young women from their religious tradition. Similarly, they can drive a wedge between parents and children.

Therefore, this is a subject that must be broached delicately.

It is also important to note that the few laws in the Talmud that apply do not clearly state what a woman MUST keep covered, but rather what a man MAY NOT look at at certain times, or what modest women traditionally cover.

With these notes I will give you some sources and explain what we can learn from them:

“Erva” Nakedness, “Shok” The leg:

Early sources: The prophet Yishaya uses a metaphor that makes a parallel between the “shok”, the leg (upper or lower is unclear) and “erva” – nakedness.[ii]

The main Talmudic source that discusses “erva” – nakedness – is in Brachot 24a. Rav Yitzchak states that even 1 tefach (the size of a handbreath) of a woman’s skin is erva. Rav Sheshet counters that a woman’s body is not problematic, the male gaze is. Therefore, the gemara qualifies Rav Yitzchak’s opinion and limits the title of “erva” to the time a man is reciting kriyat shema. The gemara continues by bringing the verse from Yishayahu above, and rules that a woman’s leg is “erva.”

So is the problem a woman’s body or a man’s gaze, specifically when he is saying shema? Is a woman required to cover her body or is a man required to avert his gaze?

Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 75:1 rules that a man may not say Shema while he can see a tefach of his wife’s body that is normally covered. Once again the problem seems to be the male gaze, and the rabbis did not mandate which parts of her body a woman should keep covered. Again, it’s possible that this omission is due to social norms where it was inconceivable that a woman would walk out in public without most of her body covered.

Mishna Berura (ibid) also does not dictate strict laws to what a woman must cover, nevertheless he calls women who uncover their upper leg in public, from the knee above, “prutzot,” which has a similar meaning to “morally loose.” Chazon Ish explains that “shok” should probably refer to the entire leg, since it should be obvious the thigh is a sensual place. Nevertheless, as Mishna Berura defines shok as the thigh he allows for societal norms to dictate if only the thigh should be covered, or the entire leg. As to the knee itself, one of the more lenient opinions can be found in Pri Megadim (ibid) who rules that the shok begins above the knee, so if this is the societal norm the knee does not need to be covered.

“Z’roa” The arm:

Laws concerning the arm are even more difficult to conclusively decide – I have included several sources, beginning with the gemara in Ketubot 72b – which states a husband may divorce his wife without paying her ketuba if she spins thread in the shuk. The interpretation is that this would show parts of her arm that are normally covered.

What parts of the arm should be covered? Rav Yehudah Henkin offers an excellent summary of the different sources, which I have attached. He explains that there is a definite halachic problem with showing the armpit, as it is a part of the torso it should be covered – so sleeveless and cap sleeves are off limits. The rest of the arm is a combination of communal norms and how one reads the sources. While most halachic sources mention covering up to or below the elbow (most of the whole arm), one could argue the halachic legitimacy of covering midway between the shoulder and elbow (most of the upper arm), a tefach above the elbow (the entire upper arm minus a tefach).

Conclusion:

Halachic summary:

There is a common thread running from Gemara through Acharonim such as Mishna Berura, Chazon Ish, and contemporary authorities such as Rav Henkin – all sources are clear certain parts of the body should be covered in public, but the exact demarcations are blurry and depend on societal norms and the specific situation. As you asked for sources, I have attached sources, but I will also speak to halachic consensus and guidelines.

The area from the torso (including the armpit) to the thighs should be covered in public. Rav Henkin explains that as these areas are adjacent to makom erva, the private parts of the body, there is an obligation to cover them. From the knee down depends on communal norms, as Mishna Berura and Pri Megadim explain. Additionally, the entire arm should not be exposed. Mainstream sources speak of covering the elbow or up to a tefach above the elbow.

There are more lenient ways of reading the sources, that permit sleeves that cover only part or half of the upper arm, or allow for a tefach above the knee – since the knee itself is allowed by Pri Megadim and, as we explained above, the term erva can be limited to when an entire tefach is showing. These are not mainstream halachic opinions. They do, however, reflect norms in certain Orthodox communities.

Conclusion:

In my humble opinion, while it is both halachically preferable and “more modest” to dress in accordance with the mainstream halachic opinions, there are times when it is important to legitimize these more lenient readings. We live in a society that judges books by covers, women by how they dress, and general halachic observance by hemlines. Girls and women are rejected from Orthodox schools and communities because of the way they dress and not the content of their character. When women and girls receive the message that they are rejected from Orthodox communities and institutions because of something they deem as “superficial” it may cause them to question the priorities of Orthodox Judaism and seek spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. Is this the “litmus test” we want for halacha observance? I wonder if these women were to “start small” and try to abide by the more lenient opinions they may find a way to incorporate this aspect of halacha into their lives.

Nowadays western culture has lost all sense of proportion as to what body parts and actions should be kept private. I can’t imagine there has ever been a time when women’s bodies, and bodies in general, were more objectified.

Yet while these laws and norms may seem more important than ever to some, they are also one of the greatest sources of tension with the greater society and culture that surrounds us. Cultures that police women’s dress are seen as backward, oppressive, and often abusive. And many of them are. When we learn these traditions and impart them to the next generation it is important that we find the beauty and value within them. It is vital to remember that these laws do not have to be the minimum that one must observe to be part of the halacha observant community; instead they can be something to strive for as we grown in Torah and try to fulfill what the prophet Micha tells us what is good and what God demands, “Do justice, love kindness, and (hatzne’a lechet) walk modestly with your God.” In the end everyone must decide for themselves how best to continue the Jewish laws and traditions of modesty, how to present themselves in this world in a way they feel comfortable and preserves their dignity.

Rabbanit Debbie Zimmerman graduated from the first cohort of Hilkhata – Matan’s Advanced Halakhic Institute and is a Halakhic Responder. She is a multi-disciplinary Jewish educator, with over a decade of experience in adolescent and adult education. After completing a BA in Social Work, Debbie studied Tanakh in the Master’s Program for Bible in Matan and Talmud in Beit Morasha.

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