CCAR RESPONSA
Contemporary American Reform Responsa
27. Dress Code for Religious
School
QUESTION: Our religious school has insisted on a dress code for
young people both in school and especially for the attendance at synagogue services. Is there
anything in Jewish tradition that points to “proper attire” for attendance at synagogue services?
(Kenneth G. Jacob, Pittsburgh, PA)ANSWER: This question leads us to look at the
sumptuary legislation in the past. The question may be restated as follows: Does the Jewish
tradition give the synagogue community or the rabbinate the right to legislate on the question of
dress? We will find that such legislation began in Mishnaic times (M. Sotah 9.14) when the rabbis
prohibited the use of “crowns of the bridegroom” during the war of Vespasian and “diadems of
the bride” during the war of Titus. Restrictions applicable to synagogue services
became frequent in the Middle Ages. Many decrees may be found beginning with the early
fifteenth century. These represented reactions to the danger of envy by Gentiles. The decrees
passed at Forli, Italy, in 1416, dealt with extravagant dress worn in public. Some idea of the
detailed nature of such sumptuary legislation may be given through a short quotation from acts
passed in Metz in 1690: “On Saturdays and festive occasions women are allowed to wear only
ordinary veils. God-mothers are allowed to wear others only on the evening before circumcision
or the Saturday following the birth of a boy. Veils of gold or silver are expressly forbidden, except
on the Saturday preceding a wedding, to the mother of the bride, her mother-in-law, sisters-in-
law, sisters, grandmothers and aunts. This privilege lasts for the two days before the wedding
and extends to women who conduct the bride to the synagogue on the morning of the wedding
and those who accompany her under the hupah” (Alfred Rubens, A History of Jewish
Costume, p. 196). Similar details curbing extravagant clothing of men may be found in a
wide variety of medieval sources (Louis Finkelstein, Jewish Self-Government in the Middles
Ages and Cecil Roth, Gleanings). A discussion of special garments to be
worn on the Sabbath appeared in the Talmud (Shab. 113a), and declared that those who
possessed a change of clothing should wear the new clothing on the Sabbath, and those who do
not simply should make the old clothing look a little better in order to honor the Sabbath. The
passage sought to assure that the Sabbath was distinguished from other days in every possible
way, “dress, speech, manner of walking, etc.” Even here one rabbi opposed this on the grounds
of ostentation, but that opinion was rejected. David ibn Zimri (16th century) mentioned special
clothing worn by men and women on the Sabbath; in Egypt these were white (Responsa
II, 693; IV, 62), while Lampronti cited a number of sources which indicated that a woman’s
special Sabbath garb might only be sold if one needed money for sustenance (Pahad
Yitzhaq). None of this, however, was concerned specifically with dress in the
synagogue. There were also strong prohibitions against wearing clothing akin to the
costume of non-Jews. A taqanah was mentioned by Güdemann against wearing
clothing of monks and nuns in the synagogue (Geschichte, Vol. I, pp. 260 ff; Meir of
Rothenburg, Responsa #18). We know from other sources that medieval Jewish travelers
often found safety in dressing themselves like monks and nuns (Sefer Hassidim, ed.
Margolis, #702). This prohibition was codified by Maimonides (Yad Hil. Avodah Kokhavim
11.1) and in the Shulhan Arukh (Yoreh Deah 1.78). Isserles, however, stated that the
prohibition applied only to religious vestments used in actual services, not to clothing which
happens to be similar to that of Gentiles. Both Caro and Isserles agreed that such garments may
be worn if required for attendance at court or government functions (for a recent brief discussion
of this, see Moses on, “Hukat Akum,” Hadarom, #40, pp. 47 f). Another
medieval taqanah dealt with the problem of dirt caused by wooden shoes worn in the
synagogue and prohibited them inside the building (Güdemann, Geschichte, Vol.
III, pp. 267 ff, quoting Moses Cohen, Book of the Pious). This regulation was akin to
contemporary church rules which were concerned with the ostentation of wearing such shoes as
well as the noise caused by them; it forbade the worshiper to bring a second clean pair for wear
in the church. We can see from this and other sources which might be cited that
rabbinic authorities had the authority to regulate dress within and outside the synagogue.
Certainly, this would have been used to assure the proper attire had such legislation been
necessary. A modern rabbi must also insist that dress in the synagogue be appropriate, but not
ostentatious.March 1976
If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa.