Our Sages have said that in the merit of four things were our forefathers redeemed from Egypt: in the merit of the righteous women, in the merit of not changing their names, in the merit of not changing their language and in the merit of their exclusive trust in the Holy One Blessed is He (Sotah 11b; Vayikra Rabbah 32:5; Yalkut Hoshea 519). And just as it was in our first redemption, so will it be in our final one. Thus the final redemption will also take place in the merit of the righteous women. This is why women must be more modest than men and refrain from following their heartstrings in imitating the fashions of the nations. I have observed in recent times, for example, that the ranks of the rebellious pursuing the fashions of the gentiles have swelled until there is no longer any distinction between Jewess and gentile. Through this they bring much evil into the world. One evil is that they cause the multitude to sin through gazing at them and their garments. For we rule that it is forbidden to gaze even at a woman’s colored garments (Avodah Zarah 20b).
A second evil is that they provoke the jealousy and hatred of the gentiles. For they fix their eyes upon us, noticing that Jewish women appear even more aristocratic than the noblewomen of the nations. The truth is that we are in the midst of a bitter exile. Therefore it would be more fitting for us to dress in black to show our grief over the length of the exile and the destruction of the Holy Temple, and over the plight of our Jewish brethren immersed oppression and captivity. However, not only do we fail to mourn, we actually add to our sins, for the women go about with their necks outstretched, bare down to their breasts. Who can relate the terrible punishment awaiting them? For they impede the redemption, on account of our many sins.
A third evil is what they do to their husbands. For if a man cannot afford to clothe his wife in the way her friends dress, she curses him and complains until he is compelled to borrow money or even to commit a financial injustice towards his fellow to gain more funds. In the end he is forced to provide his wife with beautiful and immodest garments like those of her companions. Then when he is unable to pay, either he is arrested or else he endures some other indignity. Therefore a proper and modest woman of Israel must be sure to conduct herself modestly rather than licentiously, so that from her will come forth prophets and saints.
The second merit on account of which our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt was that they did not change their names. In our generation, on the other hand, I have observed that the rebellious of the nations, the same ones who go about dressed after the fashion of the nations, commit the further evil of shaving off their beards, by which they trespass five prohibitions. For there are five corners to the beard, each one of which is a separate transgression (Makkos 20a; Toras Kohanim 19:74). Moreover, on account of this it is often impossible to discern that he is a Jew. Then, when someone asks him his name he introduces himself by a gentile name. Sometimes he goes traveling with gentile aristocrats to places where he is not known and while he is there he allows himself to eat carrion and drink forbidden wine, for one sin leads to another, just as one good deed leads to another (Pirkei Avos 4:2). When a person changes his name, not only does he harm his own body and soul, but he also does an injustice to the entire Jewish people. Therefore, one day he will be made to reckon for it and his punishment will be great.
The third merit is that our ancestors did not change their language. Nowadays, however, on account of our many sins, many people have adopted an improper course. For we rule that when one’s children are young one must study all things with them in the holy tongue (Sifri, Eikev 46). That way when they grow up they will become accustomed to the holy practice of conversing in the holy language. But in recent times people have begun accustoming their young children to conversing in French and other languages. Moreover, when they grow older, instead of sending them to the study hall, their father insists that they attend an academy for the study of French and other languages. This is a terrible stumbling block. Although it is true that the members of the Sanhedrin were able to speak seventy languages (Sanhedrin 17a), they studied them only on the side, not as a main course of study. But now these people make French and other tongues their principle subject and study Torah on the side!
The fourth merit is that our ancestors placed all their trust in the Holy One Blessed is He. But now I see that, on account of our many sins, only one in a thousand places his trust in the Holy One Blessed is He, while most people in the world place their trust in wealth or in mortals who have no power to save. That is why we see that the poor have plummeted to such depths. Meanwhile the wealthy, who have taken all the authority for themselves, consider the poor to be a nuisance. As a result of this situation no one places his trust in the Holy One Blessed is He. Instead, the sycophants, who put their trust in the rich, are on the increase. It goes without saying that they do not recall the destruction of the Holy Temple or the bitterness of the exile or its length, nor does it occur to them to pray regarding these things. Whereas if they placed their trust in the Holy One Blessed is He, mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the length of the exile would always be in the forefront of their minds.
Therefore a person must resolve in his mind not to delay the redemption but to place his trust only in the Holy One Blessed is He. Whoever is conscientious regarding the four things mentioned above, on account of which our forefathers were redeemed, will merit hastening our redemption. For the final redemption will resemble the first redemption, in that it will also come about in the merit of these four things. May it occur speedily in our days, Amein.
אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים נִגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם: בִּזְכוּת נָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיּוֹת, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת שְׁמָם, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת לְשׁוֹנָם, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָיוּ תּוֹלִין בִּטְחוֹנָם בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה גְּאֻלָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה, כֵּן תִּהְיֶה גְּאֻלָּה אַחֲרוֹנָה. וְאִם כֵּן, הֲרֵי לְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁבִּזְכוּת נָשִׁים תִּהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן הַגְּאֻלָּה אַחֲרוֹנָה. עַל כֵּן צְרִיכִים הַנָּשִׁים לִהְיוֹת צְנוּעִין יוֹתֵר מִן הָאֲנָשִׁים, וְלֹא יֵלְכוּ אַחַר שְׁרִירוּת לִבָּם בַּהֲלִיכָה בְּמַלְבּוּשֵׁיהֶן כְּחֻקַּת הָעֲרֵלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָאִיתִי עַכְשָׁו בִּזְמַן קָצָר חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרוֹב בָּאוּ, רַבּוּ הַמִּתְפָּרְצִים, שֶׁהוֹלְכִין בְּמַלְבּוּשֵׁיהֶן כְּמוֹ בְּנוֹת הָעֲרֵלִים, וְאֵין שׁוּם הֶכֵּר בֵּין יְהוּדִית לַעֲרֵלִית, וְגוֹרְמִין הַרְבֵּה רָעָה בָּעוֹלָם: אֶחָד — שֶׁמַּכְשִׁילִים אֶת רֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם לִתֵּן עֵינֵיהֶם בָּהֶן וּבִלְבוּשֵׁיהֶן. וְקַיְּמָא לָן, דְּאָסוּר לְהִסְתַּכֵּל אֲפִלּוּ בְּבִגְדֵי צִבְעוֹנִים שֶׁל אִשָּׁה.
Our Sages have said that in the merit of four things were our forefathers redeemed from Egypt: in the merit of the righteous women, in the merit of not changing their names, in the merit of not changing their language and in the merit of their exclusive trust in the Holy One Blessed is He (Sotah 11b; Vayikra Rabbah 32:5; Yalkut Hoshea 519). And just as it was in our first redemption, so will it be in our final one. Thus the final redemption will also take place in the merit of the righteous women. This is why women must be more modest than men and refrain from following their heartstrings in imitating the fashions of the nations. I have observed in recent times, for example, that the ranks of the rebellious pursuing the fashions of the gentiles have swelled until there is no longer any distinction between Jewess and gentile. Through this they bring much evil into the world. One evil is that they cause the multitude to sin through gazing at them and their garments. For we rule that it is forbidden to gaze even at a woman’s colored garments (Avodah Zarah 20b).
שֵׁנִית, שֶׁמַּטִּילִין קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת הָאֻמּוֹת, אֲשֶׁר נוֹשְׂאִין עַיִן בָּנוּ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהוֹלְכִין בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיֶתֶר חֲשִׁיבוּת מִשָּׂרֵי הָאֻמּוֹת. וַאֲנַחְנוּ בַּגָּלוּת הַמַּר, אֲשֶׁר עַל פִּי הַדִּין רָאוּי לָנוּ לֵילֵךְ שְׁחוֹרִים וּלְהִתְעַטֵּף שְׁחוֹרִים, וּלְהִתְאַבֵּל עַל אֲרִיכוּת הַגָּלוּת וְעַל חֻרְבַּן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְעַל אַחֵינוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנְּתוּנִים בַּצָּרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה. וְלֹא דַּי שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ מִתְאַבְּלִים, אֶלָּא מוֹסִיפִים חֵטְא עַל פֶּשַׁע, שֶׁהוֹלְכוֹת נְטוּיוֹת גָּרוֹן וְעָרֹם עַד בֵּית דָּדֵיהוֹן. מִי יוּכַל לְסַפֵּר גֹּדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם, אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מְעַכְּבוֹת הַגְּאֻלָּה בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים!
A second evil is that they provoke the jealousy and hatred of the gentiles. For they fix their eyes upon us, noticing that Jewish women appear even more aristocratic than the noblewomen of the nations. The truth is that we are in the midst of a bitter exile. Therefore it would be more fitting for us to dress in black to show our grief over the length of the exile and the destruction of the Holy Temple, and over the plight of our Jewish brethren immersed oppression and captivity. However, not only do we fail to mourn, we actually add to our sins, for the women go about with their necks outstretched, bare down to their breasts. Who can relate the terrible punishment awaiting them? For they impede the redemption, on account of our many sins.
שְׁלִישִׁית, הֵמָּה גּוֹרְמִים לְבַעֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה, לְמִי שֶׁאֵין יָדוֹ מַשֶּׂגֶת לְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ כְּמוֹ הַחֲבֵרָה שֶׁלָּהּ, הָאִשָּׁה מְיַלֶּלֶת וּמְקַלֶּלֶת אֶת בַּעֲלָהּ, עַד שֶׁצָּרִיךְ בַּעֲלָהּ לִקַּח בַּהֲקָפָה אוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁאָר אִסּוּר בְּמָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, עַד שֶׁהֻכְרַח לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאִשְׁתּוֹ גַּם כֵּן בְּגָדִים נָאִים שֶׁל פְּרִיצוּת כְּמוֹ לָאַחֶרֶת. וְאַחַר כָּךְ, כְּשֶׁאֵין יָדוֹ מַשֶּׂגֶת לְשַׁלֵּם, אֲזַי נִתְפָּס בַּעֲלָהּ אוֹ בָּא לִידֵי שְׁאָר חֲרָפוּת וּבִזּוּי. עַל כֵּן צְרִיכָה כָּל אִשָּׁה הַכְּשֵׁרָה וּצְנוּעָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לִרְאוֹת לִהְיוֹת הִלּוּכָהּ בִּצְנִיעוּת, וְלֹא בִּפְרִיצוּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה זוֹכָה לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה נְבִיאִים וַחֲסִידִים.
A third evil is what they do to their husbands. For if a man cannot afford to clothe his wife in the way her friends dress, she curses him and complains until he is compelled to borrow money or even to commit a financial injustice towards his fellow to gain more funds. In the end he is forced to provide his wife with beautiful and immodest garments like those of her companions. Then when he is unable to pay, either he is arrested or else he endures some other indignity. Therefore a proper and modest woman of Israel must be sure to conduct herself modestly rather than licentiously, so that from her will come forth prophets and saints.
הַזְּכוּת הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם: שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת שְׁמָם. וְעַכְשָׁו וּבַדּוֹר הַזֶּה רָאִיתִי אֶת הַמִּתְפָּרְצִים בָּעָם, שֶׁהוֹלְכִין בְּמַלְבּוּשֵׁיהוֹן כְּחֻקּוֹת הָאֻמּוֹת, וְגוֹרְמִים עוֹד רָעָה לְגַלֵּחַ אֶת זְקָנָם וְעוֹבְרִים עַל חֲמִשָּׁה לָאוִין, כִּי חֲמִשָּׁה פֵּאוֹת הֵן בִּזְקַן הָאָדָם, וְעַל כָּל פֵּאָה וּפֵאָה חַיָּב בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה לִפְעָמִים אֵין מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא יְהוּדִי. וּכְשֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִים אוֹתוֹ מַה שְּׁמוֹ, הוּא מְכַנֶּה שְׁמוֹ בְּשֵׁם אֶחָד מִשְּׁמוֹת הָאֻמּוֹת. וְלִפְעָמִים כְּשֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ עִם אֵיזֶה שָׂרִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, אֲזַי נִכְשָׁל גַּם כֵּן בַּאֲכִילוֹת טְרֵפוֹת וּבִשְׁתִיּוֹת יֵין נֶסֶךְ, כִּי עֲבֵרָה גּוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה, וּמִצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה. וְלֹא דַּי שֶׁהוּא גּוֹרֵם רָעָה לְגוּפוֹ וּלְנִשְׁמָתוֹ, אֶלָּא הוּא גּוֹרֵם רָעָה לִכְלַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִי שֶׁשִּׁנָּה אֶת שְׁמוֹ. עַל כֵּן עָתִיד לִתֵּן הַדִּין מִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה כֵּן, וְעָנְשׁוֹ הוּא מְרֻבֶּה.
The second merit on account of which our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt was that they did not change their names. In our generation, on the other hand, I have observed that the rebellious of the nations, the same ones who go about dressed after the fashion of the nations, commit the further evil of shaving off their beards, by which they trespass five prohibitions. For there are five corners to the beard, each one of which is a separate transgression (Makkos 20a; Toras Kohanim 19:74). Moreover, on account of this it is often impossible to discern that he is a Jew. Then, when someone asks him his name he introduces himself by a gentile name. Sometimes he goes traveling with gentile aristocrats to places where he is not known and while he is there he allows himself to eat carrion and drink forbidden wine, for one sin leads to another, just as one good deed leads to another (Pirkei Avos 4:2). When a person changes his name, not only does he harm his own body and soul, but he also does an injustice to the entire Jewish people. Therefore, one day he will be made to reckon for it and his punishment will be great.
הַזְּכוּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית הִיא, שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, בִּזְכוּת שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת לְשׁוֹנָם. וְעַכְשָׁו רָאִיתִי מִכְשׁוֹל גָּדוֹל, אֲשֶׁר צָפוּן בְּרֹב הַמְּדִינָה, אֲשֶׁר בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים הַרְבֵּה בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹשִׂים שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן, וְהוּא זֶה כֵּיוָן דְּקַיְּמָא לָן, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִלְמֹד עִם בָּנָיו כְּשֶׁהֵן קְטַנִּים כָּל דָּבָר בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא בְּנוֹ וְיַרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וַחֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרוֹב בָּאוּ, שֶׁמַּרְגִּילִין הַקְּטַנִּים לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן צָרְפַת וּבִשְׁאָרֵי לְשׁוֹנוֹת. וּכְשֶׁיִּגְדַּל הַנַּעַר, אֵין אָבִיו שָׂם עַל לֵב שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בְּנוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, כִּי אִם הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ הוּא לֵילֵךְ לְבֵית הַלִּמּוּד לְשׁוֹן צָרְפָתִי וּשְׁאָר לְשׁוֹנוֹת. אַף דְּקַיְּמָא לָן, דְּסַנְהֶדְרִין הָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לְדַבֵּר שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הָיוּ לוֹמְדִים הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת דֶּרֶךְ עֲרַאי, וְלֹא דֶּרֶךְ קֶבַע. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן עַכְשָׁו — עוֹשִׂין הַלָּשׁוֹן צָרְפַת וְלוֹעֵז עִקָּר, וְהַלִּמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה עֲרַאי.
The third merit is that our ancestors did not change their language. Nowadays, however, on account of our many sins, many people have adopted an improper course. For we rule that when one’s children are young one must study all things with them in the holy tongue (Sifri, Eikev 46). That way when they grow up they will become accustomed to the holy practice of conversing in the holy language. But in recent times people have begun accustoming their young children to conversing in French and other languages. Moreover, when they grow older, instead of sending them to the study hall, their father insists that they attend an academy for the study of French and other languages. This is a terrible stumbling block. Although it is true that the members of the Sanhedrin were able to speak seventy languages (Sanhedrin 17a), they studied them only on the side, not as a main course of study. But now these people make French and other tongues their principle subject and study Torah on the side!
הַזְּכוּת הָרְבִיעִי שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ הָיָה, שֶׁהָיוּ תּוֹלִין בִּטְחוֹנָם בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְעַכְשָׁו אֲנִי רוֹאֶה בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁאֶחָד מִן הָאֶלֶף הוּא תּוֹלֶה בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי רֹב הָעוֹלָם תּוֹלִין בִּטְחוֹנָם בְּמָמוֹן וּבִבְנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְּשׁוּעָה. וְזֶה הַגְּרָם שֶׁרוֹאִין אֶת הָעֲנִיִּים, שֶׁהֵמָּה בְּתַכְלִית הַשִּׁפְלוּת, וַעֲשִׁירִים נוֹטְלִים שְׂרָרָה לְעַצְמָן, וְהֶעָנִי הוּא כְּקוֹץ בְּעֵינָיו, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֵין אִישׁ שָׂם בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי אִם כַּת הַחֲנֻפָּה הִיא גּוֹבֶרֶת, שֶׁתּוֹלִין בִּטְחוֹנָם בַּעֲשִׁירִים, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אֵין מַזְכִּירִין חֻרְבַּן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְגָלוּת הַמַּר וַאֲרִיכוּת הַגָּלוּת, וְאֵין שָׂם עַל לֵב לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל זֶה, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה שָׂם בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הָיָה תָּמִיד לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו לְהִתְאַבֵּל עַל חֻרְבָּנוֹ שֶׁל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְעַל אֲרִיכוּת הַגָּלוּת.
The fourth merit is that our ancestors placed all their trust in the Holy One Blessed is He. But now I see that, on account of our many sins, only one in a thousand places his trust in the Holy One Blessed is He, while most people in the world place their trust in wealth or in mortals who have no power to save. That is why we see that the poor have plummeted to such depths. Meanwhile the wealthy, who have taken all the authority for themselves, consider the poor to be a nuisance. As a result of this situation no one places his trust in the Holy One Blessed is He. Instead, the sycophants, who put their trust in the rich, are on the increase. It goes without saying that they do not recall the destruction of the Holy Temple or the bitterness of the exile or its length, nor does it occur to them to pray regarding these things. Whereas if they placed their trust in the Holy One Blessed is He, mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the length of the exile would always be in the forefront of their minds.
עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהַשִּׂיג בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְעַכֵּב הַגְּאֻלָּה, וְלִתְלוֹת בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְכָל הַזָּהִיר בְּאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, יִזְכֶּה לְמַהֵר וּלְקָרֵב אֶת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. כִּגְאֻלָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה תִּהְיֶה גְּאֻלָּה אַחֲרוֹנָה, שֶׁבִּזְכוּת אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה תִּהְיֶה הַגְּאֻלָּה בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן.
Therefore a person must resolve in his mind not to delay the redemption but to place his trust only in the Holy One Blessed is He. Whoever is conscientious regarding the four things mentioned above, on account of which our forefathers were redeemed, will merit hastening our redemption. For the final redemption will resemble the first redemption, in that it will also come about in the merit of these four things. May it occur speedily in our days, Amein.