Tzinus Stupidity

Well, as anticipated, a Major and Important lecture on Women and Modesty has been announced in my neighborhood. The Rabbi (he's a pal) is riled up because he heard from his wife that some of the women in attendance last Shabbos behind the three-foot thick mechitzah were dressed "inappropriately." This makes him mad, madder, unfortunately, then a host of other things that aren't even covered in his speeches

I've tried to calm the Rabbi down, (he's really a pal) but to no avail. He won't be deterred. This is "war" and our wives are Cordially Invited and Strongly Encouraged to attend the crusade.

Sigh.

I speak to some of the wives - I even refer to some of them by their first names - (both practices are sure to be criticized at the lecture) and they ones I know are groaning audibly.

A sample of their protests:

-- "The people who need to hear it won't be there!"

-- "The people who need to hear it have been hearing about it since 9th grade. Why in the world does anyone expect them to listen now?"

-- "How come the Rabbi never talks to us about Torah? Or Hashkofa? Or Halacha? Does he think we're idiots?"

-- "Its absolutely condescending and insulting that the one and only time this Rabbi prepares a lecture for us, its a laundry list of all the things we can't do. Does he even recognize us as people?"

-- "99 percent of what he tells us to do is MINHAG that doesn't apply to our MAKOM"