Jewish World Review Sept. 20, 2007 / 8 Tishrei 5768,

Do ‘clothes make the man’?

By Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz

How our choices define us — whether we realize it or not

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | When it came time for the patriarch, Isaac, to bestow his berachos — blessings — on his firstborn, he planned to give the blessings to Esau. The matriarch, Rebecca, felt that Jacob should have the blessings and arranged to switch Jacob for Esau.

The commentary Daas Zekaynim — written by the Baalei Tosafos, the the 12th and 13th Century group of Torah Scholars, mainly grandsons and great grandsons of the foremost commentator, Rashi, and who basically formulated and carried forward the Ashkenazic Tradition — explain that Rebecca dressed Jacob in Esau's clothing in order to motivate him to act completely like Esau so that he would be successful in executing her plan.

Apparently, the Baalei Tosafos are troubled by the fact that Isaac was already blind, and therefore there was no need for Jacob to disguise himself. If so, the only purpose in having Jacob wear these garments was for his own benefit, to enable him to act the part of Esau so faithfully that Isaac would not recognize Jacob as an impostor. This is similar, in an extremely different type of situation, to an actor's use of costume and make-up to help him feel the part, and thus put on a better performance.

It seems from the Baalei Tosafos that without the additional influence of his brother's clothing, Jacob would have fallen short in playing the part of Esau perfectly. Jacob's life and future were on the line. By receiving the blessings, he would ensure the destiny of Klal Yisroel (Jewry) through his offspring. Were he to fail, he would certainly be cursed by Isaac. With all of Jacob's wisdom and talent, and with all his familiarity with every nuance of his brother's mannerisms, he still would not have portrayed a perfect imitation. It was the additional prop of Esau's clothing that made the difference, enabling Jacob to imitate Esau effectively.

The influence of clothing on a person cannot be underestimated. Clothes don't only "make the man" in the eyes of others — they define the person in his own eyes, and create his self-perspective.

A person who follows the lead of less-refined elements of society is identifying with them to some degree. He will feel differently about himself and will be less inhibited in his behavior. On the other hand, a neatly groomed and more formally attired person is associating himself with a more refined class of society. This will influence his self-image and his conduct will tend to be more dignified as a result.

EXTERNAL ACTIONS — INTERNAL EFFECT
A basic rule of Mussar (Jewish ethical teaching) is that external actions and appearances have an effect on the internal make-up of a person. We must be careful that our outside appearance reflects the dignity of the human being, created in the image of the Divine. However, if a person carries this to an extreme, he can fall into the trap of gaavah — arrogance — caused by overly elegant garb.

As the Mesilas Yesharim (Chapter 23) defines it, the correct method of dress is to wear "modest clothing, which is dignified but not ostentatious." If our appearance is showy or attention- grabbing, we have gone too far, and violated the Torah's standards of humility and modesty.

As always, the Torah (Bible) requires us to maintain a proper balance: To dress in a respectable but not ostentatious manner, as befits our Divine image. If our external appearance reflects this blend of honor and restraint, it will play a powerful role in elevating our character to higher levels of sanctity and purity.