The writer – thank you for giving your opinion on what constitutes the area. I happen to disagree and here is why. If someone goes to Deal, do they make sure NOT to wear a sheitel? After all, sephardic women don’t wear sheitels.
There are certain things that fall under minhag hamakom and certain things that don’t. I don’t know all the details, so perhaps some of the more educate amongst us can tell us. If a woman holds by the opinion that a tefach of hair can show, or that she just needs a head covering, not a hair covering (both valid halachic opinions whether or not you hold by them), is she obligated under minhag hamakom to cover more?
Lets also look at many of the stores that have opened in the last few years – who were they opened for? Was it the BMG families? Or was it the newcomers? I would hazard a guess its the newcomers who are supporting those stores, as they are generally more likely to be better off than the families with long time learners (total speculation here, so if someone has other information, please share). If there are so many people who are going against the grain of what old Lakewood was, perhaps the minhag hamakom has changed? Perhaps the Yeshiva is more of a minority now. In which case, anything that is minhag hamakom has changed to what the majority now do. I don’t know if minhag hamakom is based on what the Rabbonim establish or not…or if its based on what people do.
it is not whether or not you are associated with the yeshivah that matters, but how closely you are associated with dikduk hamitzvos and chavivus hatorah.
Realize that if I hold by different piskei halacha, it doesnt mean that I am not being medakdek in kiyum hamitzvot etc…just holding differently than you.
Jothar, realize that Tzniut is a woman’s mitzvah and that keeping it has no bearing on what men are required. I am required to keep hilchot tzniut for ME, if you get a benefit out of it, that is wonderful for you. But its not an unfair nisayon – its one Hashem gave to men. Women are obligated in the mitzvah for themselves, not to make anyone else’s life easier (semantics, I realize).