Re: Yanky R.
“They focused a lot there on what’s known as Gadlus HaAdam, the greatness of man, and one of the reasons was because in those days Yeshiva guys were considered lowly and it was hard to feel proud to be one. So they made them dress a little spiffy amongst other things, to boost their morale and self-image. The CC people sort of carried that over, and to them, it manifests in their wearing colored shirts. If you ask me, it doesn’t accomplish anything nowadays and just serves to make CC different in the eyes of the rest of the Yeshiva world. I am nobody to tell them what to do, but I dont see what they’re gaining.”
Firstly: Gadlus haAdam has nothing to do with low self esteem! or how yeshiva guys are perceived, The point of focusing on Gadlos Haadam is to help one realize he is a Tzelem Elokim and that requires a way to behave, dress, talk etc….
Nextly: CC never dresses to look “spiffy”, CC dresses to look appropriate and respectable, hence the ties. White shirts are NOT the common place in the “real world” and never has been, it is for “dressy” occasions (weddings, special occasions etc..)
Netxter: R’ Lebowitz Zt”l expressed concern about guys dressing “yeshivish” he felt a bachur would empasize the chitzonis when he should be more focused on what counts the penimis, middus, mussar etc…. not what shpitzy shirt your wearing or is that a perry ellis or Armani, and whether the shirt is starched enough, and whether to break the pocket or not (if you got the latter then you know what I mean by focusing on the wrong things!), that is why R’ Lebowitz felt better not to dress Yeshivish and fall in the trap and focus more on mussar and the rest of the “Yeshivish velt” be darned!
Almost Lastly: It was never, and I hope it never will be, been the focus of CC to “fit in” the yeshiva feels strongly on what buchrim need to focus and worry about, and feel very confident and well grounded with a solid Messorah, there is no messorah to worry about narishkait, such as white shirts vs blue shirts vs no ties etc….. It is narishkait and CC feels no need to push it just to “fit in” buchrim do not need a “dress code” so they can associate with anything, maybe we should wear bekashurs and grow payes so we can even more associate ourselves with yiddishkait etc…
Lastly: The “Levhush” is only a big deal because it is made to be one