i know this will rattle some people. so be it.
when we were first exiled, over 2,000 years ago, we wore, i’m sure, basically middle east clothing, for example, white robes and turbans, as per the climate.
when we arrived in cold europe, we switched to bekkashas, shtreimels etc. to save ourselves from freezing.
here comes the question: how come we were allowed to switch our custom in those years, but are not allowed to switch our custom today? specifically, i refer to when the jews returned to the holy land, the middle east climate would have suggested that we should be able to switch back to non-cold-european type of clothing. why do the rabbis insist that in 120 degree heat, their talmidim still wear heavy black felt hats, bekishes, shtreimels etc?
if we were allowed to change our custom 2,000 years age, why not now???
and i mean this not as a putdown, but just as a serious question.
Menu