Purim Costumes According to Halacha

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  • #591069
    mraven
    Member

    I’ve heard of, and seen, many times people cross-dressing on Purim (e.g. men wearing dresses and vice versa), but to me it always seemed like that was going against an issur doraysoh of beged ish/isha which clearly trumps Purim costumes… so is their a heter?

    #671853
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    hmmm…i once DID hear a heter…(i no longer recall the exact reason…) but even so it shouldnt be done because it can be meorer taivah…best to either stick to the classics or going original. for example a simple trip to canal jeans in flatbush makes for a great costume. or…you can sew up your own costume…my grandfather once made me a costume based on the pic if the rambam that we have…(which is not him…), i have a friend who sewed himself a costume (which came out EXCELLENT!) there are so many more tasteful and oroginal ideas out there than cross dressing, because honestly…why would you?

    #671855

    I always find it kind of creepy when people dress their little boys as girls on Purim. It’s just so wrong.

    #671856
    chofetzchaim
    Member

    I dressed as a girl one Purim, I think it was 7th grade. It was a great costume. I wore a fancy dress that my sister had grown out of and one of my mother’s shaitels. I have a picture of me with a yeshivish friend of mine from that Purim. I showed it to him (and his kalla) at his Sheva Brachos 🙂

    #671857
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    but why on earth would you?

    #671858
    haifagirl
    Participant

    In a similar vein, I know someone whose son wanted to dress as Achashverosh, but she didn’t want her son dressed as a rasha. So she let him dress as a king, but told him he was really Mordechai wearing the king’s clothes.

    #671859
    Be Happy
    Participant

    why do we think we have a heter to do what we like on Purim? Similarly some people are lax with Tzinuis during the Summer. We must remember the Torah is with us throughout the year!

    #671860
    gavra_at_work
    Participant

    Ask your Rav. The halachos of Beged Isha are not simple, but there are many siddodim for it to be maater, especially on Purim (were people know to look twice).

    Vice Versa (women wearing pants) is a different issue (as I’m sure you know).

    #671861
    Mrs. Doubtfire
    Participant

    I actually just discussed this question with my father re: a video production. Maybe on Purim it would be different. But for the purpose of the production I was told it is mutar for a man to dress as a woman if people will know despite the getup that this is a man who is dressed up.

    #671862
    Mrs. Doubtfire
    Participant

    Oh lol I just realized the irony (or appropriateness if that’s a word) of my first post being re: a man dressing up as a woman (Mrs. Doubtfire) lol.

    #671863
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    nebach watching movies…oh wait…how did i know it was a movie…

    #671864
    Mrs. Doubtfire
    Participant

    I will say in my defense that bH I haven’t watched a movie in years.

    #671865
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    boruch hashem! thats great! but i must say…you do have good taste…lol

    #671866
    shlomozalman
    Member

    The Rama in O”H Siman 696 states that there is no issur because it is done for “simcha be’alma”. This is as clear a heter as one could find, and it’s black on white in the Shulchan Aruch.

    However, others, (Shlah,Bach,Taz, etc…) were very much against this custom. It’s interesting that the custom did exist in those days and apparently the rabbonim were forced to discuss how much to oppose it. A lesson for our days.

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