Dressed for Redemption — 28 Iyar, 5728 • May 26, 1968

Before the Jewish People entered the Land of Israel, the Torah says that G-d “signed the letters of His holy Name upon them.” Our Sages explain that His main purpose was to vouch for the women: Although the they had been in Egypt for 210 years, the Jewish women did not emulate the qualities, behaviors and styles of the Egyptian women, and when it came to their personal conduct, “they did not change their manner of dress.”

This is the true message for all Jewish women everywhere: Don’t be intimidated by the unfortunate, ominous winds that blow in the outside world which pull today’s youth in the wrong direction. Your first response must be to carry with pride the banner of Judaism as it always has been through the ages. Once a Jewish woman resolves not to be affected by unfortunate developments, but rather to show an example to the world how a young person, and especially how a woman, ought to act, she will ultimately discover that the people around her not only don’t oppose her, but more so – she has gained their respect and admiration.