The thermometer reads 39°C but I have to keep my elbows covered, a skirt ok, but with tights underneath, and to top it all off, I have to cover my hair… Oh, and I nearly forgot, I have to still keep on looking fresh, and I have to avoid looking like a roasted turkey scorching under a grill! What a task! How do I get out of this, and where do I start?

These were my thoughts in the early boiling heat of Panama, which is the climate throughout the summer in Acapulco.  Nonetheless, profoundly convinced that all Hashem's laws are for my ultimate good, I armed myself with courage…and with a good vaporizer.

A matter of gratitude

If one thinks about it properly, this dilemma should not really hold us back. The equation is really simple; truthfully, has Hashem not granted us all that we possess? It is this same G-d that listens to us and supports us, accedes to the vast majority of our requests, gives us life, health, joy, sustenance, a family, opportunities, and the list goes on. What does He ask us in return? To do acts that ultimately are purely for our good!

So true, it may not be easy to dress in a modest fashion when everyone around us is dressed in a manner that reflects the ever-increasing heat. But we cannot deny that it is even harder to act ungratefully towards G-d and to give up the immeasurable reward of this mitzvah! In reality, a mitzvah performed out of hardship (meaning remaining tznius- modest, in the heat of the summer) is considered a true act of courage and is infinitely appreciated by Hashem. Would we be willing to lose out on such an opportunity to demonstrate our love for our Creator?

Being a representative of the King

In fact, tznius is a matter of being self-aware. A young woman who ignores who she truly is and who lives in denial of her identity will indeed view the laws of tznius as an obstacle, and as an evil with which G-d seeks to envelop her… By contrast, for one who has taken the trouble to get to know herself, and to understand her value, for her tznius is not a burden but rather an obvious choice! One who understands that she is a representative of the King of Kings views tznius as an ally! She suddenly gains an awareness that tznius is actually the most precious present that G-d ever gave to the women of Yisroel, by allowing them to cover their exterior to better reveal their interior. Is there a greater proof of Hashem's love for us?

An immeasurable value

The fictitious sensation of 'being worth something' felt when wearing clothes that do not conform to the laws of tznius (modesty) is so short lived. It is certainly insignificant in comparison to the intense goodness that results from tznius! It is undoubtedly the initial difficulty that exists whilst fulfilling this mitzvah, that causes an unparalleled sensation of joy, coupled with the sheer sensation that one has just won a victory. A woman who has the incredible opportunity to dress in a modest fashion is not under the impression that she is worth something else; she knows with certainty that she has an intrinsic immeasurable value, she is the daughter of the King of Kings!

A woman who is armed with the knowledge that tznius is her most precious 'possession' will without a doubt be able to overcome all the difficulties and surmount all the obstacles; in 40°C weather conditions or in sub zero conditions, whether the fashion be short or long, whether in a society that is the antithesis of Torah values or in an orthodox milieu…she will never forgo her most precious jewel!