Inwardly, a princess, Outwardly, a Jane.

It is so incredibly important for a Jewish audience to know that every day, when they dress nicely on the outside yet inwardly do not behave properly… they create a desecration to G-d’s name, called in Hebrew a “chillul Hashem.”

A young man told me that wearing nice clothes was a sign of self-respect. I saw how little respect he gave to others and wondered how little self-respect he must have if he didn't respect other people. Indeed if that was the sum total of his show of dignity, that he could wear nice clothing... then it makes more sense to say that those who dress well are empty inside. The clothes are a sham to fool those who cannot perceive and make them think the person within is of some stature.

Occasionally, I come across people who dress well in order to remind themselvse to behave well. If one is mindful that this is the reason then how well that person must behave!

I would rather see men and women who dress in a more average manner, but who behave with the courtesy of a princess, the kindness of someone who has so much they can afford to give generously, and the dignity and respect of someone of stature. When we teach our children about how to behave, we rarely call upon them to respect themselves, rather we teach them instead to behave because it will come with rewards of love –in this day an age that means material goods or attention. What have we been teaching really then?

Comportment often reveals much about an inner person. I for one shall have to strive harder to be a better cat than I have been of late... no more bow ties, until I stop biting the hand that feeds me... ;)