The Gemara on amud beis heavily criticizes the sexually provocative behavior of the women during the Second Temple:

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, indicates a tall woman walking alongside a short one so that the tall woman would stand out. And walk with outstretched necks, indicates that they would walk with upright stature and carry themselves in an immodest way. And wanton eyes, indicates that they would fill their eyes with blue eye shadow in order to draw attention to their eyes. Walking and mincing as they go, indicates that they would walk in small steps, heel to toe, so onlookers would notice them. Making a tinkling [te’akasna] with their feet, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This teaches that they would bring myrrh and balsam and place them in their shoes and would walk in the marketplaces of Jerusalem. And once they approached a place where young Jewish men were congregated, they would stamp their feet on the ground and splash the perfume toward them and instill the evil inclination into them like venom of a viper [ke’eres bikhos].

Of course this is not politically correct, and some would accuse the sages of blaming women for self-expression. Why is it a woman’s responsibility to dress down, let the men stop looking! However, this is not the Torah way, and the sages did indeed frown upon women dressing in a manner that was public and sexually seductive.  

Yet, in the name of equality, let us see what is required of men. Gemara (Berachos 24a) even forbids a man to gaze at a woman’s pinky, if his intent is lustful.  A man is not just required to be sexually modest, but he must even be modest in his bearing, overall.  The Gemara (Kiddushin 31a) tells us:

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: It is prohibited for a person to walk even four cubits with an upright posture, which is considered an arrogant manner, as it is stated: “The entire world is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). One who walks in an arrogant manner indicates a lack of regard for the glory and honor of God that is surrounding him, and thereby chases God from that place, as it were. 

By the way, this is one source for the custom of wearing a Yarmulke, to keep humble and aware of G-d above.

Finally, as we have noted many times in psychology of the daf, the Torah consists of values that balance each other out in a dynamic tension. Thus, although it is reprehensible for a woman to appear publicly in a seductive manner with the intention of being immodest, we find the following story (Taanis 23b), which speaks for itself:

They further inquired of Abba Chilkiya: What is the reason that when the Master reached the city, the Master’s wife came out adorned in her finery? He said to them: She dresses that way so that when I walk through the city I will not set my eyes upon another woman.

It is also notable that Abba Chilkiya’s wife engaged in this behavior in front of other men, and even strange men, as the Gemara continues:

They asked: What is the reason that she entered first, and afterward the Master entered, and only afterward we entered? He said to them: Because you have not been checked by me. I cannot be sure how you will act, and therefore I did not want you to be alone with my wife.

Now of course, this case is neither politically correct.  Some women might be offended and say, why is it our job to look beautiful and prevent our husbands from sinning? Fortunately, the Gemara was not afraid of being canceled, and therefore offers reasonable advice for reasonable people to behave in ways that complement the difference between the sexes, instead of antagonizing them.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation cool

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