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Rav Tzadok haCohen in Peri Tzaddik on Vayishlach, section 11, last paragraph, discusses that Persian/Medean exile corresponds to Yaakov avinu.

In passing, he discusses the Talmud (Bavli Berachos 8b) which first quotes Rabban Gamliel who says that he likes 3 aspects of Persian conduct because they are modest, and right after, the Talmud quotes Rav Yosef that the Persians are designated for Gehinnom.

Rav Tzadok resolves the seeming contradiction by saying that their modesty leads them to Gehinnom because it is not migeder kedushah.

Could someone please explain what he means, and possibly explain how modesty (when not applied in a fake way to lead to more immodesty) can be not from the aspect of kedushah?

Thank you very much.

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  • Would you please cite the original passages from both R"Z and the Gemmorahs.
    – Al Berko
    Nov 25, 2018 at 1:09
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    @AlBerko I am not sure how else you would like me to cite -- I gave very detailed pointers to where to find the passages
    – gt6989b
    Nov 25, 2018 at 14:57
  • Just bring the citations in the original Hebrew it inside the question, without the need of external readings.
    – Al Berko
    Nov 25, 2018 at 19:40
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    @AlBerko you're looking for the word "quote" not "cite". He correctly cited his source.
    – robev
    Nov 26, 2018 at 4:03

1 Answer 1

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Presumably he's referencing the Gemara in Kesubos 48A, that the default understanding when a couple gets married is to provide skin-on-skin contact to one another. If one party were to insist on remaining fully clothed even during intimacy -- "as the Persians do" -- and the other side objected, that would be grounds for divorce. In short -- excessive modesty that comes at the expense of being kind to others.

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  • timesofisrael.com/…
    – Loewian
    Nov 25, 2018 at 15:11
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    @Loewian Couples must be fully un-clothed during relations, as per the halacha brought down in the Gemara. Either Lev Tahor is not performing the halacha, or the reporters are spreading rumors and sensational stories.
    – ezra
    Nov 25, 2018 at 18:34
  • @ezra with permission it is permitted or maybe even perfered דבשניהם מרוצים הוי מדת צניעות, sefaria.org/Magen_Avraham.240.22
    – hazoriz
    Nov 26, 2018 at 2:44

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