14. A Chasidic person began to change his lavish (garb) in favor of more modern attire. When a wise man questioned him about it, the "Chasidic" man replied that he was honest and couldn't live as a hypocrite. Since he isn't so good inside, he doesn't want to dress appropriately on the outside either.
The wise man replied that Chazal say that a person should be כברו תוכו, his inside should match his outside.
Jewish Clothes
It states (21:1-3) כי הנגב יושב ערד מלך הכנעני וישמע תתן נתן אם 'לה נדר ישראל וידר ...בישראל וילחם ...ישראל בא ישראל בקול 'ה וישמע .עריהם את והחרמתי בידי הזה העם את הכנעני את ויתן, "The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the south, heard that Yisrael had come ... and he waged war against Yisrael... Yisrael made a vow to Hashem and said, 'If You deliver this people into my hand, I shall consecrate their cities.' Hashem heard Yisrael's voice and delivered the Canaanite..."
Rashi explains that they weren't really Canaanites. They were Amalek, as it states הנגב וישב, "Who lived in the south," and this refers to Amalek, as it states הנגב בארץ יושב עמלק (Bamidbar 13:29).
Amalek pretended to be Canaanites when they came to attack Bnei Yisrael. Rashi explains, "[Amalek] changed their language to speak Canaanite. They wanted Bnei Yisrael should daven to Hakadosh Baruch to deliver the Canaanites into their hands, and since] they were not Canaanites [their prayers would have no effect]. But Bnei Yisrael noticed they were dressed like Amalekites, though they spoke in a Canaanite tongue. So they said, “We will pray generally,” as it says, בידי הזה העם את תתן נתן אם 'If You deliver this people into my hand....'”
One wonderful lesson we can learn from this source is the power of tefillah. Even Amalek was aware of its power. They feared the tefillos of Bnei Yisrael.
The Chidushei HaRim zt’l asks, why didn’t Amalek dress up like the Canaanites? If they had done so, the Jewish people wouldn’t have suspected anything. Why did they only change their language but not their clothing?
The Chidushei HaRim answers: If Amalek spoke like Canaan and dressed like Canaan, they would be Canaan. Because if one dresses and speaks like a certain nation, one becomes like them. Amalek would have actually become Canaanites.
We bring this Chidushei HaRim to teach the importance of maintaining the Jewish dress.
If they would say that a person should be כתוכו ברו, his external like the internal, then you would be correct. Your external self should match your inside. However, they say that a person should be כברו תוכו, and this means that he should begin with being good externally, and that will help him eventually be good inside, as well.
