Pearls of Wisdom from the Parshah
Lest He see something immodest in you, and turn away from you. (Devarim 23:15)
The Chofetz Chayim pointed out that Hakadosh Baruch Hu dwells among the Jewish people even if they are full of sins, because it says: "He Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurity." His Shechinah is always with them. However, the Chofetz Chayim goes on to say, there is one factor that causes Hashem to remove His Shechinah from us, and it is stated in our pasuk. ולא יראה בך ערות דבר – “Lest He see something immodest in you, and turn away from you.” Immodesty causes the Shechinah to depart. And when Hashem’s Presence is gone, we also lose protection from dangers. It is as if Hashem says to us: you will have to manage on your own.
Yet, we need to know and remember that there is a basic rule in Yiddishkeit that states that Hashem’s trait of goodness is much greater than His trait of punishment. It is 500 times greater!
So far, we have only learned regarding the trait of Divine punishment that Hashem repays a person in kind (midah k’neged midah). How do we know this is true also of the trait of Divine goodness? We may derive it based on the principle that the trait of Divine goodness is 500 times greater than the Divine trait of punishment.
About the trait of punishment, it is written: “He visits the sin of the parents on the children until the third and fourth generation.” And about the trait of goodness, it is written: “He does kindness for two thousand [generations].” From this we learn that the trait of goodness is 500 times greater than the trait of punishment.
A mitzvah has a very great influence. It influences 500 times more than an aveirah does. So if a woman goes around dressed modestly, Hakadosh Baruch Hu protects and guards her 500 times more than the damage that could be caused by a lack of modesty. Tzni’us, the closeness to Hakadosh Baruch Hu it engenders, brings great protection.
