Tzuras Yisrael / Appearance of a Jew

By Dovid Zeitlin and Dovid Sears

Introduction:

There is no Breslover "dress code." In Uman on Rosh Hashanah, one finds Jews of every appearance and background, and this is true at many other Breslover gatherings. In part, this is because we live in an extremely diverse Jewish society today, and the Rebbe speaks to Jews from all walks of life and religious ideologies. Another reason is because Breslover Chassidus tends to focus on the inner life of the spirit, not on externals. It is also a very individualistic path.

However, it is must be acknowledged that members of traditional Breslov communities have always maintained a "Chassidisheh tzurah"—they dressed like other Chassidim in the places where they lived. The Rebbe was emphatic about not removing the beard and peyos, things that were unheard of among Breslover Chassidim until recent times. Thus, in contemporary Breslov communities in Eretz Yisrael (such as those in Yerushalayim, Bet Shemesh, Beitar, Brachfeld, Yavneel, Immanuel, Bnei Brak, and Tzefas) and in America (such as those in Borough Park, Williamsburg, Lakewood, Monsey, and Monroe), most Breslovers dress in a traditional Chassidic manner. Ideally, this goes hand in hand with fidelity to Chassidic spiritual values and ideals, based on the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and the great tzaddikim of the past.

When questioned on this subject, Reb Elazar Kenig answered that dressing in a Chassidic manner is a holy and meaningful component of the Rebbe's derekh. However, he added that some people from a more modern background who are attracted to Breslov may hesitate to change their style of dress. This should not be an obstacle. One need not wear a long black jacket to study the Rebbe’s teachings and follow his guidance in avodas HaShem. But even if one is not ready to make such external changes at present, one may aspire to wear a Chassidisheh levush in the future. In any case, one should respect the traditional Jewish manner of dress.

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The Rebbe praised the Chassidim in general for preserving the traditional Jewish style of dress and appearance, and for keeping distant from chokhmos chitzoniyos (philosophies contrary to the Torah).
(Chayei Moharan 421)

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Rabbi Nachman wore a beard and long peyos, and dressed in the manner of a Chassidic rebbe of his day.
(E.g., Shivchey ha-Ran, Nesia le-Eretz Yisrael, 15)

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Reb Noson likewise wore a beard and peyos, but dressed like an ordinary Chassid, not like a rebbe. He preferred to wear a kashketel (a type of cloth cap with a visor) like a simple man, rather than the more formal wide-brimmed hat.
(Si’ach Sarfei Kodesh II, 633)

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The Rebbe cautioned his followers not to wear unclean, torn, or shabby clothes. Rather, a God-fearing person should wear clean and respectable clothing, according to his ability.
(Chayei Moharan 201)

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The Rebbe also mentioned that there is a yetzer hara which latches onto people through clothing. This problem is hinted to by the verse which states of Potifar's wife and Yosef Hatzaddik "And she grasped him by his garment" (Bereishis 39:12)—one of the ways the yetzer hara latches onto us is through excessive concern with clothing. Therefore, if one cannot afford all of the clothes one needs, G-d forbid, one should not worry about this, but simply make the best of things.
(Sichos ha-Ran 100)

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Reb Noson discusses the mystical meaning of the centuries-old Jewish custom to fasten one’s shirts and jackets so that the right side is on top of the left side. This indicates the dominance of midas ha-chesed (kindness) over midas ha-din (harshness). Chassidim are particular to use such garments, as opposed to those worn in the secular world, which fasten left over right.
(See Likutey Halakhos, Hilchos Hashkomas ha-Boker 1:10)

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The Rebbe once remarked that there is a connection between the fact that Jews in Germany in his day already wore short jackets in the modern, western European manner, and that the Zohar was not commonly available there.
(Chayei Moharan 422)

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In the same teaching, the Rebbe states that clothes are in the category of the Ohr Makkif / Encompassing Light. Therefore, he reiterates, one must take care of his clothes and make sure that they are clean and neat.
(Ibid.)

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The Rebbe delivered awesome mystical teachings about the beard and peyos. He also related the removal of the beard to assimilation and religious decline.
(See Likutey Moharan I, 20; Chayei Moharan 51, 86; et al.)

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Reb Noson expounds at length upon the mystical meaning of the beard and peyos, which he relates to the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and the right, left, and middle columns in the array of the sefiros. He points out that these are not only symbols, but also channels for spiritual illumination.
(Likutey Halakhos, Gilu’ach 1, 3, et passim)

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Reb Gedaliah said that it is proper to keep the peyos distinct from the beard, unlike those who brush the peyos into the beard. He said the peyos represent din, and the beard represents chesed. Therefore, they should not be mixed.
(Heard from Rabbi Dovid Shapiro)

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The Arizal was strict about not cutting or removing the beard in any manner, even in ways that are permitted according to halakhah.
(Rabbi Chaim Vital, Sha’ar ha-Mitzvos, Kedoshim, 24a)

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The vast majority of Breslover Chassidim of past generations did not trim their mustaches, even though it is halakhically permissible to do so.
(Heard from Rabbi Avraham Shimon Burshteyn)

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The Rebbe remarked that HaShem derives great pleasure from "even the way the most ordinary Jew gives his peyos a shake."
(Likutey Moharan I, 17:1)

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Shortly before his death, Rabbi Yisrael Karduner (Halpern) of Tiveria consoled himself, saying “Barukh Hashem, that I am leaving this world behind while ‘adorned’ with a beard and peyos.”
(Si’ach Sarfei Kodesh VI, 118)