Category Archives: body

Professor Gideon Aran : Serious Violation Of “Wasting Your Seed”

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Gideon Aran

This is a Kabbalistic term for the serious violation of “wasting your seed” through masturbation or intercourse for reasons of pleasure rather than reproduction. Written By Professor Gideon Aran  The widespread use among Haredim of terms with an affinity to … Continue reading →

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Prof. Gideon Aran: career as Haredi recruits

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Gideon Aran

The CO of the battalion and many of its officers – some of whom began their career as Haredi recruits – wear skull caps and beards. The majority of the soldiers sport side locks. Three daily prayer and observance of … Continue reading →

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Professor Gideon Aran: The Haredi Modesty

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Gideon Aran

The Haredi Modesty Squad is a self-organized group that has earned certain recognition a posteriori, usually expressed through a silent, sometimes unwilling, acquiescence on the part of rabbinical authorities. These are small units, quasi-gangs, of young Haredi activists who patrol … Continue reading →

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The Mikveh- Chance To Examine The Body

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Gideon Aran

We could add another latent function: the mikveh gives the Haredi the chance to examine his body, to experience it, and compare it with others. It is virtually the only opportunity available to Haredim to satisfy their curiosity about their … Continue reading →

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Prof. Gideon Aran: The Nakedness of The Haredim

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Gideon Aran

There was no feeling that the nakedness of the Haredim was accompanied by any particular tension. A certain degree of haste while in the nude was observed, but we can easily explain this in terms of time pressure, and not … Continue reading →

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Institutionalized Public Undressing – The mikveh

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Gideon Aran

It is most surprising to find institutionalized public undressing at the heart of Haredi community. The Haredi is exposed both symbolically and literally at the mikveh, the Jewish purifying bath, prescribed in the Halacha with a detailed explication of the … Continue reading →

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Don’t let The Mirror Peep At Your Body

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Gideon Aran

There are restrictions on nudity even when alone. For instance, Haredim mention that in the toilet a Jew should “expose a little and cover up even more”; an oft-quoted story is told of an exemplary character from the period of … Continue reading →

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Nudity Is No Trivial Matter

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Gideon Aran

Nudity is no trivial matter. For most cultures, including Haredi society, it is a sensitive affair. We can see this from the centrality and gravity of the Jewish laws and customs that deal with exposure of the body in general, … Continue reading →

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Notes on Haredi Physicality – The hair

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Gideon Aran

It is a commonplace in anthropological literature that hair on the head and face is an effective symbolic medium for expressing identity and changes in identity, especially because it is immediately noticeable and easy to manipulate. Hair is a familiar … Continue reading →

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Notes on Haredi Physicality – In The Nude

Posted on April 8, 2014 by prof. Gideon Aran

All clothing, and much more so a peculiar uniform like that worn by the Haredim, has a straightjacket effect on its wearer, as it restricts and defines his consciousness and behavior. This includes the influence of clothing on body language … Continue reading →

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