Kimchis personified the positive aspect of tznius: Kimchis merited that her seven sons all served as Kohanim Gedolim (High Priests) at some point in her life. When asked by the Sages what she had done to deserve such children, she answered, ×œ× ×¨×ו קורות ביתי שערות ר×שי ×ž×¢×•×œ× – “The beams of my house never saw the hairs of my head.” On hearing her response, the Sages said, כל ×§×ž×—×™×™× ×§×ž×—, וקמח דקמחית סולת – “The flour of most people is kemach, a mixture of coarse and fine flour – whilst the flour of Kimchis is soles, fine flour.”[1. Midrash Tanchuma Acharei Mos 7, Vayikra Rabba 20:11] The Sages played on the root of her name Kimchis – kemach, which means flour. It is, however, unclear, what exactly they were saying in their response to her answer.
It can be explained thus: There are three types of wheat flour, Subin, Kemach, Soles. Subin is impure flour, in which the bran is still mixed with the flour. By sieving it with a medium sieve these impurities are removed and kemach remains. Althought kemach is free of impurities, it is far from perfect, as it is a mixture of course and fine flour. However, if this kemach is sieved through a fine sieve, a fine perfect flour known as soles is obtained.
The Sages responded with the following: To most women the predominant meaning of tznius is to free oneself of all degrees of pritzus (immodesty). It is a tahara process – a purification of the negative desires that exist in the base nature of man. Although they also know about refinement and eidelkeit, it is only of secondary importance to them. There are therefore areas, such as in privacy, where they are not particular about it. Kimchis, however, had a far higher perception of tznius. To her, tznius was much more than the “absence of pritzus” (immodesty). It was a positive attribute involving total refinement of character and purity of conduct. It is a form of kedusha – a sanctification of her whole being. To her, tznius was to practiced everywhere, even in the privacy of her home where no one is present.
Accordingly, to most people the ultimate tznius is to be like kemach which is free of all bad matter and impurities. They are like kemach which is a mixture of course and fine, because they do not fully appreciate the importance of the positive side to tznius which is to refine oneself and develop a high degree of finesse and sensitivity. Kimchis was, however, different. Her flour was soles. She knew that after all impurities had been removed there is still a high level of positive tznius to develop. She therefore “distilled” her character and refined her personality until she was comparable to the finest of flours – soles. This is the legacy our rabbis intended to impart to us by recording the final part of the conversation between the Sages and Kimchis.
Modesty-An Adornment for Life: Rabbi Pesach Eliyahu Falk, © Feldheim Publishers.
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