(54) Splitting Hairs … with Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde

(54) Splitting Hairs … with Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde

From The Orthonomics Podcast by Mark Trencher

April 14, 2026 · 26 min · Season 4 · Episode 7

About this episode

The episode discusses the evolution of communal standards for tzniut in dress with Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde.

In this episode we discuss with Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde the evolution, especially in the past half century, of communal standards for tzniut in dress, particularly among women; whether laws of tzniut over the millennia have been objective and fixed, or subject within bounds to changing societal norms; possible U.S. societal changes that might affect tzniut in the Orthodox community; the positive benefits of increasing diversity in the Orthodox community, especially in the U.S.; Haredi shifting values relating to learning and working, Rabbi Broyde is a professor of law at Emory University School of Law and a leading scholar at the intersection of law, religion, and Jewish ethics. He is also Berman Projects Director and senior fellow at Emory's Center for the Study of Law and Religion, and teached Jewish Law at Columbia University. His most recent book, "Splitting Hairs," which we discuss in some detail, is a rigorously argued and refreshingly candid halakhic study of women's hair covering and tzniut more broadly. It is available at Amazon … click HERE . Ordained at Yeshiva University, he served for many years as a dayan on the Beth Din of America and was the founding rabbi of…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Trencher

Guest: Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde

Topics covered

  • tzniut
  • communal standards
  • Orthodox community
  • diversity
  • Jewish law
  • women's dress

Keywords

  • tzniut
  • Rabbi Dr. Michael J. Broyde
  • Orthodox community
  • Jewish ethics
  • women's hair covering
  • diversity
  • communal standards

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Emory University School of Law, Columbia University, Yeshiva University, Beth Din of America

Books & works: Splitting Hairs

Places: Atlanta, U.S.

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