Is it Permissible for a Man to Wear a Red Garment?

Greetings,

1. Women are not to wear garments that are red, as it is considered immodest and can lead to transgression (see Mesorat HaShas Berachot 20a in the name of the Aroch, and also see Responsa Yeshuot Moshe, part 3, section 577, Shulchan Aruch HaMakatzar, part 6, section 272, paragraph 7, and note 30, and Sefer Levushat HaTorah, part 2, section 63).

2. It is also appropriate for men not to wear red garments, as it is not the way of the modest to be red in their clothing.

Sources: The Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah (section 578 paragraph 1) states that one should not follow the customs of idol worshippers, and one should not wear garments that are designated for them, etc., as Ramah writes there: Rather, he should be distinct from them in his clothing and actions. He continues and writes there according to the Maharik (Root 88) that this is only forbidden in matters that the idol worshippers have customarily used for immodesty, such as wearing red garments, which is a garment of leaders and similar to the garments of immodesty, etc. And in the Shach (section 3) he brings more from the Maharik there, that it is not the way of the modest to wear red in their attire, and the color black is a way of modesty and humility, as we say (Chagigah 16a) that one whose evil inclination overcomes him should wear black and wrap himself in black, etc., and it is also a tradition among us to be particular about wearing red for our people.

However, in Derech Teshuvah (there, paragraph 16) he brings from Koveitz Torah Mitzion (year 5, pamphlet 2) the response of Rabbi A. and also the response of Rabbi Yitzhak Elchanan Spector zt"l, concerning a man who made wedding garments for his son, which were made of very expensive red silk, whether he is permitted to wear them due to the words of the Ramah that are based on the Maharik. He wrote that nowadays, since it is not customary for non-Jews to specifically wear red garments, it is not a custom of idol worshippers and it is permissible for a Jew to wear them. Hence, there is no prohibition of following the customs of idol worshippers in wearing red garments nowadays; however, it is still advisable to avoid them due to the reason that it is not the way of the modest to wear red as mentioned above.

Similarly, see in a related matter in Responsa VeDershata UChakira part 4 (part Yoreh De'ah section 7, note 4) where he asked Rabbi Ben Zion Abba Shaul zt"l regarding red garments for men, and he replied that there is a distinction between countries; as he seemed to say that in Israel and the United States it is not a sign, but in England and other places it is a sign for those who are prepared for licentiousness (prostitution), Heaven forbid, like earrings. He wrote about this, that we were amazed by the secret of Hashem to those who fear Him, but in any case, regarding the concern for modesty we did not deviate according to the words of the Shach mentioned above, and therefore one who preserves his life should distance himself from any red garment, and most of it is like throughout all of the Torah. End of quotation.

Best wishes,

Hillel Meirs