Seeing as summer is coming, I thought I'd clear up a few questions about male tzniut with regards to swimwear. Namely, my real question is: what is required? I live in southern California, so outside of the Jewish community, there is for all intents and purposes no modesty standard whatsoever.
Here are my questions:
- Would I be fine wearing a rash-guard (ie a t-shirt designed for swimming/bodyboarding) and shorts that come below the knees (preferably these will have ties so I can tighten them around the area below my knees so they won't come up)?
- What are the rules of men and women swimming together? If I'm at a non-Jewish relative's house and they're having a pool party and certain aunts and uncles of mine are swimming in the pool, am I allowed to swim as well, provided that we're all related?
Note: I'm not yet Jewish, but am in the process of converting, meaning that my family isn't Jewish. This may or may not affect how tzniut applies in my case, but I think that it's at least worth mentioning, just in case. It's understood that I'm not Jewish yet so I'm not technically obligated to keep tzniut, but I do, and since I plan by living by halacha for the rest of my life, I figure it's best to know and do now, rather than later.
Answer
For Question 2: Igros Moshe forbids swimming in mixed beaches. There is no practical halachic difference between cousins/aunts/uncles and non-relatives for Yichud, negiya, etc. (especially that a convert is considered a new-born child).
Even by women, Igros Moshe says to be stringent and not swim with a male lifeguard (she is technically not doing anything wrong, and he is "busy with his work").
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