The Beauty of the Soul: How the Torah Views Outer Appearance

Many of the great figures of the Jewish nation are praised in the Torah for their physical appearance. About Rachel we are told: “Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.” Similarly, about King David it says: “He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a pleasing appearance.” This is true for many others as well. Doesn’t Proverbs teach, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain; a woman who fears G-d, she shall be praised”? Why then is beauty mentioned as a virtue?

G-d created human beings with an appreciation for beauty and the purpose of human life is to attain spiritual perfection through one's own efforts. Deep within, every soul longs for completeness, andd beauty is a reflection of that completeness. Our admiration for beauty is an admiration for perfection. External beauty however is ultimately physical and temporary. A person who invests heavily in outward beauty because they see it as a primary goal will inevitably neglect their inner spiritual world. To this person, the verse applies: “Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain.”

When fear of Heaven is at the center of a beautiful person’s life- when they are humble and careful not to stumble or cause others to stumble- their beauty becomes praiseworthy. As it says, “A woman who fears G-d, she shall be praised”- this includes her beauty. Her outer beauty becomes meaningful only because it is matched by inner spiritual beauty. In such a person, external beauty enhances and complements their inner world and serves as a vessel for expressing spiritual depth. For them, beauty is indeed a quality worthy of praise.

Where Does Wine Taste Better?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah, one of the great Talmudic sages, was deeply respected by the Roman emperor for his wisdom, although he was not outwardly handsome.

A story in the Talmud tells how the emperor’s daughter once said to Rabbi Yehoshua: “Such beautiful wisdom in such an ugly vessel!” He replied by asking her: “Where does your father store his wine?” She answered: “In clay jars.” He said, “But your family is so distinguished! Shouldn’t you store your wine in gold and silver vessels?” She told this to her father, who ordered all the royal wine to be transferred into gold and silver containers, causing it all to spoil.

When he discovered what had happened, he asked his daughter who had suggested it and she told him that it was Rabbi Yehoshua. The emperor summoned him and asked why he had said this. Rabbi Yehoshua answered: “I merely repeated what she said to me.” The emperor challenged him: “But aren’t there people who are both beautiful and wise?” Rabbi Yehoshua replied: “If they had been less beautiful, they would have been even wiser.”

When a person is not distracted by their physical appearance, they are better able to focus on wisdom and spiritual pursuits. External beauty often interferes with a person’s intellectual and spiritual greatness and for this reason the Torah praises Sarah, our matriarch, as being “as beautiful at one hundred as she was at twenty,” and “as innocent at twenty as she was at seven.” Other biblical figures were also praised for their beauty, but only because their entire focus was on spiritual growth, and not on their appearance.

The Torah's Respect for the Human Body

A close look at the Torah reveals that many commandments are designed to preserve the natural dignity and beauty of the Jewish body, and to remind each Jew of their royal status as a child of the King.

Far from devaluing physical appearance, the Torah actually forbids any act of self-mutilation, even in moments of intense grief. For example, when mourning the loss of a loved one, the Torah commands: “You are children of the Lord your G-d. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your G-d, and He has chosen you to be His treasured people from among all the nations on the earth.”

As children of the King, we are not to behave like ordinary citizens in disgraceful ways because our dignity is a reflection of G-d’s own honor. We must represent Him through a dignified, respectful, and complete appearance.

If the Torah forbids even temporary disfigurements such as ritual gashes or unusual haircuts, how much more so does it prohibit permanent body alterations like tattoos. As it says: “You shall not etch a tattoo upon yourselves. I am the Lord.” That final phrase, “I am the Lord,” is a reminder: I am your Creator and King, and I reward those who obey Me and hold accountable those who transgress.

A Deeper Kabbalistic Perspective

Kabbalah explains that a tattoo doesn’t only leave a mark on the body, but it damages the soul. Our soul is intricately bound to the body, and any physical corruption creates a parallel spiritual blemish. This damage extends beyond the person and reaches into higher spiritual realms from which the soul originates.

The human being is like “a ladder set on the earth, whose head reaches the heavens.” Every action done here, whether for good or bad, has ripple effects above, which eventually return and affect us in this world.

A Royal Appearance

Every mitzvah also contains a practical benefit in this world. Preserving the natural beauty of the body is tied to our identity as sons and daughters of the King of the universe. We are royalty, and must therefore carry ourselves with the dignity and appearance befitting that truth.