Frum (, ) is a word that describes Jewish religious devotion. The term connotes the observance of Jewish religious law in a way that often exceeds its bare requirements. This not only includes the careful study of

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

, daily prayers, observing

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

and

kashrut (also or , ) is a set of Food and drink prohibitions, dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to halakha, Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed ko ...

, and performing deeds of loving-kindness, but also many more

customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

and '' khumrot'' (prohibitions or obligations in Jewish life that exceed the requirements of Halakha). The term ''frum'' contrasts with ''frei'' (), which describes Jews who are

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin , or or ), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. The origins of secularity can be traced to the Bible itself. The concept was fleshed out through Christian hi ...

or practice non-Orthodox observance, or "free from keeping the… commandments."

Meaning

''Frum'' can be used in a negative sense for 'hypocritically pious', 'holier-than-thou', 'sanctimonious'; or in a positive sense for 'pious', 'devout', 'God-fearing', and 'upright'. The phrase ''frum and ehrlich'' captures the positive connotations of these words, to mean roughly 'upright' or 'righteous' (see ''

tzadik Tzadik ( ''ṣaddīq'' , "righteous ne; also ''zadik'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadīqīm'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ...

''). The question "is s/he ''frum''?" asks whether the person is religious.

Derived terms

Yinglish Yiddish words used in the English language include both words that have been Language shift, assimilated into English language, Englishused by both Yiddish and English speakersand many that have not. An English sentence that uses either may be des ...

, ''frummer'' is used both as a noun for 'one who is frum' and as a comparative adjective, i.e. 'more frum'. The prescribed Yiddish comparative form of the adjective is, in fact, . ''Frumkeit'' describes the lifestyle of those who are frum. ''Frummer'' can also have a negative

connotation A connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that any given word or phrase carries, in addition to its explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation. A connotation is frequently described as either positive or ...

, similar to ''chasid shoteh'' ('pious idiot'), which is how the

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

(Sotah 21B) describes a man who sees a woman drowning but refuses to save her, saying: "It is not proper to look at her, and rescue her." A ''frummer'' in that sense is a person displaying a disproportionate emphasis on technical aspects of religion of one's daily life in a manner which actually violates the ''halakha'' in a specific case. (See

Pikuach nefesh ''Pikuach nefesh'' (), which means "saving a soul" or "saving a life," is the principle in ''Halakha'' (Jewish law) that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule of Judaism. In the event that a person is in critic ...

.) Another term with this meaning is ''frummie''. A person who is ''frum from birth'' (FFB) was born into a frum household and has remained observant. This contrasts with a ''

baal teshuva In Judaism, a ''ba'al teshuvah'' (; for a woman, , or ; plural, , , 'owner of return God or his way]') is a Jew who adopts some form of traditional religious observance after having previously followed a Jewish secularism, secular lifestyle or ...

'' (BT), which literally means 'master of return' and refers to a Jew who has become frum after a period or lifetime of following a non-Orthodox lifestyle. Someone who leaves the frum lifestyle would be referred to as ''

off the derech Off the ''derech'' (, pronounced: , meaning: "path"; OTD) is a Yeshiva-English expression used to describe the state of a Jew who has left an Orthodox way of life or community, and whose new lifestyle is secular, non-Jewish, or of a non-Ortho ...

'' (OTD), which literally means 'off the path.' The ''Frumba'' exercise program originated in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

as a derivation of the dance-based fitness program Zumba. Frumba classes are offered exclusively to women who observe frum forms of

tzniut ''Tzniut'' ( , , ; "modesty" or "privacy"; ) describes the character trait of modesty and discretion, as well as a group of Jewish laws pertaining to conduct. The concept is most important within Orthodox Judaism. Description ''Tzniut'' i ...

modesty laws, featuring music with less explicit lyrics.

Mode of dress

Frum Jews are expected to dress in gender-specific, modest, low-cut clothing adherent to standards outlined by Jewish religious law. Women dress in loose skirts and dresses that cover their arms and legs. When married, they cover their heads with scarves and wigs. Jewish men wear fringed undershirts known as tallitot katan, and head coverings often in the style of kippot. Although applicable to both sexes, particular emphasis is often placed upon the dressing guidelines of women. In addition to the tzniut style of dress, many frum Jews are identifiable by their traditional clothing. Black trenchcoats, fur hats, and other distinct Ashkenazic garb have become mainstream religious clothing across ethnic divisions.

References

{{Reflist Orthodox Judaism Yiddish words and phrases