I have known and worked with several orthodox jews and the loopholes really are incredible. They all can't use light switches on Shabbat but they can set timers ahead of time, they all have different amounts of time they have to wait in between meat and dairy for it to be considered kosher, married women can't show their hair in public but a wig that looks exactly like their hair is fine, etc. Like why are you trying so hard to skirt these rules that you have imposed on yourselves? They are all a sneeze away from self-awareness but always swing in the other direction instead.
The purpose of the loopholes is to prevent a confrontation between their incompatible beliefs. Then they'd have to actually follow the rules (looking different from others by covering their hair) or reject them (leave part of their identity and community).
All religions have these things they're just more obvious when a group is more strict, or at least casts itself as such.
I have known and worked with several orthodox jews and the loopholes really are incredible. They all can't use light switches on Shabbat but they can set timers ahead of time, they all have different amounts of time they have to wait in between meat and dairy for it to be considered kosher, married women can't show their hair in public but a wig that looks exactly like their hair is fine, etc. Like why are you trying so hard to skirt these rules that you have imposed on yourselves? They are all a sneeze away from self-awareness but always swing in the other direction instead.
The purpose of the loopholes is to prevent a confrontation between their incompatible beliefs. Then they'd have to actually follow the rules (looking different from others by covering their hair) or reject them (leave part of their identity and community).
All religions have these things they're just more obvious when a group is more strict, or at least casts itself as such.