אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן גנאי הוא לת"ח שיצא במנעלים המטולאים לשוק והא רבי אחא בר חנינא נפיק אמר רבי אחא בריה דרב נחמן בטלאי על גב טלאי
R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Johanan's name: It is a disgrace for a scholar to go out with patched shoes into the market place. But R. Aha b. Hanina did go out [thus]? — Said R. Aha son of R. Nahman: The reference is to patches upon patches. R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in R. Johanan's name: Any scholar upon whose garment a [grease] stain is found is worthy of death,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This expression merely denotes strong indignation a scholar should set a high standard of cleanliness.
');"><sup>4</sup></span> for it is said, All they that hate me [mesanne'ai] love [merit] death:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. VIII, 36. The speaker is learning personified.
');"><sup>5</sup></span> read not mesanne'ai but masni'ai [that make me hated, i.e., despised].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a scholar who has no pride in his personal appearance brings contempt upon his learning.
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Arukh HaShulchan
He may keep his clothing straight- that the inner side won't be turned out and then the stitches and fringes of the clothing will be seen and he will be disregarded in the eyes of people. And this was said about the "chaluk"- a clothing that has little difference between the outer and inner sides- so it's simple in other clothings. The way a man have to keep from people gossip, he may keep from people thinking bad of him. In tractate Shabbath we learn: "Who is Talmid Chaham? the one who keep his clothing straight to turn it". I.e. even if he has already gotten dressed and he now sees that it's inside out, he turns it right side out. And a regular man is not careful to do so. But the best is that everyone will do so. And if for "Chaluk" it is so, -- then how much more so, for other clothes. In Bava Batra we learn: "How is the clothing of Talmid Chaham? a garment such that the body is not seen under (through) it. Rashbam explains it's for people going barefooted and they need long clothing so his feet won't be seen. In our days it's irrelevant. But the Rambam (Maimonides) in the fifth chapter of Laws of Human Dispositions explains that the Talmud refers to thin clothes, that are so thin that the body can be seen through them. We also learn there: "How is Tallit of a Talmid Chaham? A long one thus the Chaluk is not seen beneath it "Tefach" (about 8 cm.). "Tallit" is the upper cloth and the meaning is that the lower cloth won't be longer than the upper. Any Talmid Chaham who has "Revav" on his clothing, i.e. fat or grease or any kind of dirt - deserves capital punishment because he makes people hate the Torah. (Shabbath there). But his clothes will be clean. And Talmid Chaham may not wear patched shoes such that one patch is on the other, for he will be disgraced, except for the winter that he goes in mood.
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Sefer HaChinukh
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 23b) that the lifting of the ashes is one of the services of the priesthood. But the priestly garments in which they would lift the ashes were lowlier than the vestments that he would use for the other services; as it is stated (Leviticus 6:4), "And he shall take off his clothes and wear other clothes." And even thought this verse was stated about the removal of the ashes to outside of the camp, nonetheless also with the lifting of the ashes – which is when he removes it from on the altar and puts it down on the floor next to the altar – we should learn that it also not fitting to do that service with those clothes in which he serves (otherwise). And it is said about this metaphorically (Shabbat 114a), "He should not mix the cup for his master with the clothes that he cooked the food for his master."
