Why Jewish Men Cover Their Heads
It is a longstanding tradition for Jewish men to cover their heads, especially when outside the home. In modern times, this is most often accomplished by means of wearing a skullcap, known as a kippah (pl. kippot). It is sometimes referred to by the Yiddish term, yarmulke.
Other People Are Reading
-
Fear of God
-
Covering the head is a custom that reminds Jews to respect God, and that God is omnipresent, always "above."
In the synagogue
-
Covering the head is considered especially essential in prayer, Torah study, or when in a holy place such as a synagogue. Even Jews who do not usually wear a head covering will often do so at these times. In synagogues, it is considered rude to not cover one's head.
-
Not Biblical, but traditional
-
The practice of covering the head is not an actual Biblical commandment, but a tradition which has taken deep root in Jewish culture, and has come to have the force of a commandment.
In the Talmud (Shabbat 156b)
-
The Talmud tells a story of R. Nahman bar Isaac; he was destined to be a thief, but his mother prevented this by having him always cover his head so that he would be aware of God's presence.
As a signifier of identity
-
The kippah has become a sign of Judaism, so some people wear it as a sign of identity.
-
References
- Photo Credit yarmulkes with david's star image by Pavel Bernshtam from Fotolia.com
More Like This
Comments
-
you are not with deborah.
