TOPIC WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

Transcription

1 TOPIC WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

2 2 WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS Yarmulka (Kippah) Why do Jews cover their heads? From when and where does this originate? What effect to do you think the Yarmulka has on its wearer? When is it most important to ensure your head is covered? Why historically have the belt and hat always been Jewish garments? What is the spiritual and Chassidic significance of a Yarmulka? SECTION 1 - TALMUDIC BACKGROUND We find that already in the Talmud, Jews wore head-coverings for two reasons. Text 1 תלמוד מסכת קידושין דף לא עמוד א רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע לא מסגי ארבע אמות בגילוי הראש, אמר: שכינה למעלה מראשי. Talmud Kidushin 31a R. Huna, son of R. Yehoshua, would not walk four cubits bareheaded, saying: The Shechinah (the Divine Presence) is above my head. We see that the Yarmulka was already worn in Talmudic times as a sign of respect to G-d above! The word Yarmulka literally means fear of the King in Yiddish. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

3 3 Text 2 תלמוד מסכת שבת דף קנו עמוד ב ומדרב נחמן בר יצחק נמי, אין מזל לישראל. דאימיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק אמרי לה כלדאי: בריך גנבא הוה. לא שבקתיה גלויי רישיה. אמרה ליה: כסי רישיך, כי היכי דתיהוי עלך אימתא דשמיא, ובעי רחמי. לא הוה ידע אמאי קאמרה ליה. יומא חד יתיב קא גריס תותי דיקלא, נפל גלימא מעילויה רישיה דלי עיניה חזא לדיקלא, אלמיה יצריה, סליק פסקיה לקיבורא בשיניה. Talmud Shabbos 156b From R. Nachman ben Yitzchak [we learn that] Israel (the Jewish nation) is free from planetary influences. For R. Nachman b. Yitzchak s mother was told by astrologers, Your son will be a thief. [So] she did not let him ever [be] bareheaded, saying to him, Cover your head so that the fear of heaven may be upon you, and pray [for mercy]. Now, he did not know why she said that to him. But one day, he was sitting and studying under a palm tree and his head-covering fell off his head. He looked up and saw the date palm, and his temptation overcame him. He climbed up and bit off a cluster [of dates] with his teeth [even though the tree did not belong to him]. R. Nachman was diagnosed as a kleptomaniac, a person whose nature compels them to steal, even before he was born. Nevertheless, since his mother ensured that even from when he was an infant (!!!) he always wore a Yarmulka, she succeeded in instilling within him fear of G-d, and he overcame this compulsion. When his Yarmulka fell off, he lost this sensitivity and reverted to his inborn nature. Even though we are all born with challenges - both due to our personalities and life circumstances - we can overcome them with proper education and conduct. TOPIC 3

4 4 Text 3 תלמוד מסכת שבת דף קיח עמוד ב אמר רב נחמן: תיתי לי דקיימית שלש סעודות בשבת. אמר רב יהודה: תיתי לי דקיימית עיון תפלה. אמר רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע: תיתי לי דלא סגינא ארבע אמות בגילוי הראש. אמר רב ששת: תיתי לי דקיימית מצות תפילין. ואמר רב נחמן: תיתי לי דקיימית מצות ציצית. Talmud Shabbos 118b Rav Nachman said: May [it be G-d s will that] I be rewarded for observing [the partaking of] three meals on the Shabbat. Rav Yehudah said: May I be rewarded for working on devotion in prayer. Rav Huna son of R. Yehoshua said: May I be rewarded for never walking four cubits bareheaded. R. Sheshes said: May I be rewarded for fulfilling the precept of tefillin. R. Nachman also said: May I be rewarded for fulfilling the Mitzvah of tzitzit. (R. Sheshes and R. Nachman never walked four cubits without tefillin and tzitzit.) These Sages were all extra scrupulous in a certain field and hoped and prayed that G-d accepted their efforts. Rav Huna (same as in Text 1) mentions his custom to wear the Yarmulka constantly. From these sources it would appear that although covering one s head is admirable and will instill Yirat Shomayim, fear of G-d, it is a hidur, a personal stringency, and not a requirement. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

5 5 Text 4 מסכת סופרים (מסכתות קטנות) פרק יד, הלכה יב פוחח, הנראין כרעיו, או בגדיו פרומים, או מי שראשו מגולה, פורס על שמע, ויש אומרים בכרעיו נראין, או בגדיו פרומים, פורס על שמע, אבל לא בראשו מגולה שאינו רשאי להוציא אזכרה מפיו; ובין כך ובין כך... אינו קורא בתורה, ואינו עובר לפני התיבה, ואינו נושא את כפיו. Tractate Sofrim Chapter 14, Halacha 12 One who is barefoot or whose clothes are ripped or whose head is exposed may recite the Shema. Others say that although one who is barefoot or whose clothing is ripped may recite the Shema, if his head is exposed he may not because then he may not utter the name of G-d. All agree that all of these people may not read publicly from the Torah, serve as Chazzan, or [if they are Kohanim] lift their hands in the Priestly blessing. This is a new reason to wear a Yarmulka: According to the second opinion, which is later accepted as authoritative by all Codifiers of Halacha (as we will see in Text 6), one is not allowed to mention the name of G-d without first covering one s head. Summary: Already in the Talmud we find that Jews embraced the custom of wearing a head-covering. There are two distinct reasons mentioned. 1) To instill fear and constant awareness of G-d above and 2) in order to pray and mention the name of G-d. TOPIC 3

6 6 SECTION 2 - CODE OF JEWISH LAW As the custom of wearing a Yarmulka constantly, not just during prayer, became universally accepted in Jewish communities, new reasons developed for the Yarmulka based on cultural realities. These are brought by contemporary authorities (both Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Mishna Berura). שולחן ערוך אדה ז סי ב, סעיף ו Text 5 ומדת חסידות שלא לילך ד אמות בגילוי הראש, גם בימיהם שרוב העם היו רגילים לילך לפעמים הרבה בגילוי הראש מפני החום בימים ההם. ועכשיו בזמן הזה שכולם דרכם לכסות ראשם לעולם, אסור לילך, או אפילו לישב, בגילוי הראש משום צניעות, שהרי זה כמגלה בשרו המכוסה. וגם הקטנים נכון לכסות ראשם. וכ ש במדינות אלו שהנכרים נהגו לגלות ראשם, וישראלים קדושים נזהרים בזה משום צניעות, א כ ההולך או אפילו היושב בגילוי הראש כמו הנכרי הרי זה עובר בלאו דו בחוקותיהם לא תלכו. אך אם משים ידו על ראשו לכסותו די בכך להיכר, רק שלא יזכיר שם שמים, כמו שיתבאר בסימן צ א. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

7 7 SECTION 2 - CODE OF JEWISH LAW As the custom of wearing a Yarmulka constantly, not just during prayer, became universally accepted in Jewish communities, new reasons developed for the Yarmulka based on cultural realities. These are brought by contemporary authorities (both Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Mishna Berura). שולחן ערוך אדה ז סי ב, סעיף ו Text 5 ומדת חסידות שלא לילך ד אמות בגילוי הראש, גם בימיהם שרוב העם היו רגילים לילך לפעמים הרבה בגילוי הראש מפני החום בימים ההם. ועכשיו בזמן הזה שכולם דרכם לכסות ראשם לעולם, אסור לילך, או אפילו לישב, בגילוי הראש משום צניעות, שהרי זה כמגלה בשרו המכוסה. וגם הקטנים נכון לכסות ראשם. וכ ש במדינות אלו שהנכרים נהגו לגלות ראשם, וישראלים קדושים נזהרים בזה משום צניעות, א כ ההולך או אפילו היושב בגילוי הראש כמו הנכרי הרי זה עובר בלאו דו בחוקותיהם לא תלכו. אך אם משים ידו על ראשו לכסותו די בכך להיכר, רק שלא יזכיר שם שמים, כמו שיתבאר בסימן צ א. TOPIC 3

8 8 Text 6 שולחן ערוך אדה ז סי צא ב. צריך לאזור אזור בשעת התפלה אפילו אם יש לו אבנט שאין לבו רואה את הערוה משום שנאמר הכון לקראת אלהיך ישראל אבל בשאר ברכות מותר לברך בלא חגורה מאחר שיש לו אבנט במכנסיים ואין לבו רואה את הערוה... ג. אסור להוציא אזכרה מפיו בראש מגולה, ויש אומרים שיש למחות שלא ליכנס לבית הכנסת בגילוי הראש. ומדת חסידות הוא שלא לילך ד אמות בגילוי הראש, אפילו שלא בבית הכנסת, כמ ש בסי ב. ד....הנחת ידו על ראשו אינה חשובה כיסוי, לפי שהיד והראש גוף אחד הן, ואין הגוף יכול לכסות את עצמו. אבל אם אחר מניח ידו על ראשו, יש להקל. Shulchan Aruch Admor Hazaken 91: One must wear a belt while praying the Amida even if he already has a separation between his heart and private parts, like the waist strap of his pants, because it is written, Israel, prepare to greet your G-d. However all other blessings and prayers are permissible without an extra belt as long as one s heart does not see his private parts It is forbidden to utter G-d s Name bareheaded. Some authorities maintain that one should protest against anyone s entry into a synagogue bareheaded. Here we see the Talmudic opinion brought in Text 4 codified, but with the addition that one may not even enter a synagogue without a Yarmulka. Unlike the first reason, this is a legal requirement. According to this reason, covering your head with your hand while praying is insufficient because both hand and head are one entity. It is pious conduct not to walk [even] four cubits bareheaded, even outside a synagogue, as was explained in chapter 2 (Text 5.) 4. placing your hand on your own head is not considered a covering, as the hand and head are both one body, and a body cannot cover itself. However, if someone else places their hand on your head, it is permitted. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

9 9 Text 7 שולחן ערוך אדה ז סי מו ב....וכשחוגר חגורו או לובש האבנט המפסיק בינו לערוה יברך אוזר ישראל בגבורה וכשמשים כובע או מצנפת בראשו יברך עוטר ישראל בתפארה. ולמה הוזכרו שם ישראל בב ברכות אלו ולא באחרות? לפי שהחגורה והכובע בישראל אינם כמו באומות, שבאומות אינן אלא להנאת הגוף בלבד, אבל בישראל הם ג כ משום צניעות וקדושה, החגורה להפסיק בין לבו לערוה, והכובע שלא יהא בגלוי הראש. ואף שאין איסור בזה מן הדין, מכל מקום מדת צניעות וקדושה הוא על ידי כך ממשיך מורא שמים על ראשו. Shulchan Aruch Admor Hazaken 46:2 When he puts on his belt or his gartel which sets apart his private parts, he should recite the blessing Ozer Yisrael B gevurah, He who girds Israel with might. When he puts his hat or turban on his head, he should recite the blessing Oter Yisrael B tifarah, He who crowns Israel with glory. Why is the name Yisrael (Israel) mentioned in these two blessings and not in the other [morning blessings]? For the belt and the hat serve a different purpose for the Jewish people than for the other nations. For other nations they are [worn] only for their bodily benefit, whereas for Jews they also serve the purpose of modesty and holiness. The belt separates the heart from the private parts, and by wearing a hat one averts the possibility of having his head uncovered. Although according to the letter of the law [leaving one s head uncovered] involves no prohibition, [covering it] is characteristic of modesty and holiness, for by doing so one causes a reverence for Heaven to abide over one s head. In order to recite the Shema and Amida, one must separate between the heart and private parts. A belt (or even elastic on underwear) is sufficient, but there are those who wear a special prayer belt called a gartel. As these two items of clothing, the belt and headcovering, have unique Jewish significance, they are singled out in our morning blessings. TOPIC 3

10 10 Summary: The Shulchan Aruch writes that 1) One must cover one s head in order to enter a synagogue or pronounce the name of G-d. 2) It is an established and virtuous Jewish custom to not walk even four cubits (six feet) without a head-covering. 3) If standard societal practice is to cover the head, not doing so is immodest. 4) Today, when most non-jews do not cover their heads, there is the added element of not going in the statutes of gentiles and preserving Jewish tradition. It is also necessary to wear a belt when praying in order to separate one s heart from his private parts. These two garments, the hat and the belt, have special blessings due to their unique Jewish significance. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

11 11 SECTION 3 - CHASSIDIC DEPTH Jewish males throughout the ages have strictly observed the custom to wear a head-covering not only in synagogue or during prayer, but throughout the day in public and at home. In the following letter, (written just two weeks before his passing,) the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that although only a custom and not a commandment per se, constantly wearing a Yarmulka actually serves a more fundamental purpose than any Mitzvah, that of accepting the authority of G-d which must precede the acceptance of His commands, the Mitzvot. This acceptance is the very foundation of Judaism. אגרות קודש אדמו ר מוהריי צ נ ע כרך י, ע שמו ב ה כ ז טבת תש י ברוקלין ידידי וו ח אי א מוה ר ניסן שי שלום וברכה! Text 8 במענה על מכתב ידידי בשם ידידנו הנעלה... בטעם כיסוי הראש, וסיבת השאלה כי מכירי מר... נתבקשו לסעודה למר... ונתבקשו לחבוש יארמולקעס לראשיהם. ידידי יודע כמוני כל האמור והמסופר בדרז ל בטעם כיסוי הראש, ונכון אשר ידידי יסדר מאמר מסודר בשפה שיבין השואל על יסוד המאמר למה קדמה שמע לוהי אם שמוע, אלא בכדי שיקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים תחלה ואחר כך יקבל עול מצות. הדברים מפורשים דקבלת מלכותו ית וקבלת קיום המצות שניהם צריכים להיות בדרך ואופן קבלת עול שאין עליו בעיקרו טעם שכלי אלא כך היא גזירת רצונו ית והטעמים שכלים הם רק הבנה שכלית בדרך מהיכי תיתי, אבל אין זה טעם על עניו המצוה, כי המצוה היא גזירה שלמעלה מהטעם. ובמוחש הננו רואים דמקיימי המצות מפני שהוא ציווי הבורא ית בדרך גזירה הנה מקיימים אותה בכל עת ובכל מקום, אבל ההולכים אחר הטעם הנה כמה פעמים טועים און פאלן דורך אין איסורים גמורים מבלי דעת אמיתת עניני איסור והיתר, כמו נגיעת מחלל שבת ביין שפוגמו ובפרט נכרי. TOPIC 3

12 12 Adaptation of a letter from Rabbi Yoseph Y. Schneerson Letters, vol. 10 p. 346 Adapted from The Skullcap, by Rabbi Immanuel Schochet In response to your letter regarding the reason for covering the head, our Sages have said: Why was the first portion of Shema placed before the second portion of And it shall come to pass? Because one should first accept the yoke of the reign of Heaven and then accept the yoke of the precepts. (Berachot 2:1) In the first portion of the Shema we proclaim the Unity of G-d and His Sovereignty; He is One, the Creator and Lord of the Universe. At the same time we profess our complete and absolute submission to G-d s reign, with a love that is greater and stronger than anything we possess, including our very life. The second portion of the Shema speaks of G-d s commands, the Mitzvot: G-d is the Supreme Judge, rewarding the fulfillment of His commands, and warning about eventual retribution for their non-fulfillment. Our Sages observe that the order of the first two portions of Shema is not accidental, but is in fact logical and purposeful. It tells us, first of all, that both in the case of our submission to the reign of Heaven and our acceptance of the Mitzvot, such submission and acceptance must be in a manner similar to a yoke and that the first prerequisite of observing the Mitzvot is the acceptance of G-d s Sovereignty with absolute conviction. The analogy of a yoke is not used to suggest a burden, far from it. It is used in the sense that a) the animal cannot comprehend its master s will, and b) the yoke is the means of enabling the animal to fulfill its functions. Judaism is based upon the Divine Revelation and presentation of the Torah at Mount Sinai. We have accepted the Torah in the spirit of na aseh v nishmo, We will do [first] and [then] we will understand. In other words, we have accepted the practice of our precepts as decrees from the Supreme Master of the Universe in the full realization that our human intellect is limited and cannot grasp the Infinite Wisdom of G-d. We do not know, nor can we know, the full effect of performing the Mitzvot, what they do to and for us and the world around us. Any explanations or significances that may be attributed to any Mitzvah must be considered as incomplete. WHY JEWS COVER THEIR HEADS

13 13 To be sure, Jewish scholars, sages and philosophers have written volumes on the meaning and significance of various Mitzvot. But whatever intellectual reasons may be advanced to explain any particular Mitzvah, they by no means represent the entire significance of the Mitzvah; for the Mitzvah is in its root a Divine will which is above reason. In practice we see that those who observe the precepts because they are G-d s commands - decreed by His will - fulfill them faithfully at all times, and in all places; but those who would be guided by explanation often fall into error, for the human intellect is limited, while the precepts are given by G-d, whose wisdom is infinite. (I.e., during the religious persecutions at the time of the Crusades the Jews of Germany could not be forcibly converted; they died to sanctify G-d s name ( Al Kidush Hashem ). In Spain, however, where the Inquisition brought to an end a golden era of philosophy and theological research, the religious persecutions led to comparatively numerous conversions.) The Yarmulka, which is worn above our heads and over of our brains, represents this most basic tenet of Judaism more than any other custom or practice: we are committed to the will of G-d unconditionally and supra-rationally. Summary: As limited human beings, we will never fully understand G-d and the true depth of His Mitzvot. The basis of Judaism is this humility and acceptance of the yoke, and only after is this followed by studying His Torah and the meaning behind the Mitzvot. This is also the theme of the first paragraph of the Shema where we proclaim G-d s oneness and our love and devotion to Him. And it is only after this statement that we proceed to the second paragraph of the Shema which discusses studying and adhering to the Mitzvot. The Yarmulka, which is worn above the head, represents this acceptance of the presence and authority of G-d which precedes all Mitzvot. 1 Shulchan Aru ch HaRav 4: TOPIC 3

14 A PROJECT OF: