This might soun like an
outrageous question, after all, most Synagogues, orthodox,
conservative, karaite etc have the men wearing headcovering, hats, or
kippot (skullcaps).
However, my concern is
not what is commonly practices, rather whether there is a basis for
it in the Torah. There is no such commandment in the entire Torah or
the Neviim to cover one's head.
Indeed, we infer that
the prophet Elisha went with his head uncovered (2 Kings 2:23).
So where did this item
of clothing originate, and on what was it based? Onkelos, of the
famed rabbinic Targum, or translation into Aramaic, mistranslated the
verse (as was his wont) in Exodus 14:8. Where it says “for the
children of Israel went out with a high hand”, he changes to “with
heads uncovered”. Onkelos was another convert to rabbinic Judaism,
and came from Roman aristocracy. Presumably he knew about slavery
either from Rome or from other places such as Egypt. However, he
brought into the Torah his own Greco-Roman ideas, as did many other
rabbis.
This idea is further
developed in the Talmud shabbat156b, where Rashi claims covering
one's head indicates one's fear of Heaven. This is a fabrication,
and a violation of the Torah command not to add. However, it also
forms part of the religious warfare and one-upmanship, where people
make ostentatious displays of their alleged fear or heaven, and look
down on everyone else. Thus the precise opposite of what the
manufactured religious article purports to be.
A more likely source of
its creation is that vain men who were balding wanted to cover the
fact that they had hair loss. These alleged religious leaders did not
want to be caught up in “fashion” or looking good, so they
created a purported “moral code” to justify their own behaviour,
and gain superiority over the common people. The fact that so much
of the oral tradition comes from neophytes to the cause, further
undermines the claim of any transmission of the oral law.
So if the kippah is
seen as mere custom, there s nothing wrong with it, but it has no
place in Torah law.
The wearing of a kippa, particularly during prayer, could well be taken from the Zoroastrian religion, the Zoroastrians wear a kippa when they pray. Remember the Babylonian Talmud was finally edited in the 5th century C.E in a region where the Zoroastrian religion predominated. In fact, the first referance to the wearing of a kippa is found in the Babylonian Talmud and is linked to paganism;
ReplyDelete"For R. Nahman b. Isaac's mother was told by astrologers, Your son will be a thief. [So] she did not let him [be] bareheaded, saying to him, ‘Cover your head so that the fear of heaven may be upon you, and pray [for mercy]’." (B. Shabbath 156b)
Here are some interesting facts about the wearing of a kippa according to the Rabbanites.
The wearing of the kippa by Rabbanite Jews is something that came about during the Medieval period. In the Medieval period Jews were forced to wear distinctive headwear so that they could be identified as Jews. This demeaning law was turned into a custom of pride by the Rabbanites, so that the wearing of the kippa was looked upon in the eyes of Rabbanite Jews as something virtuous rather than belittling.
According to the Talmud in B.Ned.30b the covering of the head is optional and a matter of custom. The French and Spanish Rabbinical authorities during the Middle Ages regarded the covering of the head during prayer and study also a matter of custom. Some of them prayed with bare heads [Avraham ben Nathan of Lunel, Hammanhigh 156 no-45; Or Zaru'a, Hilkhoth Shabbath 43]. Even Ashkenazi Rabbis stated that the covering of the head was custom and that there is no injunction against praying without headcover [Maharshal, Resp no-7; Be'or habbara to Shulhan 'Arukh, OH 8:2].
Hakham Meir Rekhavi
The wearing of a kippa, particularly during prayer, could well be taken from the Zoroastrian religion, the Zoroastrians wear a kippa when they pray. Remember the Babylonian Talmud was finally edited in the 5th century C.E in a region where the Zoroastrian religion predominated. In fact, the first referance to the wearing of a kippa is found in the Babylonian Talmud and is linked to paganism;
ReplyDelete"For R. Nahman b. Isaac's mother was told by astrologers, Your son will be a thief. [So] she did not let him [be] bareheaded, saying to him, ‘Cover your head so that the fear of heaven may be upon you, and pray [for mercy]’." (B. Shabbath 156b)
Here are some interesting facts about the wearing of a kippa according to the Rabbanites.
The wearing of the kippa by Rabbanite Jews is something that came about during the Medieval period. In the Medieval period Jews were forced to wear distinctive headwear so that they could be identified as Jews. This demeaning law was turned into a custom of pride by the Rabbanites, so that the wearing of the kippa was looked upon in the eyes of Rabbanite Jews as something virtuous rather than belittling.
According to the Talmud in B.Ned.30b the covering of the head is optional and a matter of custom. The French and Spanish Rabbinical authorities during the Middle Ages regarded the covering of the head during prayer and study also a matter of custom. Some of them prayed with bare heads [Avraham ben Nathan of Lunel, Hammanhigh 156 no-45; Or Zaru'a, Hilkhoth Shabbath 43]. Even Ashkenazi Rabbis stated that the covering of the head was custom and that there is no injunction against praying without headcover [Maharshal, Resp no-7; Be'or habbara to Shulhan 'Arukh, OH 8:2].
Hakham Meir Rekhavi
"And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went." (2 Samuel 15:30-37)
ReplyDeleteThe custom of covering the head may also have origins in mourning, which should not be done during Shabbat or festival prayer services.
Thank you. My name is Arlei, from Brazil.
ReplyDelete