The Wearing of a Kippah and Tallit

1 Torah Table Talk The Wearing of a Kippah and Tallit by Men and Women

Where is it written? Recently a question was recently brought to the ritual committee regarding whether women should be required to wear a head covering and Tallit when ascending the Bima for an honor. At present this practice is up to the individual. Very few women in our congregation follow this practice. Here are some questions and some sources on the topic.

WOMEN AND THE PRAYER SHAWL

1. Numbers, 15:37-41 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a thread of blue; And it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, which incline you to go astray; that you may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; I am the Lord your God.

2. Deuteronomy 22:12 You shall make tassels on the four corners of the garments with which you cover yourself.

3. Menachot 43a Our Rabbis taught: All must observe the laws of tzitzit: priests, Levites, and Israelites, converts, women and slaves. Rabbi Shimon declared women exempt since it is a positive precept dependent upon a fixed time. And women are exempt from all positive precepts that are dependent upon a fixed time…. “Rabbi Shimon declares women exempt.” What is the Rabbi Shimon’s reason? It was taught: “That you may look upon it.” This excludes a night garment. You say it excludes a night garment, but perhaps it is not so, but it excludes a blind man’s garment. The verse, when it says “With which you cover your self,” clearly includes a blind man’s garment: How then must I explain the verse, “That you may look upon it?” This excludes a night garment.

4. Maimonides, the Mishnah Torah, ( Hilkhot Tsitsit 3:9) Women, slaves, and minors are exempt from tzitzit from the Torah...Women and slaves who want to wrap themselves in tzitzit may do so without a berachah. And so too with other such Mitzvot from which women are exempt: if they want to perform them without a berachah, one does not protest.

5. Correspondence of the Chair CJLS – There is no obligation for women who receive a Torah honors to wear a Tallit. However, egalitarian congregations should encourage women to wear a Tallit, “As a natural outcome of our belief in the equality of men and women.” 2 6. Rabbi Shlomo Ben Aderet, Teshuva 123, I agree with those who say that if they desire they can do all such Mitzvot and recite the blessings, on the basis of Mikhal bat Shaul who used to wear Tefillin and they did not protest; indeed she did so with the approval of the sages (kirtzon hakhamim) and by the nature of the matter since she puts on Tefillin she blesses.

7. Women in the Minyan, Rabbi David Fine Fine proposes that “…women in the Conservative Movement as a general class have accepted upon themselves the equal obligation to prayer with men. Such an assumption is precedented in the statement of the Magen Avraham discussed in Rabbi Roth’s Responsum, that, “that women are exempt from counting the omer but they have accepted the obligation upon themselves…. The Magen Avraham does not say that a woman individually has accepted the obligation. He says that women as a general class have accepted the obligation to counting the Omer…..

Much educational work needs to be done to convince women to wear Tallit and Tefillin and to cover their heads for worship. But in regard to worship in general women do not see themselves as separate from men in any religious sense. Both are subject to Jewish law and both fall short. Both say, “To fulfill with love all the things taught in your Torah,” and both say, “Forgive us our father for we have sinned.” Both are voting members of the synagogue and both are responsible for Minyan duty where such is the custom.

HEAD COVERINGS FOR WOMEN

9. Shulkhan Arukh: Orekh Chayim 91:3 – There some who say it is forbidden to pronounce a memorial prayer with an uncovered head, and there are some who say that it is forbidden to enter the synagogue with an uncovered head.

10. Va’ad Hahalchah, Israel: (OH 91:3-5) Question: Are men obligated to wear a kippah all the time or only while praying? Are women permitted to wear a kippah?

Responsum: There is no Talmudic basis for forbidding a man to walk around bareheaded. In the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud, wearing a head covering was only a custom of piety observed by some of the Sages in Babylon, particularly after marriage. After the Talmudic period, authorities differed greatly in their decisions about wearing a head covering and were influenced by the customs of their country and by the conditions of their time. In our day, wearing a kippah is primarily a symbol of Jewish identity. As such, it is undoubtedly good and advisable for a man or a boy to wear a kippah even when he is not praying. On the other hand, it is clear that whoever does not adopt this custom does not commit any transgression.

There is also no Talmudic requirement for men to cover their heads when praying or reciting God's name. The obligation to cover the head during prayer began in Babylon in the Geonic period and was restricted to the leader in prayer, to the reader of the Torah and to the Cohanim blessing the community. It seems that this custom was particular to Babylon, while in Israel men were still praying bareheaded. Later on, many authorities did not consider this a halakhic obligation. On the other hand, there is no doubt that covering one's head, and in particular at prayer time, became deeply rooted in the consciousness of the Jewish people as an expression of piety and respect. This is why, even if one cannot say that the head covering for men in the synagogue at prayer time is a halakhic obligation, it should be required. 3

Following the ruling of Rabbi Issac Klein, men should cover their heads in the synagogue: when praying, when reading or studying Torah, when participating in a religious ceremony, and while eating (or at least during the blessings over food). It is also preferable not to be satisfied with any kind of head covering, but to wear a kippah.

The tradition of women covering the head for reasons of modesty is beyond the scope of this Responsum. We want to address the new custom in some communities to oblige women to wear a kippah in the synagogue, or at least when they are called up to the Torah or when they lead the prayer service. There is no doubt that a woman is permitted to wear a kippah if she so wishes, but, as of today, the kippah is a symbol for men. Therefore, it should not be required of women. Furthermore, many women, and especially bat mitzvah girls, hesitate to adopt this custom, which they view as a distinctly masculine symbol. Therefore, for women and girls the kippah is a permissible option but not a requirement.

In favor: Rabbi David Golinkin, Rabbi David Lazar, Rabbi Simchah Roth, Rabbi Yisrael Warman; Opposed: Rabbi Gilah Dror, Rabbi Michael Graetz

11. Va’ad Hahalachah, Israel A Reaction to the Responsum on the Wearing of a Kippah by Men and Women (OH 91:3-5) I agree with Rabbi Frankel's Responsum, aside from the last section regarding women and girls. Inasmuch as wearing a kippah is a symbol of Fear of Heaven, of modesty, and of respect for tradition, which became a binding custom in times of sanctity, we have to require the wearing of the kippah not only of men and boys but also of women and girls. By so doing, we give women and girls the same opportunity to enrich their religious experience and to give the sacred moments in their lives the additional dimension that wearing a kippah adds.

In favor: Rabbi Michael Graetz; Opposed: Rabbi David Frankel, Rabbi David Golinkin, Rabbi David Lazar, Rabbi Simchah Roth, Rabbi Yisrael Warman

12. Correspondence of the Chair, CJLS – There is presently no requirement that women must wear head coverings in the synagogue. The Congregation is free to follow its extent custom. However, it seems reasonable that an egalitarian congregation might feel that it would be appropriate to expect that women who accept any honor on the Bima should wear a head covering. In some congregations when an honor is given to a woman, she is provided with a head covering in the form of a chapel veil or a kippah. Other congregations post signs saying “all adults are asked to cover their heads in the sanctuary.” 4 Discussion

1. Who does the Torah say is obligated to wear a Tzitzit? How do the Rabbis conclude that men are obligated but women are not based on the language off the Torah? 2. What do the sources mean when it says women are exempt from doing something? How is exempt different from prohibited? 3. Do women in our congregation see themselves as obligated to participate in public prayer and make the Minyan? Do the men see themselves in this way? 4. Do members of OJC feel a sense of obligation regarding any aspect of the Jewish tradition? Why or why not? 5. What is the difference between Halachic obligations vs. custom? What status should customs have in Jewish life? 6. According to the sources, when and why are men obligated a head covering? Why do we require them to do so? 7. Why do women cover their heads in the synagogue, today? How is this different from the reason men cover their heads? What is the basis of this practice? 8. D you think we should make a distinction between the obligation of wearing a head covering and the obligation of wearing a Tallit? How are they different from one another? Why or why not? 9. What will be gained or lost by changing our congregational custom with regard to women with regard to Tallit and head covering? Do you think this makes us more like our Orthodox or Reform neighbors? Do you think such changes will strengthen or weaken our congregation?