Kippah: Difference between revisions

# If one is in a place that’s not suitable for a religious Jew to be such as a party with mixed dancing (or perhaps even a museum or theater) one should not remove one’s Kippah so as not to make a Chilul Hashem. <Ref> Sh”t Igrot Moshe O”C 2:95e writes that if one goes to a museum or theater which is forbidden, one shouldn’t take off one’s Kippah as we don’t say since you’re doing one sin you can do another also. [To this author, (Ike Sultan), it seems Rav Moshe considers entering a museum or theater forbidden, perhaps because of possible inappropriate or profane material that’s on display.] A more substantial claim is that if one’s Yetzer Hara is overpowering and one is going to go to the museum anyway, in order to minimize Chilul Hashem one should take off one’s Kippah if one does it Leshem Shamayim, to which Rav Moshe writes, if this is a case of a person giving into their Yetzer there is little chance he’s going to take off his Kippah Leshem Shamayim and so it’s forbidden. Sh”t Igrot Moshe Y”D 2:33 writes that teens going to a place where there is mixed dancing and Perisut which is totally forbidden, should not remove their Kippah. He says that the claim that if they wear their Kippah people will think that a religious Jew is allow be involved in mixed dancing is incorrect, rather, we don’t tell someone who’s already doing a sin to do another one. Following the incorrect logic, Rav Moshe writes, we should also tell him not to follow any mitzvah so it’s clear he’s a Rasha so that people don’t think that a religious Jew can go mixed dancing. Since he’s doing a sin in public it’s also a source for Chilul Hashem but would only increase Chilul Hashem for him to do another sin of not wearing a Kippah. Nonetheless, the religious community to make it clear that it’s forbidden so that people don’t learn from such teens who are sinning. </ref>