Kippah: Difference between revisions

# The minhag is that unmarried women don't cover their heads, yet, it’s correct for them wear a head covering during [[Shemoneh Esrei]]. Those who don’t wear a covering at all have what to rely on. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef (91:8, Tefilah pg 318, Sherit Yosef 2 pg 368), Sh”t Otzrot Yosef 1:5, Tzitz Eliezer 12:13, Tefilla KeHilchata quoting Echad MeGedolei HaDor </ref>

# 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. [Perhaps Rav Moshe considers entering a museum or theater inappropriate, 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>

# If one can’t take a job unless he doesn’t wear a Kippah at work, one doesn’t have to forfeit his job for this mitzvah. If they allow one to wear a regular hat one must wear such a hat. Also, when one enters another room or the marketplace one must put back on a Kippah even if one will be mocked as long as there is no concern of losing one’s job. <Ref> Sh”t Igrot Moshe (C”M 1:93 and O”C 4:2) writes that since wearing a Kippah is neither a positive or negative mitzvah one need not loss a large portion of his money by not taking such a job. However since they don’t care if you wear it in another room or in the marketplace one must wear it in such places. Sh”t Igrot Moshe Y”D 4:11(3) adds that even according to the Taz who holds there’s a prohibition of Chukot HaGoyim (that the practice of Goyim used to be to always wear hats and when they saw down to eat or something similar they would take off their hat) nowadays it wouldn’t apply since people don’t wear hats at all. Thus, one can take a job at a place where they don’t allow one to wear a Kippah. However, if they allow one to wear a regular hat (not a Kippah) one should wear a hat he wears regularly. </ref>