From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Wednesday, November 19, 1997 11:22 PM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Hair Length / Head Coverings

heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com wrote:
> 
> From:          "SamL" <swine@capitalnet.com>
> To:            <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
> Subject:       Hair Length / Head Coverings
> 
> 
> Where in the First Testament does it describe a law about hair lengths &/or
> head coverings for men and women as can be compared to I Corinthians 11?
> 
> Thanks,
> Sam
> 
> **********************************************************************
>

From:          "Rabbi Michael 'Mordecai' Silver" <treelife@zianet.com>
Reply-to:      treelife@zianet.com 
Organization:  Etz Chayim - Tree of Life Messianic Jewish Congregation 
To:           heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Subject:       
Re: Hair Length / Head Coverings


REPLY: This is what I found on the subject.

Although the wearing of a headcovering is not mandated in the Bible or
Talmud, in recent centuries the practice of covering the head upon
rising in the morning and keeping it covered throughout the day has
become widespread among Orthodox and many Conservative Jews. The
skullcap, the headcovering widely used by men, is called a yarmulke in
Yiddush and a kippah in Hebrew.

In Orthodox and Conservative synagogues today, males are expected to
cover the head. In Reform congregations the practice is optional.

In Biblical and talmudic times, as a sign of modesty and chastoty, women
covered their heads with scarves. A scarf used for this purpose is
referred to in Yiddush as a tichl. The sixteenth century Code of Jewish
Law states: "Married women always keep their heads covered," for the
sake of modesty and to make their marital status perfectly clear.

In the synagogue, although not mandatory, it has become the practice for
women to cover the head, particularly in Orthodox and Conservative
congregations. Among the Reform it is optional.

It is considered desirable for a non-Jew to wear a skullcap when present
at a Jewish religious service.

It is believed by the Jew that the presence of G-d is all around us and
so out of respect we cover our heads.

The section in Corinthians is a mis-translation of the Greek. The word
used there to indicate the covering of the head means 'to bring down',
referring either to a veil or long hair. This does not refer to a
yarmulke or kippah in regards to the man. Paul was dealing with a
problem between the men and women and the way they were dressing. He was
not forbidding the use of a headcovering for the man, as many Christians
believe. He was instructing the women to dress modestly as in those days
it was considered to be a part of a woman's seductiveness to have a very
nice head of hair. So as part of their being prim and proper they were
instructed to cover their hair and face with a veil or head covering of
some sort. The men were instructed not to imitate the women. Paul was
dealing with a Gentile congregation here and not a Jewish one.
-- 
Rabbi Michael Silver (Rav Mordecai Ben-Baruch)
Etz Chayim - Tree of Life Messianic Jewish Congregation
P.O. Box 364, Organ, NM 88052 (near sunny Las Cruces)

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