Wearing hats in church

The Jewish tradition to wear a kippah is not derived from any biblical passage.

Rather, it is a custom which evolved as a sign of our recognition that there is Someone “above” us who watches our every act.

The Talmud relates that a woman was once told by astrologers that her son is destined to be a thief. To prevent this from happening, she insisted that he always have his head covered, to remind him of God’s presence and instill within him the fear of heaven.

Once, while sitting under a palm tree, his headcovering fell off. He was suddenly overcome by an urge to eat a fruit from the tree, which did not belong to him. It was then that he realized the strong effect which the wearing of a kippah had on him.

In traditional Jewish communities only men wear kippot (the plural of kippah) and they are worn at all times (except when sleeping and bathing). In non-Orthodox communities some women also wear kippot, and people have different customs about when to wear a kippah — when eating, praying, studying Jewish texts, or entering a sacred space such as a synagogue or cemetery.

The Reform movement has historically been opposed to wearing kippot, but in recent years it has become more common and accepted for Reform men and women to cover their heads during prayer and Jewish study. There is no halachic requirement to cover one’s head, but it is considered a sign of reverence for God.

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Wearing hats in church