https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah.xml /articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah xml article Kippah A small head covering worn as a constant reminder of Hashem above. The New Jew /index.xml Jewish Living /sections/jewish-living.xml Kippah /articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah.xml https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah.json <_xml>https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-judaica-kippah.xml
essentials-essential-judaica-kippah Kippah A small head covering worn as a constant reminder of Hashem above. Summary. The kippah (Hebrew; Yiddish yarmulke) is a small head covering worn by Jewish men as a reminder of Hashem’s presence above. The practice originates in Talmudic minhag (custom) rather than explicit Torah commandment (Talmud Kiddushin 31a, Shabbat 156b), but it became universal in Orthodox practice and is increasingly common in Conservative and Reform settings. Styles vary by community: black velvet or felt for Haredi, crocheted kippah srugah for Religious Zionists, suede in Modern Orthodox American settings, large velvet in Hasidic. essential essentials kippah yarmulke garment 2026-07-06T02:19:03.001Z 435 2
jewish-living Jewish Living
https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kippah-ms8hpksr-0e8e7a23.png https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kippah-crop-ms8iqs97-a9ab7208-large.png https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kippah-crop-ms8iqs97-a9ab7208-thumb.png Kippah summary Summary. The [kippah](/glossary.xml#letter-K) (Hebrew; Yiddish [yarmulke](/glossary.xml#letter-Y)) is a small head covering worn by Jewish men as a reminder of [Hashem](/glossary.xml#letter-H)’s presence above. The practice originates in [Talmud](/glossary.xml#letter-T)ic [minhag](/glossary.xml#letter-M) (custom) rather than explicit [Torah](/glossary.xml#letter-T) commandment (Talmud [Kiddushin 31a](https://www.sefaria.org/Kiddushin.31a), [Shabbat 156b](https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.156b)), but it became universal in [Orthodox](/glossary.xml#letter-O) practice and is increasingly common in Conservative and [Reform](/glossary.xml#letter-R) settings. Styles vary by community: black velvet or felt for [Haredi](/glossary.xml#letter-H), crocheted [kippah srugah](/glossary.xml#letter-K) for Religious Zionists, suede in [Modern Orthodox](/glossary.xml#letter-M) American settings, large velvet in [Hasidic](/glossary.xml#letter-H). Summary. The kippah (Hebrew; Yiddish yarmulke) is a small head covering worn by Jewish men as a reminder of Hashem’s presence above. The practice originates in Talmudic minhag (custom) rather than explicit Torah commandment (Talmud Kiddushin 31a, Shabbat 156b), but it became universal in Orthodox practice and is increasingly common in Conservative and Reform settings. Styles vary by community: black velvet or felt for Haredi, crocheted kippah srugah for Religious Zionists, suede in Modern Orthodox American settings, large velvet in Hasidic. paragraph The kippah’s origins are in Talmudic minhag. Rav Huna ben Yehoshua ([Talmud Bavli](/glossary.xml#letter-T), [Shabbat 118b](https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.118b)) is reported to have said he would never walk four cubits with his head uncovered, because the [Shechinah](/glossary.xml#letter-S) (Divine Presence) is above. Originally an act of particular piety, the covering of the head became standard practice among observant Jews in the medieval period and is treated as obligatory by the [Shulchan Aruch](/glossary.xml#letter-S) (Orach Chaim 2:6, [91:3](https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.91.3)) for Torah study, prayer, and meals. The kippah’s origins are in Talmudic minhag. Rav Huna ben Yehoshua (Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b) is reported to have said he would never walk four cubits with his head uncovered, because the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is above. Originally an act of particular piety, the covering of the head became standard practice among observant Jews in the medieval period and is treated as obligatory by the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 2:6, 91:3) for Torah study, prayer, and meals. heading The style of kippah marks community affiliation. Among the most common: The style of kippah marks community affiliation. Among the most common: paragraph Black velvet — Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox), often worn under a hat. Black velvet — Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox), often worn under a hat. paragraph Black felt or suede — Modern Orthodox. Black felt or suede — Modern Orthodox. paragraph Kippah srugah (crocheted) — Religious Zionist ([Dati Leumi](/glossary.xml#letter-D)) in Israel. Kippah srugah (crocheted) — Religious Zionist (Dati Leumi) in Israel. paragraph Large black velvet — Hasidic, often combined with a [streimel](/glossary.xml#letter-S) (fur hat) on [Shabbat](/glossary.xml#letter-S). Large black velvet — Hasidic, often combined with a streimel (fur hat) on Shabbat. paragraph White knit with embroidered design — Israeli folk/[Sephardic](/glossary.xml#letter-S). White knit with embroidered design — Israeli folk/Sephardic. paragraph Bukharian (large, multi-colored, often square-shaped) — Sephardic / [Mizrahi](/glossary.xml#letter-M) communities, especially Bukharian Jews. Bukharian (large, multi-colored, often square-shaped) — Sephardic / Mizrahi communities, especially Bukharian Jews. paragraph Small clip-on — common in Reform and many Conservative settings. Small clip-on — common in Reform and many Conservative settings. paragraph A standard wardrobe might include a black velvet kippah for formal settings (weddings, funerals), a suede or crocheted everyday kippah, and a special-occasion kippah for Shabbat. Most American Modern Orthodox men wear the same kippah continuously throughout the day. A standard wardrobe might include a black velvet kippah for formal settings (weddings, funerals), a suede or crocheted everyday kippah, and a special-occasion kippah for Shabbat. Most American Modern Orthodox men wear the same kippah continuously throughout the day. heading Where Denominations Diverge Where Denominations Diverge paragraph Orthodox: men cover the head continuously; many married women cover their hair (with a [sheitel](/glossary.xml#letter-S), scarf, or hat) in observance of the laws of [tzniut](/glossary.xml#letter-T). Conservative: men cover the head during prayer and Torah study, often continuously; women are not required to cover the head, though some egalitarian Conservative women wear a kippah during services. Reform: head covering is optional; traditional Reform actively discouraged it as “Eastern”; current Reform commonly affirms it as a meaningful practice. [Reconstructionist](/glossary.xml#letter-R): optional and increasingly common. Orthodox: men cover the head continuously; many married women cover their hair (with a sheitel, scarf, or hat) in observance of the laws of tzniut. Conservative: men cover the head during prayer and Torah study, often continuously; women are not required to cover the head, though some egalitarian Conservative women wear a kippah during services. Reform: head covering is optional; traditional Reform actively discouraged it as “Eastern”; current Reform commonly affirms it as a meaningful practice. Reconstructionist: optional and increasingly common. heading Sources Sources paragraph Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b; Kiddushin 31a; Shabbat 156b. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b; Kiddushin 31a; Shabbat 156b. paragraph [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 2:6](https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.2.6), 91:3. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 2:6, 91:3. paragraph [Mishnah Berurah on Orach Chaim 2](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Berurah.2). Mishnah Berurah on Orach Chaim 2. paragraph [What Is a Kippah (Yarmulke)? - Chabad.org](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/607780/jewish/What-Is-a-Kippah-Yarmulke.htm) — Chabad.org. What Is a Kippah (Yarmulke)? - Chabad.org — Chabad.org. paragraph [Why Do Jews Wear a Kippah (Yamaka)?](https://aish.com/why-do-jews-wear-a-kippah/) — Aish. Why Do Jews Wear a Kippah (Yamaka)? — Aish. paragraph [Women and Headcovering](https://exploringjudaism.org/women-and-headcovering/) — Rabbinical Assembly. Women and Headcovering — Rabbinical Assembly. paragraph [Why do Jews wear head coverings?](https://reformjudaism.org/learning/answers-jewish-questions/why-do-jews-wear-head-coverings) — ReformJudaism.org. Why do Jews wear head coverings? — ReformJudaism.org. heading Further Reading Further Reading paragraph Eric Silverman, A Cultural History of Jewish Dress. Eric Silverman, A Cultural History of Jewish Dress. paragraph Donin, To Be a Jew, chapter on garments. Donin, To Be a Jew, chapter on garments. essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew Who is a Jew? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew.xml essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god What Does Judaism Teach About God? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god.xml essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife.xml essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus Why Do Jews Not Believe in Jesus? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah Sukkah deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species Lulav and Etrog (The Four Species) deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah Hanukkiah (Menorah) deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah.xml Dati Leumi דָּתִי לְאֻמִּי 'National-religious' — Israel's Religious Zionist community, which joins Orthodox observance with active participation in the state and its institutions. The knitted kippah is its familiar marker. Haredi חֲרֵדִי Literally 'trembling' (before God) — describing the strictly Orthodox communities, including the Hasidic and Lithuanian-yeshiva worlds, marked by intensive Torah study and deliberate distance from secular culture. Hashem הַשֵּׁם Literally "the Name" — the everyday reverent way Jews refer to God outside of prayer, avoiding casual use of the divine names. Hasidism חֲסִידוּת The mystical revival movement founded by the Baal Shem Tov in 18th-century Eastern Europe, teaching that God can be served with joy in every act and every person. Its communities, each led by a Rebbe, remain a major force in Jewish life. going-deeper-deeper-questions-hasidism-vs-mitnagdism Mizrahi מִזְרָחִי Literally 'Eastern' — describing Jews whose families come from the Middle East and North Africa, with their own rich liturgical, halachic, and culinary traditions. Modern Orthodox Modern Orthodoxy is the stream of Orthodox Judaism that combines full Halachic observance with active engagement in general society, secular education, and often Zionism — distinct from Haredi communities that maintain greater separation from the surrounding culture. essentials-essential-judaica-kippah Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism holds Halacha as fully binding and the Shulchan Aruch as its canonical code; it spans Haredi and Hasidic communities as well as Modern Orthodoxy, and is the starting point from which this Field Guide is written, even as it engages seriously with other denominations. how-to-use-this-field-guide Reconstructionist Judaism Founded by Mordecai Kaplan, Reconstructionist Judaism understands Judaism as an evolving religious civilization rather than a fixed set of supernatural commandments, and was an early adopter of patrilineal descent and full gender egalitarianism. how-to-use-this-field-guide Reform Judaism Reform Judaism treats Halacha as a source of values and meaning rather than binding law, emphasizing individual autonomy, ethical monotheism, and tikkun olam; it was the first movement to fully recognize patrilineal descent and ordain women as rabbis. how-to-use-this-field-guide Sephardi סְפָרַדִּי A Jew whose family traces to medieval Spain and Portugal — and, in common usage, to the broader communities of the Mediterranean and Middle East that follow Sephardic law and liturgy. The plural is Sephardim. Shabbat שַׁבָּת The seventh day — the weekly day of rest from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall, marked by candle lighting, kiddush, festive meals, and rest from creative work. where-to-start-your-first-shabbat Shechinah שְׁכִינָה The indwelling presence of God — the tradition's name for divinity as near and immanent, and in Kabbalah the feminine aspect of the divine. Shulchan Aruch שולחן ערוך Literally 'the set table' — the authoritative 16th-century code of Jewish law by Rabbi Yosef Karo, printed with the Ashkenazi glosses of Rabbi Moshe Isserles. It remains the baseline reference for halachic practice. Talmud תלמוד The vast rabbinic work — the Mishnah together with the Gemara's discussion of it — that develops the Oral Torah into Jewish law and thought. It is the central text of Jewish study after the Bible itself. essentials-essential-facts-the-talmud-in-one-article Talmud Bavli תלמוד בבלי The Babylonian Talmud, completed around 500 CE in the academies of Babylonia — the more extensive of the two Talmuds and the authoritative one for Jewish law. essentials-essential-facts-the-talmud-in-one-article Torah תּוֹרָה The Five Books of Moses — the scroll at the center of Jewish life — and, more broadly, the whole of Jewish teaching. 'Learning Torah' can mean anything from Chumash to Talmud. kippah כִּפָּה The small head covering (Yiddish: yarmulke) worn as a constant reminder of God's presence above; universal among observant men, and worn by people of all genders in many communities. essentials-essential-judaica-kippah kippah srugah כִּפָּה סְרוּגָה The crocheted kippah — knitted, often colorful, and the recognizable marker of the Religious Zionist community. essentials-essential-judaica-kippah minhag מִנְהָג A custom — a practice that carries the weight of tradition in a community even when it is not strictly required by law. Minhagim vary by region, community, and family. sheitel שייטל The wig worn by many married Orthodox women to fulfill the practice of covering the hair. The word is Yiddish. shtreimel שטריימל The round fur hat worn by many Hasidic men on Shabbat, festivals, and celebrations. tzniut צניעות Modesty and dignified restraint — in dress, speech, and bearing; communities differ widely in how they apply it, but the value runs across Jewish tradition. yarmulke יאַרמלקע The Yiddish word for the kippah, the small head covering worn as a constant reminder of God above. essentials-essential-judaica-kippah parent Jewish Living /sections/jewish-living.xml related Who is a Jew? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew.xml related What Does Judaism Teach About God? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god.xml related Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife.xml related Why Do Jews Not Believe in Jesus? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus.xml related Sukkah /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah.xml related Lulav and Etrog (The Four Species) /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species.xml related Hanukkiah (Menorah) /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah.xml