Any orthodox Jews out there? I have a question.

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scapularkid8

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I saw a lot of Orthodox Jews in JFK Airport in New York and I was curious as to

1)Why you wear black suits
2)What are those tassle things hanging off your pants?
3)What’s a yamika for?
4)Why do you shake back and forth when you pray?

I don’t mean any disrespect by these questions, I really am curious. Thanks
 
  1. The black dress shows the seriousness of their prayer or piety.
  2. The things hanging are from the prayer shawl that they are wearing.
  3. The hat is to always cover the top of the head so as not to offend God.
  4. I dunno, maybe the guy had a nervous condition.
I hope this helps.
I am not Jewish.
 
Either it’s from the tassels of the prayer shawl hanging down around their neck , or they also wear a special belt or just a regular belt to show the seperation of the top half of the body from the bottom when they are praying. It’s all about showing respect to God. You can’t fault them for that!
 
scapularkid8 said:
I saw a lot of Orthodox Jews in JFK Airport in New York and I was curious as to

1)Why you wear black suits
2)What are those tassle things hanging off your pants?
3)What’s a yamika for?
4)Why do you shake back and forth when you pray?

I don’t mean any disrespect by these questions, I really am curious. Thanks
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Disclaimer: I am not, nor have I ever been, an Orthodox Jew, but I think I can help shed some light on your questions.
  1. faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/05-Worship/section-43.html
    askmoses.com/article.html?h=175&o=158
  2. The tassels are called tzitzit, fringes on the corners of a special small prayer shawl called the tallit katan. The tzitzit are a reminder of the mitzvot, the commandments.
    askmoses.com/article.html?h=150&o=140
  3. It’s a yarmulke or kippah. It’s to cover the head as a sign of respect during prayer. Orthodox Jews have very specific prayers for an astounding multitude of occasions during the day.
    jewfaq.org/signs.htm gives more on questions 2 and 3 (scroll down to the appropriate subject heading)
  4. the swaying is called shokeling in Yiddish, here’s much more about it. You will also come across the term “davening” or “davenning” which means praying.
    ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/891201_Shokeling.html
    askmoses.com/article.html?h=579&o=1667248
 
“There is no special significance to the yarmulke as a specific type of head covering. Its light weight, compactness and discreteness make it a convenient choice of head gear. I am unaware of any connection between the yarmulke and the similar skullcap worn by the Pope.”

I aked my grandpa who is a Deacon if the Catholic skull cap comes from the yamika and he said it does! There’s a neat Jeapordy fact to remember…Now I want a yamika!!

Also the tzizit is what I saw hanging out of pants everywhere. Even non-Orthodox Jewish pre-teens had them (which surprised me that a kid my brothers age would be showing any sign of religious conviction!).
 
Our Bishop also informed us that his cap is decended from the Jewish skullcap.
 
KarenNC said:
Well, here’s what the Catholic Encyclopedia says about the tradition in the Catholic Church
newadvent.org/cathen/15765b.htm
(basically that it wasn’t common until the 13th century, and doesn’t mention any connection with the Jewish headcovering.)
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It’s quite clear thought that that’s where it came from…isn’t it? It’s not just coincidence that they’re worn in the same place, they’re the same size, and both must be worn at all times (except the Canon and Benediction).
 
scapularkid8 said:
It’s quite clear thought that that’s where it came from…isn’t it? It’s not just coincidence that they’re worn in the same place, they’re the same size, and both must be worn at all times (except the Canon and Benediction).
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Well, Moslems also have similar size and shape headcoverings that they wear in their mosques too. Sometimes a banana is just a banana, and the fact that a banana has the same size and shape (roughly) as a cucumber and that they’re both foods IS just a coincidence 😃

I think the point is if it came from Judaism the Catholic skullcap would have been worn right from the very beginning of Christianity, which it wasn’t. The fact that it didn’t begin as a custom for Catholic clergy for over a millenium is enough on its own to show this.
 
Note to everyone:

Don’t believe that modern day “Judaism” has ANYTHING to do with the religion practiced by the Apostles.

It doesn’t.

Modern day Judaism is an invention of the 1st through 11th centuries.
 
I don’t think that comment has anything to do with the original questions I asked…

I’m sure it’s very different and your point is credible, but this forum thread wasn’t set up for discussing that.:o Sorry if I sound rude, but I just don’t want the thread to get off track.
 
scapularkid8 said:
I don’t think that comment has anything to do with the original questions I asked…

I’m sure it’s very different and your point is credible, but this forum thread wasn’t set up for discussing that.:o Sorry if I sound rude, but I just don’t want the thread to get off track.
Click to expand...
It actually does have some connection, in that it is important to know in understanding many Jewish customs and teachings that there was indeed a dramatic shift after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Judaism was a Temple-based religion, revolving around making sacrifices in the Temple, that was now faced with surviving without the Temple. The emphasis shifted to daily home practice, study of the Torah, public prayer replaced Temple sacrifices and the rise of the importance of the synagogue. Without these changes, it is unlikely that the religion would have survived the diaspora.

infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0859078.html

aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_35_-_Destruction_of_the_Temple.asp

It is, however, just as fair in my mind to say that the Catholic Church of today is not identical to the one of the Apostles or to the one of the Middle Ages. One could not understand the current Church if one were not aware of the Council of Nicea, for instance, or Vatican II. Same institution, and the core remains the same, but practices have changed somewhat over the years in some areas.
 
I am an orthodox practicing Jew, but I do not claim to be an expert nor major authority. I will try to answer your questions to best of my knowledge.
  1. Black Suits: these tend to be worn by specific sects, usually those on the more right ie conservative side of Judaism, rather than the modern orthodox or more middle stream. They originate in Eastern Europe esp Poland and Lithuania.Black is a faoured colour as it is demure and not loud or ostentatious. it is also the most common colour worn in Eastern Europe during 17 - 20 centuries when many jews lived in these regions. It has to do with the same reason business men wear suits, it gives the wearer a sense of decorum. When one is in the presence of Gd, one is in the presence of a King and must dress and behave accordingly. This is reflected in the clothes one wears.
  2. The tassels ‘hanging from your pants’: the law comes from Numbers Chp 15 verses 37-41 where men are commanded to wear tzitizit (literally strings) on the corner of the garments throughout the generations. The reason given in these verses is that so the men will remember all the commandments of Gd and to perform the commandments and to be holy. This is a Torah (bible) commandment
3.Yarmie/yarmulke: is the skull cap worn by males. The rabbis instituted this practice quite a while after the destruction of the 2nd Temple by the Romans. The reasoning is the same as that of wearing tzitizt… As women are considered on a higher spiritual plane than men, and are also exempt from any time based commandment, women are not obliged to wear tzitizt or the yarmie.
  1. Moving backwards/forwards: the yiddish term for this is ‘shochling’. There is no religious significance to this practice. It is not done intentionally, but usually when one is concentrating on the prayers, the movement, for me, comes quite naturally. Almost like a meditation or ‘dancing’ to the prayers. For some people, it helps them to focus on the silent and individual prayers.
I hope this answers your queries.

Now I have a question for you. Why did you post a jewish question on a Catholic site? Why not go to a Jewish site such as Aish.com or Chabad.org or Isralight and get answers from Jewish authorities. I bet I am the only Orthodox Practicing Jew on this site. Your questions prompted me to register
 
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