Hats off to Decorum II

As promised, here is part two, and this problem is even worse. I davened recently in a beautifully built new shul. They actually have rules posted on the Amud as to what the chazzan has to wear, and how to pronounce the words. ( nothing on getting them right, just which Ivrah to use). One of the requirements is a jacket and hat.


So ostensibly, the requirement for the hat can be gotten around by wearing a talis over the head, something done every morning by (most) married men in the world (my apologies to those of the German persuasion). Therefore, for a married man to do so at Mincha or Maariv would not be so bad.


However, to have an unmarried boy do this, while preferable to not wearing a hat, is not ideal. I mean, if the boy is not required to daven, just get someone else who is properly attired to do so.


Well, in this case, as we prepared to daven maariv, a boy gets up to daven with NEITHER A HAT NOR JACKET ON. True, he put on a talis, but of course, like any teenage, her started fooling around with it over his head and then off.


Had this been a mizrachi type shul in eretz Yisroel, where hats and jackets are not worn, and do not take away from the sanctity of the shul and the Tefilla, that would have been fine, but this is an Ashkenazic shul in America that HAS A RULE POSTED AS TO THE DRESS CODE. If you are going to post he rules, in order to enforce a decorum in the shul that you obviously know your congregants don't have the sense to understand on their own, you might as well enforce it, otherwise, what is the point of having it?????

I did a little more research into this, and apparently this kid davens often, and only puts on a hat and jacket when the rabbi is there.

The implications of this, and how a shul must repect itself, shall be covered in the next post

Hats off to decorum

You know, it isn't all about the Bochurim not having a clue. Unfortunately, the basis for their actions comes from parents, teachers and mentors, as well as a general lack of concern from the masses. let me explain.

The issue of young men wearing their hats back with the brims up is one that gets my goat for some reason. I think it has to do with the fact that when I was a kid growing up, out of respect one wore his hat forward with the brim down. After shul, when walking on a hot day, the hat might be pushed back a bit, but that was all. You never saw anyone walking with their brims up.

Now you go into shuls and you see some, not all, Rebbeim, Rishei Yeshiva and Yeshiveshe Youngeliet with their hats back. Sometimes you even see some Balle Battishe men who want to identify with the youth doing the same. I think they look ridiculous and childish as well, but the real point it, it s a lack of respect for the shul, the community, and themselves.

If you wear a uniform, wear it well and wear it proudly. an untucked white shirt sort of defeats the purpose, and a hat at a jaunty angle, with an unkempt undressed look does no good for the image or the persona you are trying to impart or emulate. I think it is terrible that this has been allowed to go on.

An even bigger problem is when the hats are worn this way at the Amud, then it is an unforgivable offense to the shul, Tzibbur and the One you are davening in front of. A person would not go into his boss looking unkempt like that, much less a person in power, so why do these people feel that they can do it in front of G-d?

In my perfect world, these kids ( and adults) would not be allowed to lead. Once I told a kid to put his brim down. He refused. I have never asked him to daven again.

However, this problem has a flip side as well, and that shall be addressed in our next post.