What's Up With the Kippah?
By Rabbi Moshe Perets
Question:
If you don't mind, I wanted to ask a question regarding the covering of the head with a kippah (head covering) or a hat. I don't mean to be disrespectful in any way. My question is: if I know covering the head recognizes that God is above me, why do I have to actually cover my head as long as I know He is above me in my heart and mind?
Answer:
Firstly, it is never disrespectful to ask a sincere question.
Wearing a kippah is a bit like wearing a wedding ring.
A wedding ring is a sign that you belong to someone. If you think of your loved one all the time, does that mean you no longer need to wear the ring? Is a ring only worn until you love each other enough not to need a reminder?
Of course not, because:
Just because you "know" that you're married, doesn't mean you won't "forget" when temptation comes your way.
The ring isn't only a symbol for the one wearing it. It also has a message for everyone else who sees it, that they should be aware that this person belongs to somebody else, so don't interfere.
If you see marriage as a burden, then you wear the ring like a ball and chain. But if you are in a relationship that is deep and real, then you wear the ring with pride, because the very existence of the ring means that there is someone out there who loves you more than anyone in the world.
The same principles apply to wearing a kippah for Noahides.
Only a very holy person could be conscious of God absolutely all the time. The rest of us need something tangible to remind us that He is always there.
It is also a way to identify ourselves as Noahides in the eyes of those around us, signifying that we "belong" to a higher set of principles and to God.
We wear it with pride because our commitment to living according to the Noahide laws reflects a deeply loving relationship with God. True love is with you all the time, and you want to tell the world!
By wearing a kippah, we express our reverence and connection to God, not only internally but also externally, sharing our values and beliefs with those around us.
If you would like to receive you too a Noahide Kippah and help other Noahides around the world to receive one as well, please help us launching this very First World-Wide Campaign printing of 500 Noahide Kippahs by making a Donation here.
Rabbi Moshe Perets is the President of the Noahide Academy of Israel, Founder and Executive Director of NoahideAcademy.org, the world’s largest Noahide informational website. He accomplished his Rabbinical Studies at the Chabad Yeshiva and his medical studies at the University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium.
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