Page 104 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

102 · Hilchot Chukot Hagoyim Tzurba M’Rabanan

Walking Without a Head Covering

Another halachic discussion related to the question of chukot hagoyim is the question of whether walking
with one’s head covered (for men) is an absolute halachic requirement or an act of piety. Concerning this
subject, the Shulchan Aruch writes as follows:

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 2:6 ו:ב ח״וא | ע״וש . 27

It is forbidden to walk in an upright fashion and one should תומא 'ד ךלי אלו ,הפוקז המוקב ךליל רוסא
not walk four cubits with an uncovered head. .שארה יוליגב

Rav Shalom Mashash interprets this as an absolute requirement, but Rav Ovadia Yosef concludes that it is
only a midat chasidut (act of piety) based on the formulation of the Shulchan Aruch.

p Responsa Yechaveh Daat 4:1 א:ד | תעד הוחי ת"וש . 28
…Similarly, it can be proven from the words of the Shulchan ןמיס( ךורע ןחלשב ןרמ ןושלמ חכומ ןכו…
Aruch (2:6): “It is forbidden to walk in an upright fashion, אלו ,הפוקז המוקב ךליל רוסא :)ו ףיעס 'ב
and one should not walk four cubits with an uncovered head.” ליחתהש ירה .שארה יוליגב תומא עברא ךלי
He began the sentence with the language of prohibition but אלש םייסו ,הפוקז המוק יבגל רוסיא ןושלב
concluded [by stating] that one should not walk four cubits ןושל ספת אלו ,שארה יוליגב תומא עברא ךלי
with an uncovered head without mentioning the word םולש יבר ג"הרה ונדידיש יפ לע ףאו …רוסיא
prohibition… even though our colleague Hagaon Rabbi
Shalom Mashash… was inclined to explain the opinion of the ףסוי תיבה ןרמ תעדש רמול וק הטנ …שאשמ
Beit Yosef as prohibiting walking with an uncovered head as …שארה יוליגב תכלל ןידה ןמ רוסאל
actual law…

In addition to the above consideration, the Taz writes that in our times, it is prohibited to walk without a
head covering due to the prohibition of chukot hagoyim.

a Taz, Orach Chaim 8:3 ג:ח ח״וא | ז"ט . 29
It seems to me that there is an absolute prohibition for a ונייהד רחא םעטמ רומג רוסיא שיש יל הארנו
different reason. That being, since it is now a practice among ןכ ןישועש ם"וכעה ןיב וישכע אוה קוחש ןויכ
the gentiles that they always remove their hats as soon as they עבוכה םהילעמ ןיקרופ ןיבשויש ףכית דימת
sit down. If so, this would be included in the prohibition of “do וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבו ללכב ללכנ הז ןכ םאו
not follow their statutes.” How much more so regarding this הרומ שארה יוסיכד םעט שיש הז קוחב ש"כ
practice, which has a reason that covering one’s head illustrates רתוי הזב ומצע קיחרי יאדו …םימש תארי לע
a level of fear of Heaven… a person should certainly distance
himself from this more than their other practices. םהיתוקוח ראשמ

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