Page 105 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ םיוגה תוקוח תוכלה · 103

The Mishna Berura quotes and rules like the opinion of the Taz.

a Mishna Berura 2:11 אי:ב | הרורב הנשמ . 30
…There are those that hold that even [walking] four cubits רוסא וניא א"ד וליפאד רמול ןידדצמש שיו…
is not prohibited according to the strict letter of the law; only בתכ רבכ לבא ןהישעמב ןיעונצהל קר אנידמ
for those who are pious in their actions. However, the Taz רומג רוסיא ונינמזבד 'ח ןמיסב ןמקל ז"טה
has already written below that in our times, it is completely ותיבב בשוי וליפאו שארה יוליגב תויהל אנידמ
prohibited to have an uncovered head, even if one is sitting in .אנורב י"רהמ תבושתב בתכ ןכו םעטה ש"יע
one’s home, see there for his reason. This is also the opinion of
Rav Yisrael Berona.

Despite the ruling of the Mishna Berura, whose rulings are often accepted as halacha by Ashkenazim, Rav
Moshe Feinstein argues that in our generation, all would agree that there is no prohibition of chukot
hagoyim in this case because head coverings are not worn primarily for reasons for comfort rather than
because of a specific intentional practice:

p Responsa Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 4:11 אי:ד ד״וי | השמ תורגא ת"וש . 31
It is clear, in my humble opinion, that even a matter that בשחנ יאדו אוהש המ ףאד ד"על טושפ הנהו
is definitely a chok (statute) of the gentiles, if it is a matter ןישועש ןניזחש רבד אוה םא ,ם"וכעה קוח
that we see that all gentiles do, including those who have no יכייש אלש הלא םג ,םירכנד אמלע ילוכ ןכ
connection to their religion or traditions, and they do so for ןכש םעטמ ,םהיתוקוחלו םתנומאל ללכ
the reason that it is more comfortable for them, in such a הז לע אכיל רבכ ,םתאנהל אמלעל אחינ רתוי
case there is no longer a prohibition of not following in their םאש טושפ םגו .וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבד רוסיא
statutes. And it is also clear to me that if the gentiles would
make a law for their idol worship that one should eat good ןימ הזיא לוכאל םהלש ז"על קוח ם"וכע ושעי
and fitting foods, we would not prohibit the consumption of אלש – הליכאל םיוארהו םיבוטה םירבדמ
such a type of food. Similarly, it is not logical to prohibit any האנה לכ ןכ ומכו .הליכאל ןימה ותוא רסאי
enjoyment in the world because the gentiles made it a chok. ם"וכעש ליבשב רסאיתש ךייש אל ,םלועבש
Hence, this reasoning also applies to sitting with an uncovered .קוחל הז ושע
head, as it is known to everyone that even gentiles that לכל עודיש ,שארה יוליגב הבישיה םג אליממו
aren’t associated with the Christian religion, and even ,םירצונה תנומאל יכייש אלש םירכנה ףאש
atheists, sit in their houses and go out in the summer with םיבשוי ,רבד םושב םינימאמ ןיאש ולא ףאו
an uncovered head, for it is more comfortable for them. שארב המחה תומיב תוצוחב ןיכלוהו םהיתבב
In such a case it is not appropriate to prohibit this based אל ,ןפוג תאנהל והל אחינ ןכש םושמ הלוגמ
on the prohibition of “do not follow their statutes.” [This אל םהיתוקוחבד ואלה םושמ הז רוסאל ךייש
would be true] even according to the Taz… And there is
no more definitive knowledge [that it is permitted] than הזמ הרורב העידי ךל ןיאו …ז"טהל ףא ,וכלת
this, that all the people of America and Europe walk and ־ רוי תונידמ ןכו אקירעמא ישנא לכש ןיעדויש
sit in their homes and offices with no head covering, ־ סיפא( םידרשמבו םיתבהב ןיבשויו ןיכלוה אפ
which is for their comfort and not due to any belief in ־ שב אלו םתאנהל קר אוהש ,הלוגמ שארב )סע
some type of idol worship. Only in the times of the Taz ז"טה תומיב קרו .ז"ע הזיאב הנומא הזיא ליב

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