Administrators of 15 chassidish Bnei Brak Talmudei Torah signed a letter stating that young bochurim will be required to wear kashkets instead of hats.
The letter, entitled: Necessary And Welcome Regulation, signed by principals of Talmudei Torah of a number of chassidish groups, states: “The shemirah of accepted Jewish levush from generation to generation is one of the foundations of chassidish groups. As part of it, it was customary to wear a small hat or kashket, and for some reason since World War II the custom of wearing a wide hat has spread and the number of kashket wearers has decreased.”
The letter continued by saying that although older bochurim learn how to take care of their hats so that they last several years, the younger bochurim who are bar-mitzvah age and still in Talmud Torah have a hard time maintaining their hats properly. Parents are then burdened with the expense of buying a new hat for their son only several months after his bar mitzvah.
“The cost of living has greatly increased and hats are expensive,” the letter states, saying that they are heeding the plight of the parents “who cannot afford the expense while kashkets are tens of thousands of shekels cheaper.”
“The bochurim will come to Talmud Torah only with a kashket on their heads and otherwise will not be allowed entry [and can wear their hats on Shabbos and Yom Tov and at simchos, etc.”].”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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25 Responses
finally, someone stands up for Tradition against the modern innovators.
Belz has this rule worldwide for more than ten years
In Belz it’s already customary for years!
I once heard that in Gur there was once that the rabbi said to the companies that sell Spodiks (like a shtreimel that the Gur chassidim wear on shabbos and YT) that if they don’t lower the prices to a reasonable rate that is affordable he will come in the next shabbos with a hat instead…. (Which means no more Spodiks..)
It’s about time the Jewish clothes should not be unaffordable…
THIS WILL DEFINITELY BRING THE GEULA!
And now the price of kashkets will soar through the roof.
Which bobov signed?
Is this what is truly important?
Is this what G*D really wants from His people?
Have they ever heard of a kipah??
This is a nice idea, but mainly because of the second idea.
The first doesn’t make much sense – people shouldn’t change from the levush, but once that change happens, that becomes the new levush.
No one goes around dressing like Moshe Rabbeinu
Before Spain the Jewish community of Babylon wore the rag hat
they should outlaw the super expensive high rise striemels too.
I think the bucheruimlech look very cute in kashketlech, they only wear it for a year however
Hopefully, this edict will gain popularity and spread to all adult men.
The Chofetz Chaim was photographed wearing a kashket.
If it was good enough for him, why not for all bochurim and men?! Including, rabbonim and roshei yeshivos!
Enough with the Italian borsalino hats and German homburg hats!!
I’m waiting for the Litvaks to have the courage to do the same thing
AAQ You’re using a product of modern innovation… The Internet
Geordie litvish originally weren’t hiveminded
most of the above commenters don’t seem like they realize it’s because the bar mitzvah boys don’t take care of it well and it’s money wasted
אשריכם ישראל that the Yeshiva cares about the families finances!
who cares
“while kashkets are tens of thousands of shekels cheaper.”
Tens of thousands of shekel?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! 10,000 shekel is about $2700 on todays exchange. A weekday hat costs in excess of $2500?!?!?!?!
Seems reasonable for a school to have a dress code that is practical and cost effective. Fancy dress at schools is a goyish minhag, and has never been part of our culture.
Also, in response to the person objecting that “while kashkets are tens of thousands of shekels cheaper.”–I suspect that the original statement was a macroeconomic statement (cost to the community as a whole) or was taking into account the most frum families have multiple children and would need multiple hats over a long time frame.
Imagine what would be their reaction at how ancient bnei yisroelim dressed like. In the desert of the Middle East there is zero need for these frocks and eastern European style hats.
seems most people agree with this approach. Maybe you, or your sons, could wear the kashket to school – and let us know the reaction. Maybe kashkets will go viral.
we will save even more money if these menahlim also start wearing these kashkets………… why are they only busy getting other people to save money, they should care for themselves as well and they should also start wearing the kashkets……….. its called control
If there is any truth to the reason: ” the younger bochurim who are bar-mitzvah age and still in Talmud Torah have a hard time maintaining their hats properly”, then a brief training session in “how to care for the hats” would solve the vast majority of that issue. But if that is not the reason, then why include the strawman argument?!
Now explain why a Bursolino costs $350?
Please explain why the shtreimel got so high? I think it a monstrosity. When will they wear flashing lights on top to avoid airplanes?