Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims.
Ayn Rand
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
On wearing a Hat
The following qoute describes perfectly how I feel about hats:
A hat should be taken off when you greet a lady and left off for the rest of your life. Nothing looks more stupid than a hat. P. J. O'Rourke
According to @Moshe: "It's a fact that if you don't wear a hat, G-d doesn't know you're frum."
Does G-d really need to be *told* who's frum and not-frum?
First of all, doesn't G-d know everything anyway ... without sartorial "hints"?
And, second, does G-d require external "proof" that you are frum? Do the frum go into some type of ecumenical "EZ Pass" lane or cabin upgrade on the basis of how observant they are - again, requiring some type of external "badge" to denote them? All non-hat-wearing Jews are relegated to "coach" ... second-class Jews in G-d's eyes , as it were? Aren't ALL of us Jews His "chosen"?
Isn't it possible to wear a "regulation" black hat, to outwardly appear to be frum ... but to behave in a manner that is anything but frum? Is the hat "fooling" G-d into believing that someone is a type of person that their behavior belies?
I'm certainly NOT disrespecting or denying anyone's right to wear a hat if covering their head is part of what/how they believe ... but I am honestly questioning whether G-d requires this type of "proof" of one's observance to KNOW that person is, indeed, observant. Or a "good" person, for that matter.
The N@zis required Jews to label themselves; everyone who happened ro pass a "labeled" Jew on the street would immediately know that they were walking past a Jew. It was a very effective way to marginalize (not to mention target) our people, and to make them "other" (in the most negative sense of that concept). I'm assuming, though, that G-d was able to identify the N@zi-era Jews - even without "benefit" of those badges. If you (general "you") know what you believe in, and your family and your religious community know what you believe in, and you are comfortable with/invested in those beliefs ... then why would you question whether G-d is aware of the kind of person you are and the sincerity of your beliefs, as well???
And "a ski hat is not a hat" (per @Moshe)?? It may not be a hat that denotes particular religious beliefs. But if it's not a "hat", what the heck is it then? Covers the head and conforms to its shape? Check. Keeps the head warm and dry? Check. Some ski hats even have a brim, so there goes that qualifier, if that's a deal-breaker for you. If it quacks like a duck ...
5 comments:
It's a fact that if you don't wear a hat, G-d doesn't know you're frum.
huh uh... if you wear a black ski hat, God won't know if you are frum.
And that's why a ski hat is not a hat.
According to @Moshe: "It's a fact that if you don't wear a hat, G-d doesn't know you're frum."
Does G-d really need to be *told* who's frum and not-frum?
First of all, doesn't G-d know everything anyway ... without sartorial "hints"?
And, second, does G-d require external "proof" that you are frum? Do the frum go into some type of ecumenical "EZ Pass" lane or cabin upgrade on the basis of how observant they are - again, requiring some type of external "badge" to denote them? All non-hat-wearing Jews are relegated to "coach" ... second-class Jews in G-d's eyes , as it were? Aren't ALL of us Jews His "chosen"?
Isn't it possible to wear a "regulation" black hat, to outwardly appear to be frum ... but to behave in a manner that is anything but frum? Is the hat "fooling" G-d into believing that someone is a type of person that their behavior belies?
I'm certainly NOT disrespecting or denying anyone's right to wear a hat if covering their head is part of what/how they believe ... but I am honestly questioning whether G-d requires this type of "proof" of one's observance to KNOW that person is, indeed, observant. Or a "good" person, for that matter.
The N@zis required Jews to label themselves; everyone who happened ro pass a "labeled" Jew on the street would immediately know that they were walking past a Jew. It was a very effective way to marginalize (not to mention target) our people, and to make them "other" (in the most negative sense of that concept). I'm assuming, though, that G-d was able to identify the N@zi-era Jews - even without "benefit" of those badges. If you (general "you") know what you believe in, and your family and your religious community know what you believe in, and you are comfortable with/invested in those beliefs ... then why would you question whether G-d is aware of the kind of person you are and the sincerity of your beliefs, as well???
And "a ski hat is not a hat" (per @Moshe)?? It may not be a hat that denotes particular religious beliefs. But if it's not a "hat", what the heck is it then? Covers the head and conforms to its shape? Check. Keeps the head warm and dry? Check. Some ski hats even have a brim, so there goes that qualifier, if that's a deal-breaker for you. If it quacks like a duck ...
mm, you're a moron. Let me introduce you to a novel and exciting concept called a joke. All the cool kids are doing it!
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