When should I not wear a Yamaka? (Kippah)?

Question

Hi, I'm twenty years old and I have just given myself over to Judisim full heartedly. I was told by my older brother, who also converted long before me that wearing a yamaka is a sign of honoring god and humility, thus you can(should) wear it all the time.

Recently a lady came into the place where I worked and said she lived in a jewish community, and wearing a yamaka, or Kippa while working was disrespectful as it was not a place of worship. Is this true? I am still new to this and the last thing I want to do is offend someone. If so (or even if not) When should I not wear a Yamaka?

Answer 1

Orthodox Jews wear their Kippah any time they are not lying down to sleep. It is next to my bed and gets put on first thing in the morning. It is the taken off when I finish saying the bed time shema just before I go to sleep. Other than that- it only comes off when I go swimming, shower or bath. Anyone telling you it is disrespectful to wear a kippah outside of a place of worship is probably abysmally ignorant. (Alternatively they are a Sephardi Jew who has never met an Ashkenai jew, but that is highly unlikely in the modern world outside of the Jews trapped in Arab countries).

As for a non-Jew wearing a kippah- well, there is no need, and while not disrespectful (it is pretty standard that when non-Jews come to a synagogue or Jewish burial they put on a kippah) many have an issue with it a a daily item of clothing seeing it as trivialising it. And, until you have had a proper conversion, you are considered a non-Jew.

Answer 2

Yamakas

Answer 3

One may wear a kippah when in the presence of God which is always and everywhere.

Answer 4

If you had ACTUALLY converted to Judaism, you would know the answer to your question because it is something extremely basic and simple in taking the lessons for converting. You would have learned this the first day, and been doing it ever since. The study is about a year long.

Obviously you did not convert. So, to answer your question, When should you wear a yarmulke? The answer is: When you are a Jew because you actually converted.

EDIT: And by the way, the woman who came into your business and told you its disrespectful to wear a yarmukle is either antisemtic or ignorant. It is NOT disrespectful, and many Jews wear their yarmukles at their places of employment, especially Orthodox Jews.

Answer 5

Please, check this link

http://www.aish.com/literacy/mitzvahs/Kippah_A_Blessing_On_Your_Head.asp