Kippa comments

Regarding “Reclaiming the kippah,” by Hen Mazzig, from the Friday, July 13, I read with great interest about the reasons why Mr. Mazzig is wearing a kippah. He left out the most important reason, which has nothing to do with pride. It symbolizes modesty, that we are not the masters of the universe, there is a higher power – whatever we call it. RUTH SCHUELER Jerusalem

Mr. Mazzig is to be applauded for desiring to proclaim identification as a Jew by wearing a kippah. There is just one teensy problem. His totally secular life sort of conflicts with the meaning and message that a kippah conveys.

A Jewish man wears a kippah or hat (or both, in some circles), covering his head, as a sign of modesty and humility, proclaiming his recognition of a higher intelligence. The human brain, the most able and intelligent of the animal world, is still subservient to G-d’s, the omniscient One. Why don’t women have to wear one? In a nutshell, women inherently have a closer connection to G-d, and don’t need such reminders (kippah, tefillin etc).

Mr. Mazzig’s statement “I am not a religious Jew. I do not keep Shabbat, I eat non-kosher food .... ” do not go hand in hand with the idea that G-d knows better.

True, he is a Jew, and true, he does have free choice whether to keep the Torah or not. I just want to point out what wearing the kippah implies, besides being a member of the tribe.

As for the Rabbinate, yes, there are flaws, but their focus is to keep Am Yisrael, the Jewish People, as holy, for lack of another word, as can be. That includes marriage according to Jewish law, public places and the army being kosher, and preventing public Shabbat desecration.

In the spirit of the Nine Days, when we mourn the destruction of the two temples, among other tragedies, caused by gross violations of the spirit of Torah law, and baseless hatred, I pray that Mr Mazzig’s wish that the Kippah will unite all Jews comes true. BATYA BERLINGER Jerusalem