A shtreimel ( yi, שטרײַמל , plural: or ) is a fur hat worn by some

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

men, mainly members of

Hasidic Judaism Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

, on Shabbat and

Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

and other festive occasions. In Jerusalem, the shtreimel is also worn by Litvak Jews (non-Hasidim who belong to the original Ashkenazi community of Jerusalem, also known as Perushim). The shtreimel is generally worn after marriage, although it may be worn by boys after bar-mitzvah age in some communities.

History

There is speculation surrounding the origin of the shtreimel. Different theories hold that it is of

Tatar The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

, Russian, or Polish origin, but it is not possible to establish a clear chronology. A common view is that the shtreimel was adapted by Jews living in Europe as a warm winter hat, possibly inspired by nobility; the shtreimel is comparable in construction to fur hats historically worn by nobles or gentiles across Europe, Scandinavia and Russia. According to the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, the shtreimel could come from a period in the 17th century when Oriental costumes were considered fashionable by the nobility of the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ...

( Sarmatism). One legend says that the initial reason for adopting the shtreimel was that the Jews were forced to wear an animal tail as a public humiliation.

Types of ''shtreimels''

Shtreimels worn by the Hasidim of

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...

, and

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...

, and Lithuanian Jews up until the 20th century were made of a large circular piece of black

velvet Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word ''velvety'' means ...

surrounded by fur. The shtreimel of Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (also known as the ''Tzemach Tzedek'') was white velvet. Hasidim originating from

Congress Poland Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It ...

wear a high shtreimel (often called a spodik). The shtreimel of the

Rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritu ...

s of the Ruzhin and Skolye

dynasties A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

is pointed upward.

Symbolism

While there is strong religious custom for Jewish males to cover their heads, from the standpoint of Jewish law there is no religious significance to the use of the shtreimel as the head covering. However, the wearing of two head coverings (the shtreimel is always worn over a '' yarmulke'') is considered to add additional spiritual merit, plus the presence of beautiful craftsmanship adds beautification and honour to the custom. Such headgear is worn on special occasions (such as Shabbat), in the synagogue, or by office-holders such as rabbis. According to Rabbi Aaron Wertheim, Rabbi

Pinchas of Koretz Pinchas Shapiro of Koretz ( he, פִּנְחָס בֵּן אַבְרָהָם אַבָּא שַׁפִירָא מִקוֹרִיץ; 1726 – 10 September 1791) was a Galician Chasidic rabbi and disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Biography He was the ...

(1726–1791) stated that " e acronym for Shabbos is: ''Shtreimel Bimkom Tefillin'' - the shtreimel takes the place of

tefillin Tefillin (; Modern Hebrew language, Israeli Hebrew: / ; Ashkenazim, Ashkenazic pronunciation: ), or phylacteries, are a set of small black leather boxes with leather straps containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah. Te ...

."Halachos V'halichos B'chasidus, p. 196 Since wearing special clothing on Shabbat is a form of sanctification, among the Hasidim of

and Hungary the shtreimel is associated with the holiness of Shabbat, a crown such as that worn by royalty, which enhances and beautifies Shabbat. Arnon asserts that the number of furs used in the manufacture of the shtreimel has some significance. Common numbers are 13, 18, and 26, corresponding respectively to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the numerical value (

gematria Gematria (; he, גמטריא or gimatria , plural or , ''gimatriot'') is the practice of assigning a numerical value to a name, word or phrase according to an alphanumerical cipher. A single word can yield several values depending on the cipher ...

) of the word for life ( he, חי), and the numerical value of the

Tetragrammaton The Tetragrammaton (; ), or Tetragram, is the four-letter Hebrew theonym (transliterated as YHWH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four letters, written and read from right to left (in Hebrew), are '' yodh'', '' he'', '' waw'', an ...

.Arnon, p.88 Contemporary ''shtreimlach'' may include higher numbers of tails. At least one maker creates shtreimelach with 42 tails, symbolizing the 42-letter Divine Name. Male Orthodox Jews can be highly conservative regarding headgear, and some traditional Jews still wear

fedora A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...

s or homburgs. Although the traditional Jewish headgear is of Gentile origin and has specific historical and geographical roots, it continues to be worn by traditional Jews even when non-Jews in the country of origin have long stopped wearing it.

Manufacture

The shtreimel is typically custom-made from the tails of Canadian or Russian

sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaz ...

beech marten The beech marten (''Martes foina''), also known as the stone marten, house marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is li ...

, baum marten ( European pine marten), or

gray fox The gray fox (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener (biology), congener, the diminutive island fox ...

. The shtreimel is almost always the most costly article of Hasidic clothing. Usually the bride's father purchases the shtreimel for the groom upon his

wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage ...

. Nowadays, it is customary in the United States to purchase two shtreimels: a cheaper version, called the ''regen'' shtreimel ("rain shtreimel"), is for occasions when the expensive one may get damaged. In Israel, due to the economic circumstances of most members of the Hasidic community in that country, the vast majority of shtreimel-wearers own only one shtreimel. The shtreimel manufacturers (''shtreimel machers'') keep their trade a closely guarded secret.Arnon p.208

References

Citations

General bibliography

* *

External links

* {{Hats Fur Hasidic clothing Hats Jewish religious clothing Jewish ritual objects Religious headgear