Skull Caps: The Purpose & Etymology

It is perhaps the most instantly identifiable mark of a Jewish person.

In the Western world, it is customary to remove one's head covering when meeting an important person. In Judaism, putting on a head covering (skull caps) is a sign of respect.

The uniqueness of a Jewish head covering is hinted at in the blessing that we say every morning, thanking God for "crowning Israel with splendor" (Talmud - Brachot 60b). The sources for wearing a kippah are found in the Talmud. In tractate Shabbat 156b it states Cover your head in order that the fear of heaven may be upon you. As well, in tractate Kiddushin 32a it states Rabbi Huna the son of Rabbi Joshua never walked 4 cubits (2 meters) with his head uncovered. He explained: "Because the Divine Presence (Shekhina) is always over my head." While there is a minority opinion that wearing a kippah is a commandment of the Torah, most halakhic decisors agree that it is merely a custom. The prevailing view among Rabbinical authorities is that this custom has taken on the force of law (Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chayim 2:6). From a strictly talmudic point of view, however, the only moment when a Jewish man is required to cover his head is during prayer (Mishne Torah, Ahavah, Hilkhot Tefilah 5:5).

Reasons given for wearing a kippah today include:
* recognition that God is "above" humankind;
* "acceptance" of the 613 mitzvot (commandments),
* "identification" with the Jewish people.

Some have a custom of wearing two head coverings, typically a kippah and a hat on top, for Kabbalistic reasons; the two coverings correspond to two levels of intellect, or two levels in the fear of God. The High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Kohen Gadol, also used to wear a woolen kippa under his priestly hat (Talmud Chulin 138a).

In Hebrew, the word kippah means dome, but the etymology of yarmulka is not clear. Some linguists (e.g. Max Vasmer) maintain that the Yiddish word is derived (via Ukrainian or Polish) from the Turkic yağmurluk, meaning 'rainwear'. Other linguists (e.g. Herbert Zeiden) regard this hypothesis as untenable but still believe a Turkic origin is likely, suggesting that the first part of the word may come from yarim, a Turkic adjective meaning 'half', while the second part may come from qap, a Turkic word for 'cap', 'shell', 'enclosure', or 'container'.

Traditionally, yarmulka is considered to have originated from the Aramaic phrase "yarei mei-elokah" (in awe of the Lord), or perhaps, "yira malkah" (fear of the King), in keeping with the principle that the yarmulka is supposed to reflect someone's fear of heaven.