National costume of Jews: history, description and interesting facts. Jewish national costume

The national dress of Jews is always eye-catching and seems old-fashioned to many. And this is not surprising, because representatives of this nationality have not changed their dressing habits for two centuries. And for several millennia, their national dress has gone through many metamorphoses.

The heyday of the state and clothing

In the national costume of the Jews of antiquity there are many elements that were borrowed from other peoples. This fact is due to historical reasons - at that time the clothes of the Jews were more reminiscent of the clothes of Arab nomads. When the Jews moved to the other side of the Jordan, they remained simple in their everyday life. Despite the fact that the first ruler of the Israelites, King Saul, was not distinguished by a penchant for luxury, it was during his reign that the clothes of the Jews began to be distinguished by wealth, brightness and variety. This fact was influenced by the booty that Saul brought from military campaigns. After the king was killed, David took his place. During his reign, the national costume of the Jews became even richer and more varied. Decorations began to be used everywhere.

Borrowing from other cultures

David loved to surround himself with luxury and wealth, the time had come for the rise of the Israeli state. The clothes of the wealthy members of society are becoming especially luxurious. However, after a time of uprising and civil strife, stability in the country was undermined, and Israel fell into two parts. First, the Assyrians ruled Judea, and in 788 AD. e. - Babylonians. If you examine what the Jews of those times looked like in the national costume, you can see in their dress many elements characteristic of the decoration of the Assyrians. At the time of the "Babylonian captivity", the clothes of the Jews practically did not differ from the clothes of the Babylonians. Later, it will change more than once under the influence of Roman and Greek cultures.

Men wore a woolen shirt under the bottom, and linen upstairs. The sleeves could be either long or short. A belt was always worn. For noble people, this element of clothing was made of wool or linen fabric, embroidered with gold, and also decorated with precious stones and buckles. The lower classes wore belts made of leather or felt.

Outerwear

Outerwear of wealthy Jews was divided into two types. After Israel was freed from Babylonian captivity, the Jews began to wear knee-length clothing with sleeves that flared open in the front. The decoration of such caftans was notable for its richness. In the cold season, red caftans with fur trim were popular. At the waist, the clothes were decorated with a buckle. At its corners were attached brushes, which were called "cises". There was also a special element of the Jewish national costume - an amice, which could be single or double. Double consisted of two strips of fabric, which were sewn in a special way - so that the seam was only on the shoulders. Both pieces of cloth descended evenly from the back and front. This amice was one of the most important attributes of the clothing of priests and was called the ephod.

Robe of the Jews

A description of the national costume of the Jews would be incomplete without a consideration of the women's wardrobe. Before the reign of Solomon, even Jews from wealthy families used simple clothes, such as those worn by women in ancient times. With the beginning of David's reign, things began to be sewn from transparent fabrics brought from different countries - Egypt, Phenicia, India and Assyria. The material was expensive, and therefore only women from wealthy families sewed outfits from it. Clothes were usually long, with many folds. To create a slouch, the elements of the dress were pulled together with various buckles.

The wardrobe of Jewish women from wealthy families consisted of several items of outer and lower clothing. It became especially bright and luxurious when King Solomon came to power. The lower garment was to the very toes and was trimmed with beautiful trims along the edges. It was worn in combination with expensive belts. To go out, another dress was worn over her - dazzling white colors, with wide pleated sleeves. The belt was also decorated with precious stones and gold. Sometimes instead of a belt, wide sashes were used, to which small bags with gold embroidery were attached with the help of gold chains. Outerwear, as a rule, were bright purple in color or embroidered with patterns. It could be sleeveless or swinging with sleeves.

Hats

Most often, the subject in which the students are asked to pick up a photo of the national costume of the Jews is "The World Around". However, sometimes such a task can be obtained at home and in history or cultural studies. One can prepare well for any of these subjects if one examines the national dress of the Jewish people in as much detail as possible. To get a high score, it is also necessary to consider what hairstyles and types of headdresses were adopted by the Jews. On the web or in textbooks, you can find many pictures of the national costume of the Jews. “The World Around” is not the most difficult subject, and it will not be difficult for young students to prepare for it with excellent marks.

In the lesson, you can also mention the fact that only young men used to wear long hair. In middle-aged men, it was not customary to grow hair. In later stages of history, even those young guys with long hair came to be regarded as effeminate. For both men and women, baldness was considered a shame.

Beard

Interestingly, trimming the beard was prohibited by law. Just like the Assyrians, the Jews were respectful of this element of their image. A beard was considered a sign of wealth and dignity. It was also believed that only free men could wear it. The beards were carefully looked after with the help of oils and a variety of incense. It was considered the most serious insult to cut off someone's beard. But if a relative or close friend died, the Jews had a custom to pull out their beards or even cut them off completely.

Hair

The story about headdresses will well complement the description of the national costume of the peoples. Jews from the common people wore headscarves on their heads like the Arab ones or simply tied their hair with a cord. Wealthy Jews wore sleek headbands in the form of turbans. Women from wealthy families wore nets decorated with pearls on their heads, over which a veil was usually thrown around the whole body. Long hair was often woven with a string of pearls, precious stones, gold and corals. Women have always carefully looked after their hair - thick hair was very much appreciated. The braids ran down the back, and sometimes twisted around the head. Rich young girls often wore curls.

The costume of the Jews in the second half of the 19th century

If you look for images of the national costume of the Jews (pictures for children can be found both on the corresponding theme portals, and in special books), then you can find two especially important elements of the Jewish male costume. Shawls and hats are traditionally considered the main attributes. The shawl is worn during prayers and is made in two colors. One uses white and blue, the other uses white and black. The edges of the shawl are complemented with tassels. The outer clothing of the Jews consists of a caftan, a cloak and a long robe. Black is generally preferred. Long strands of hair, side locks, and beards are often present in the appearance of the Jews.

Clothes of a woman of the same time

Old Believer women usually dressed in dresses of a special cut, with the help of which the shape of the female body was well emphasized. Ruffles, lace and folds were common elements of the dress. The puffy sleeves at the wrist were fastened with a button. In their shape, they resembled a ram's leg, which is why they got such a name. The stand-up collar was also decorated with frills and tightly wrapped around the neck. Several rows of lush lace ran along the hem of the woman's dress. The skirt was straight in front, and gathered in a pleated train at the back. If you look at a female figure in a traditional dress in profile, then from below it will look like a slide, one side of which is steep and the other is flat. At the waist, women wore a belt made of the same material as the dress itself.

Bale

What national costume of the Jews would be complete without a special yarmulke hat? Otherwise, it is called "kipa". This is a traditional Jewish headdress. Kipa in the Jewish tradition symbolizes modesty and obedience to the Almighty. It looks like a small cap that covers the top of the head. It is worn both separately and under a large hat. Sometimes the kippah is attached to the hair with hairpins. The tradition of wearing a yarmulke goes back to the days when hats were an obligatory attribute of divine services. The Torah instructs the ministers of the temple to cover their heads. Some Jews began to wear the cap all the time. With this, they wanted to show that all their actions are aimed at serving the Almighty. The point of wearing a hat is to demonstrate that a Jew realizes the greatness of God and values his wisdom even above his own head.

Men clothing

Sometimes schoolchildren are given an assignment to describe the national costumes of the peoples of Russia. Jews are one of the most numerous diasporas in the country. Their number is about 254 thousand people. According to some estimates, about 20,000 more did not indicate their ethnicity during the census. Today, the most characteristic elements of the Jewish wardrobe are dark coats and trousers, as well as light shirts. Tourists who come to Israel are sometimes surprised to see crowds of Jews in identical black and white suits.

Women's suit today

Women also dress modestly, preferring dark or subtle shades and adding elements of white. Even for hot weather, a women's suit is made of dense fabric. Short or long skirts are regarded as a sign of promiscuity, so the average length is up to mid-calf. Shoes are usually without heels. Jews rarely wear makeup or jewelry, and married ladies wear headwear.

Even among religious women, there are those who prefer to dress beautifully, however, all the rules of decency are observed - no necklines, necklines or miniskirts. The manner of dressing in expensive things has been inherent in Jews for a long time. Even very wealthy men dressed more than modestly, while their spouses wore lush outfits. But even Jews with modest incomes, according to tradition, had to buy beautiful and expensive clothes for their wives. This is the modern national costume of the Jews. The pictures (for children, such illustrations are the best visual aid) often depict simplified traditional attire, so you can use the photos from this article to get an idea of the historical clothing of the Jews.

The national dress of the Jews sharply distinguishes them from the crowd, it seems to many to be ridiculous and old-fashioned. And not surprising, because the Jewish costume and their manner of dressing have not changed for over 200 years. In fact, over several millennia, their costumes have gone through many changes in cut, color, use of fabrics. In ancient times, Jews dressed in light clothes, and dark clothes appeared in the Middle Ages, after they went into exile, and not because of mourning, but because then in Europe everyone dressed like that.

Their clothes did not differ in color from the costumes of other peoples, but they always had a special cut and distinctive signs, because often the rulers of the countries where Jews settled carefully, so that they stood out from the indigenous population. Decrees were constantly issued regarding the clothing of the Jews. The modern national Jewish costume resembles the clothes of dandies and representatives of the nobility, very fashionable in the century before last.

The most typical Jewish wardrobe items are yarmulkes, dark coats, trousers, hats, belts, and white shirts. Those who, in amazement, watch the passing crowds of Jews dressed in the same old-fashioned black and white costumes. Moreover, you can often see such a combination as a black top, a white middle (a long white shirt protruding from under a frock coat or vest) and a black bottom.

Women who follow their folk religious traditions also dress discreetly, in dark or light dull clothes with the addition of white (blouses, etc.). Women's Jewish costume, even for hot weather, is sewn from heavy, dense fabrics. Skirts are mid-calf length because skirts that are too short or too long are considered indecent. The length of the sleeves should not be higher than the elbow, and the cut should not be below the collarbone (even a small neckline is unacceptable). Despite the intense heat, tights or knee-highs are worn. Shoes are preferred without heels. No makeup or jewelry. Married women wear headdresses (most often headscarves tied in a special way) or wigs.

Also, among religious Jewish women, many prefer to dress brightly, elegantly, use cosmetics and jewelry, while observing all the rules of decency - no neckline, short sleeves and skirts. In general, the manner of dressing in expensive beautiful clothes has been inherent in Jewish women since ancient times. Even very wealthy Jews always dressed modestly, and their wives wore the most expensive outfits. But even Jews with a modest income, according to tradition, had to buy the best clothes for their wives.

You can see different national women's dance costumes. Flared dresses made of bright satin fabrics of knee-length, highlighted at the waist with belts of a contrasting color or with dark vests, necessarily - hats (scarves), often of the same fabric as the dresses. Another option: lush dark, bright, plain or plaid knee-length flared skirts, white blouses, scarves, aprons, often decorated with embroidery or lace, always with dark belts. In the photo, see the stage Jewish costumes.

Of course, many Israelis nowadays dress in ordinary modern clothes. But in stores you can always buy any national Jewish costume. There are more than 40 types of hats alone. The most common of them are "yarmulkes", which can be silk, velvet, knitted, small and large, flat and pointed, of four, six or eight wedges. They are worn on their own or worn under other hats. And of various hats of different shapes and styles, there are only basic types -34 (!). They testify to the status of the owner and his belonging to a particular religious community.

This is how the chic hamburg hat is worn by Jews who occupy a high position in society. Ordinary Jews wear kneich hats with curved brim and transverse or longitudinal creases. Hats "droplets" are similar to "kneich", but without the bends of the brim and creases of the crown. They are made of felt. Expensive luxurious Samet hats are made of dark velor, reminiscent of short fur. On especially solemn occasions, Hasidim wear wide hats "streiml" made of sable and fox fur, which have a cylindrical shape, are low and high. In fact, it is a "yarmulke" trimmed around with fur. See some of them in the photo.

Other articles of clothing indicate the status of a Jew and his belonging to a particular religious community. So, for example, the wider the belt, the higher the status of the Jew. Only Litvaks wear ties. Most other Jews experience "tie-phobia" due to the fact that the knot takes the form of a cross during the tying process. On Saturdays, Jews change their short coats to long ones, which are called tailcoats. They have no pockets, and at the back they have deep cuts and two buttons each in place of the tabs. All men's clothing is fastened like women's clothing from right to left. The starboard side, a symbol of severity and wisdom, is superimposed on the symbol of evil and vicious desires - the left one.

Most Jews wear regular trousers. But some, for example, the Hungarian Hasidim wear short trousers with dark golfs, which are tied below the knee with laces. On holidays, they wear white knee-highs. Gur Hasidim tuck regular-length trousers into black knee-highs. All Jews have the same shoes - black, with a low rise, no laces, with blunt noses.

From outerwear, dressing gowns, hoods, and bekesh are also common. For everyday life, there is a black long hood with a button closure, tied with a hartle (belt) of black silk threads. The round lapels of the hoods testify to the conservatism and commitment of the owner to the old traditions. Sharp lapels indicate a bold outlook on life. Black satin robes embroidered with a black pattern are intended for the holidays. They are also worn with a belt. On top they wear black bekesh - satin raincoats with two pockets. Yeshiva robes made of plain fabrics are worn on weekdays.

Now about the clothes.
A must-have is a quadrangular cape with a hole for the head and four tassels around the edges. The cape itself, called (small tallit) or arbekanfes can be hidden under clothing, or can be worn over a shirt, but the brushes are always straightened over the trousers. In its four corners tsisis threads are threaded - brushes wound up by the Torah.

Talite katan is usually made of white wool with black stripes. But there are pure whites.

It happens that among the eight strands of the brush, one or two are blue. This is most likely a Radzin or Izhbitsky Hasid. The story is this: the secret of making theylet, a blue paint that is obtained from the chilozon mollusk, was lost about 2000 years ago and was rediscovered by Rabbi Gershon-Khanokh from Radzin. His theylet paint recipe was not accepted by most rabbis and came into use in only a few communities.

The Sephardim and many Hasidim have not one but two holes at each corner of the tallit katan. In addition, on some hands, in addition to four (double) obligatory knots, you can see from 13 to 40 small knots on the turns of the thread. On this basis, you can also distinguish between members of different communities.

In this way white bedspread, like a poncho called.
And mind you, I'm not telling you about folk costumes that have sunk into oblivion, they really wear it all!

I personally do not distinguish Hasidim from Litvaks and Sephardim. By the way, the latter are also very similar in clothing. The only thing that Litvaks wear neckties... But there are also Ruzhin Hasidim, who can also be seen in ties. True Hasidim are all with beards who never shave or even cut. But Litvaks take care of their facial hair, trim, trim. There are also Litvaks without beards.

Traditional Jewish men's clothing is tailcoat or frock coat... Litvaki on weekdays can wear blazers... Hasidim wear hoods(rackle), which also naturally have differences. For example, lapels can be pointed or rounded. Or instead of the usual three buttons - six (two rows of three), as it happens with the Satmar Hasidim.

In general, outerwear is somewhat more diverse, in addition to the hoods, there are also bathrobes, bekechi(bekesh), zhugshtsy(jube), etc. And all this is necessarily black.

Dressing gowns- clothes for special occasions: festive silk, embroidered in black on black, a tish robe for festive dinners, a yeshiva robe made of the cheapest fabric without lining - for classes in a yeshiva or koylele.

On Shabbat and Yom Tov, many Hasidim wear a special black satin cloak - Becche.

Both the bonnet, the frock coat, and the Hasid's robe must be tied with a belt woven from black silk thread or fabric. A braided belt can be a smooth ribbon - open gartl, or a tape rolled longitudinally into a double tube - closed gartl... Open gartles are worn by Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian Hasidim. Closed - Hungarian and Romanian.
By the width of the gartl, one can recognize the social status of the Hasid. The rabbis and dyonyms will wear a belt wider than ordinary artisans and merchants. But this rule does not apply to Belz, Gers and some other Hasidim.

Now trousers... Everything is simpler here. They can be either regular, or up to the knee - ealb-goyen... Short trousers are worn by Hungarian Hasidim, they tie a pant leg with a string under the knee and put on black knee-highs - zokn... Sometimes on holidays in some communities it is customary to change black socks for white ones. Garskiye Hasidim generally tuck ordinary trousers into knee socks! This is called "Cossack" knee-highs ( Cossack-zokn).

All this is unusual (to put it mildly) and is very eye-catching on the streets. Each time I grabbed the camera and immediately stuffed it back into my bag, who knows how peaceful they are. And in general it is indecent to photograph civilians, I personally would not be happy in their place.

I got the information on the website toldot.ru, and pictures on the Internet

And now I propose to guess who is in the pictures and what kind of clothes they are wearing :)

UPD: and this guy seems to say FIG GUESS :)

Tafilalet region, Morocco, first half of the 20th century
Cotton and silk, silk-thread embroidery
Gift of Baroness Alix de Rothschild, Paris
Gift of Musée de l "Homme, Paris

Women "s Dress

Sweden (originally Germany), 1850s
Silk taffeta, silk velvet, cotton lace
Lent by Judith Goldstein, née Hoffmann, Stockholm, Sweden

Baby "s coats

Wedding outfit

Sandor, Iraqi Kurdistan, 1930s
Raw silk, silk-thread embroidery
Purchased through the gift of Joseph Boxenbaum, Herzliya

Right: Henna dress

Iraq, Baghdad, 1891
Silk satin weave, silk and lace ribbons, tinsel embroidery
This dress belonged to Dakhla Rachel Mu`allem, Baghdad 1880-Teheran 1960, married at the age of 11.
Dakhla fled to Iran in 1948; when her children escaped Khomeini "s regime for London, they took the dress with them.
Gift of Dakhla "s daughter, Naomi Inbar, Ramat Gan.

Left: Wedding dress

Iraq, Baghdad, 1880s
Brocaded silk, silk ribbons, tinsel embroidery, hand sewn
Gift of Mazli F. Iny, New York, in memory of her mother Mas`uda Mathalon

...............
Modesty in the eye of the beholder
Although emphasizing the breast, these dresses were nonetheless considered a symbol of female modesty. In 1906, Rabbi Yosef Hayyim, one of the leaders of the Baghdad Jewish community, even criticized women who abandoned this modest style in favor of open-coat dresses.

Clothes of Rabbi Hayyim Moshe Bejerano Efendi

Turkey, early 20th century
Broadcloth, gilt-metal-thread couched embroidery
Gift of Diamant Baratz Béjarano and Arnaldo Béjarano, Courbevoie, France

"The Great Dress" (berberisca or al kesswa l "kebira)"

Fez, Morocco, early 20th century
Silk velvet, gilt metal cords and braided ribbons
Gift of Perla Ben-Soussan, France Gift of Armand Amselem, France

Woman's coat

Bukhara, Uzbekistan, late 19th century
Brocaded silk; lining: silk and cotton, ikat-dyed

...............
Explosion of Color
An The dizzying colors of ikat displayed here highlight the clothing "s inner lining and give importance to often unseen parts of the garment. Due to its strong smell, the use of ikat was initially considered repugnant, and was exclusively a Jewish practice; however as the process was perfected it came to be a highly esteemed specialty.

Jewish woman "s wrap (izar) and face veil (khiliyye)

Baghdad, Iraq, late 19th - early 20th century
Silk, gilt metal thread; veil: horsehair
Gift of Helene Simon and Hanina Shasha, New York, in memory of their mother, Louise Zilka née Bashi
Gift of Mazli Nawi, Ramat Gan

...............
The most famous of the Baghdad workshops belonged to master weaver Menashe Yitzhak Sa "at, nicknamed Abu-al-Izan (" father of the izar ") due to the fabric wraps in which he specialized. One year after Sa" at immigrated to Israel , the izar industry in Baghdad came to an end.

Jewish woman "s wrap (chader) and face veil (ruband)

Herat, Afghanistan, mid-20th century
Cotton, netted silk-thread embroidery
Purchased through the gift of Dr. Willy and Charlotte Reber, Valbella, Switzerland

Mourning scarves

Uzbekistan, early 20th century
Silk, reserved dye printing

Woman "s attire

Mashhad, Iran, early 20th century
Silk, silk velvet, cotton satin, gilt-metal-cord embroidery
Purchased through the gift of Bruce Kovner, New York

...............
From Paris to Persia
When Quajar Shah Nasir al-Din and his wife embarked on a journey to Europe in 1873, they were inspired by the "ballerina" skirts they saw in Paris. Upon returning to Iran, they brought with them a new style of dress, characterized by heavily-pleated short skirts and tight pants

Tunis, Tunisia, early 20th century
Satin silk, gilt-metal-cord embroidery, cotton-thread embroidery on tulle

Women "s Festive Attire

Tripoli, Libya, early - mid-20th century
Wrap: Artificial silk; Blouse: Chiffon silk; Belt: Gilt silver
Gift of Louise Djerbi, Jerusalem in memory of Luly Raccah
Gift of Lionelle Arbib in memory of his grandmother Ida Arbib née Nahum Lent by the Habib family, Milan

Bridal jacket

Isfahan, Iran, early 20th century
Silk velvet, silver tinsel embroidery

Married Woman "s Outfit

Salonika, Greece early 20th century
Silk, brocaded and ribbed, cotton lace
Gift of Esther Jeanne Haelion Ben-Susan, Paris in memory of the mother Gracia,
Gift of Flora and Shlomo Perahia, Claire and Robert Saltiel, Paris, in memory of their mother Rivka Perahia née Cohen
Gift of Vicki Sciaky, Tel Aviv, in memory of her husband Haim Joseph and her son Joseph Haim Sciaky,

Who can name the main feature, how the Jews differ from other peoples? National dress. Its description will be presented to your attention in the article, since it is the clothes that always distinguish the Jew from the crowd.

Jews are the people of the West Semitic group, akin to the Arabs and Amharians (Ethiopians). Yes, no matter how strange it may seem, the Arabs and Jews who are always at war and dislike each other are close relatives, much like the Russians and the Poles.

However, religion, culture in general, and clothing in particular, these peoples are not at all similar. The traditional clothes of the Jews are very colorful and distinguish the representatives of this nation from the crowd. To people modern and far from religion - and the way Jews dress is entirely based on religious beliefs - it may seem ridiculous and somewhat old-fashioned, "anachronistic". What does the national costume of the Jews look like? Black frock coats, hats, belts - these items of Jewish costume have become the "visiting card" of a real Jew. Slightly less famous is the yarmulke - a round cap. However, these are far from all the details of the Jewish wardrobe. What does the national costume of the Jews look like? The photo in the article shows us the image of a real Jew, dressed according to all the rules of his people.

Jewish ideology in clothing

The Jewish peoples have their roots in antiquity. Over the centuries, they have constantly changed, and the reason for this is the desire of the Jews to disguise themselves (after all, in many countries they were forbidden to live at all or were allowed to settle in strictly designated places) or to assimilate. The latest trend appeared at the beginning of the 19th century: educated representatives of the Jewish people decided to change their traditional attire for European clothing; they began to dress in the fashion of those times - this is how those long black frock coats and hats came into Jewish use. Later, this style was "mothballed" and became one of the variants of the "traditional Jewish" attire, while in the rest of the world it went out of fashion.

But this transformation has a certain meaning - national, ideological and even religious. Its principle is reflected in a common joke. Allegedly, at the beginning of the 19th century, one of these educated Jews approached the rabbi, who seemed to be the keeper of ancient piety, and, deciding to "pin him", asked: "Rebbe, what was our forefather Abraham wearing?" The rabbi calmly replied: “My son, I don’t know what Abraham was wearing — a silk robe or a shtreimla; but I know exactly how he chose his clothes: he watched how non-Jews dress and dressed differently. "

Indeed, the Jews strove to be different from all other peoples and did this with greater fanaticism than all other Eastern peoples. The pagan religion of the Jews still stubbornly refuses to be called "paganism" (although, strictly according to science, only the Jewish faith can be recognized as real "paganism", since it practically did not undergo confusion with foreign cults).

Jewish music, cooking, behavior, clothing - all this should always be different from the environment, but exactly how it should look is the tenth thing. Even kashrut - a list of culinary (and not only) dogmas - is interpreted by many Orthodox Jews only in this way: "Kashrut was introduced in order to distinguish a Jew from a non-Jew." Likewise with circumcision ...

Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the Western European costume of the beginning of the nineteenth century is now officially considered traditional Jewish clothing. The national costume of Jews in Russia may seem like something strange and unusual, but of a different people that must be respected.

Ermolka

This is the same beanie. Jews from the former USSR are used to thinking that its name is derived from the Russian name Yermolai. But when they come to Israel, the locals explain to them that the cap is so called from the expression "yere malka" - "fearing the lord." That is, wearing a yarmulke, in theory, means that its owner deeply and sacredly believes in God.

How to choose a yarmulke?

Choosing a yarmulke is not as simple a task as it seems to the uninitiated. In Israeli stores, they are sold like ordinary hats - yarmulkes of various sizes, materials, colors and styles are laid out on the shelves. However, which one the buyer chooses depends on the characteristics of his religion and mood. For example, Hasidim do not recognize velvet and knitted yarmulkes. A religious Jew acquires a hat of the same style that is worn in his community. This is also a reflection of the principles of Judaism: to outside observers, it seems to be a monolithic, uniform cult, but in fact it is divided into dozens of currents, differing in dogmas, rules, clothing, etc. Relations between many currents are far from friendly.

Cape

The national costume of the Jews includes a cape. In Hebrew it is called tallit katan or arbekanfes. Like the yarmulke, this is also an obligatory attribute of the Jewish costume. It is a piece of quadrangular cloth with a hole for the head and four tassels (tzitzit) along the edges. The cape can be worn under clothing or worn on top, like a shirt, but the tassels are always placed over the trousers. Each brush has eight strands. Here, too, there are elements characteristic of certain currents of Judaism.

The most interesting and even mysterious part is one (there may be two) thread in the brush, painted in blue. It means that the owner of this cape is a Radzin or Izhbitsky Hasid. There is a legend about the origin of such threads. It is believed that blue dye - "theylet" - was present on Jewish clothing in ancient times, but two thousand years ago the recipe for its preparation was lost. At the end of the 19th century, the Hasidic rabbi Gershon-Khanokh received theylet again, but his recipe was not recognized by the majority of the Jewish community as "the same" paint. Therefore, this theylet remained only belonging to the indicated Jewish movements.

In fact, attempts to restore the ancient recipe and obtain theilet have been suggested by many Western and Jewish scholars since the Middle Ages. Archaeologists who have studied the remains of ancient factories and modern chemists have also contributed to this matter.

Tzitzit, according to religious canons, should be worn by all men who have reached the age of 13. This means coming of age (bar mitzvah). Wearing brushes indicates that the boy is already able to take responsibility for his actions and participate in the affairs of adults, including reading and discussing the Torah in the synagogue.

"Casket" and hat

The national costume of the Jews must include a headdress. Every religious Jew is obliged to wear a yarmulke. However, it is usually hidden under a second headgear. It can be a hat, a hat or a "cassette" (aka "dashek") - an old-style cap. The latter is especially popular among Russian and Polish Jews, including the Hasidim.

But the most famous is the traditional one. It is worn by Jews on weekdays. Do not think that all hats are the same: by its appearance, you can tell even more about the personality of its owner than by the passport. The size of the hat, its position on the head, the nature of the crease and other elements indicate to which trend of Judaism the owner of the hat belongs and even what social status it has.

Streimble

Streimble is the third type of headdress that is included in the national costume of the Jews. But it is only common among the Hasidim. Streimble is a cylindrical fur hat. There are also more than two dozen types of them. At the same time, three large groups are distinguished: the strimble itself - wide and low, of the correct form; Chernobyl is simply low, more free-form; and spodik - a very high fur hat. Streimble Hasidim are worn only on special occasions - on Shabbat, for weddings and other holidays, during a visit to the rabbi. There are also types of strimble that are worn only by the heads of communities.

Tie and beard

There are elements of clothing that are only recognized by some Jewish communities. One of them is a tie. It is the prerogative of the Litvaks only. But the Hasidim fiercely hate ties; they explain this by the fact that the first action in tying a tie is tying a knot in the shape of a cross. Anything connected with the cross, a zealous Jew is supposed to hate.

The other part of the "clothing" is the beard. Some Jews go clean-shaven, others trim their beards neatly, but the Hasidim generally do not recognize any modification of the beard, so they have the thickest and blackest beard among all Jews.

Tailcoat

What else can be included in the national costume of the Jews? In some communities (for example, among the Litvaks) such an old-fashioned by European standards element of wardrobe as a tailcoat has been preserved. It is also black, long and has no pockets. Interestingly, the buttons on the tailcoat (and on any Jew) are fastened so that the right floor covers the left - that is, from the point of view of a non-Jew, "like a woman." The Jews wear a tailcoat, as a rule, during a holiday.

What does the national costume of the Jews look like? The photos in the article clearly demonstrate to us a colorful and unusual style of clothing for a simple European. This may seem strange to many, but this is why Jews are special. They are firm in their views and faithful to their customs. And these features would not hurt every nation!