Why do Jewish men wear black and white clothing?

Answer 1

There are two main arguments as to why many Jewish men dress in black. One is that it dates from the days when people were forced by law to dress in clothing that reflected their social rank (Sumptuary Laws) - the royalty and aristocracy wore bright colours (especially purple) to show that they were at the top and different groups below them had their own colours. Jews, who were regarded as non-citizens, wore black so that they could be immediately distinguished from non-Jews. Although this died out in most places during the 18th and 19th Centuries, many Jews - especially the very orthodox Charedim - continued to dress sombrely because of their conservative ways and it became traditional Jewish dress.

Black can also be seen as an expression of divrai yirah shomayim, a concept meaning "fearing Heaven." Orthodox Jewish life can be a very serious business and Orthodox Jews commonly take great steps to avoid what they see as the frivolities of modern life - wearing black is part of this.

Finally, many Jews - Orthodox or otherwise - dress in a traditionally Jewish manner simply to make it obvious that they are Jews. Judaism has been around for several thousand years and the Jewish people have contributed a very great deal to human knowledge and ethics, so many Jews feel pride in being Jewish.

The dreadlocks that many Jewish men have are actually sidelocks, since they hang from the temples of the head and not from other parts of the scalp as is the case with Rastafari. The Hebrew name for them is peyot or in Yiddish payes, and they are a result of the Bibilical law that states "Do not round the corner of your head, nor shall you destroy the corners of your beard," which is interpreted as meaning that we should not shave our hair.

Hats or skullcaps (known as a kippah or yarmulke) are worn due to the belief that G-d resides in Heaven, above our heads. Hence the head is covered to separate the wearer and his or her everyday life on Earth from the divine presence and to show respect for G-d.

Answer 2

In order to identify with a specific religious community. There is no religious requirement, it is one of those things where people do it voluntarily.

Answer:

While the Torah doesn't specify these colors, many of today's Orthodox Jewish men (but not all or nearly all) wear black (or dark) suits and white shirts as a style which (they feel) reflects dignity, modesty and humility.

Answer 3

It is not true that Jews wear black: it is just a sign of relevance, like how catholics have different color robes for each section of the year. Or you could even compare it to the rule that you do not wear white after Labor Day.

Answer 4

Bear in mind that there are different forms of Judaism, just as there are different forms of Christianity. Orthodox Jews favor black as a color which symbolizes their serious intentions; color is seen as a frivolity. Exactly the same idea can be found in some Christian sects such as the Amish.

Answer 5

Black is considered a color of humility and modesty. However, not all Jews dress in black, it is primarily men who belong to the Chassidic movement who do so.

Answer 6

Certain specific groups amongst the Orthodox wear the same style of clothing worn by the founders of their communities.

Answer 7

Some of them don't dress like that. Modern Orthodox Jews tend to dress like the people around them (although with attention to modesty). However, Hasidic Jews frequently do dress in black and wear long coats. The reason lies in the belief that traditions are binding if they are followed by enough generations. The Hasidic community feels strongly bound by their traditions of clothing.

Hats are a somewhat different issue: Jews have been wearing distinctive hats for at least 1600 years, and in most branches of Judaism, it is considered improper to pray bare-headed. If you keep the commandments scrupulously, you have to say little blessings hundreds of times a day, so having a hat on at all times makes good sense. This can range from a yarmulke or kippah (a beany) to a regular straw hat or fedora, to an ostentatious fur hat like the shtreimels worn for special occasions in the Chassidic community.