Why is the yarmulke so important?

Answer 1

The custom originated as a way of reminding oneself that God is above

Answer 2

Wearing a kippah (a.k.a. yarmulka) is a custom which goes back for over 2000 years and is mentioned in the Talmud. It symbolizes the awareness of God's presence.

Answer 3

It's not really important. It's just a hat. There is a Jewish tradition that a Jewish man should cover his head when he says a blessing. There's a tradition that a Jew should say 100 blessings per day, so it's traditional to wear a little hat all the time. As a result, hats and Jews have been associated with each other for well over 1000 years, and the kippah or yarmulke has come to be a symbol identifying a person as Jewish.

Answer 4

It is traditional for Jews to cover their heads during prayer. This is not a biblical commandment, but merely a tradition so old that it is considered binding. Because the Jewish tradition requires Jews to say small prayers tens or even hundreds of times per day, many observant Jews wear kippot at all times. The kippah has also become a badge of membership in Jewish society, and there is even something of a "kippah code" in some places (Israel, New York City) where the style of kippah you wear signals what kind of Jew you are.

Answer 5

Jews traditionally cover their heads when saying a blessing -- any hat will do, but a kipah is a nice small one that doesn't get in the way of other activities and can be worn at all times. The Jewish tradition asks Jews to say many blessings a day, so many Jews wear a kippah at all times, while others go bare headed except when making blessings. This tradition appers to have emerged in Talmudic times -- it is not a biblical commandment. Nonetheless, wearing a kippah has become a way for Jews to publicly proclaim their Jewishness, something of a tribal marker. There are even kippah codes -- in some communities, the style of kippah a person tells what group within the Jewish community they align with.