I think if a Jewish person wears his head covering ALL THE TIME, i guess that would be Hasidic jews (who would not become a freemason anyway) it would be fine to wear in lodge as its something they wear like we wear shorts and pants.
But if your a jewish man and ONLY wear it to the synagog out of respect of your holy temple then it should not be worn in lodge as freemasonry is NOT a religion.
Just how i feel about it. But thats me and not the law or rule.
Just a couple of notes:
A:Hasidim are a very small percentage of Observant Jews who wear yarmulkes all the time. They are a tiny minority sect among the larger orthodox community.
B: Neither Hasidim, other orthodox, or any Jewish man who wears his all the time wears it as he would wear shorts and pants. I would guess that most people do not wear shorts and pants to show humility before God (though maybe some do -what do I know).
C: A synagogue is not a "holy temple". There were two Holy Temples, both in Jerusalem, the first built by King Solomon, the second destroyed by Rome. A yarmulke is worn in a synagogue because there is a Torah scroll there, prayers are said there, and scripture is read there.
True Freemasonry is not a religion, but that has no bearing on whether a Jewish man would wear a yarmulke. I don't wear one to work, or a ball game, or to the movies. I do wear one anywhere I go where there is prayer said, or scripture read, or scripture studies - except when visiting a church - as a guest, I follow the traditions of the host, just as non-Jewish men visiting a synagogue prayer service are asked to wear a yarmulke.
In my lodge, I am not a guest, my yarmulke is a functional object, not a religious article (see an earlier post), prayers are read, in some cases scripture is recited, and a Bible sits on the altar. My practice of Judaism therefore requires me to show humility to God by covering my head. And my Lodge has no issue with it.
I don't expect to change anyone's mind, but I would note that the issue with a yarmulke is not because it is so thing religious, but simply because it is a question of having one's head covered. Since I seem to remember so thing from my EA degree saying that nothing in Freemasonry would be be a problem when it comes to my responsibility to my family, faith, or country, I am not surprised that is is not an issue in my lodge.
Lastly, I would suggest that it should either be allowed or not, without any attempt by a
Lodge to to assess or judge the religious requirements of its members. I trust my Brethren to be sincere in their religious practices, and I certainly wouldn't presume to judge their understanding of what is religiously required, or choose which sects and denominations are more or less acceptable, authentic, or sincere.
The last thing I will says that if I were a guest at a lodge I was visiting, I would ask the WM beforehand. If he were not comfortable with it, I would not wear it. My discomfort as a guest would be trumped by his potential discomfort as host. There is a Jewish concept called Shalom bayit, which literally translates as "peace of the house" but basically means keeping harmony. Compromises can be made for the sake of Shalom bayit, and different people feel that there are different extents to which compromise can be made for harmony's sake. For me, I will go uncovered as a guest in a lodge for the sake of maintaining harmony. It makes me uncomfortable enough, however, that any lodge I am a member of would be one that allows a yarmulke.
Sorry for the ramble.
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