This is very true - but isn't that what a kippa (skull cap) is for - as the
MB (Mishna Berura - Halachic commentary written by the Chofetz Chaim) says
it is Midas Chassidus to wear a kippa to keep a constant reminder of The
One Above? There is no halacha (law) (to the best of my knowledge - if I am
wrong please point me to the appropriate siman and seif in SA) that says
that one must wear a black hat in respect and fear of the presence of
Hashem. If I remember correctly the MB (and I have one right in front of
me) does say "BIZMANENU" (in our time - ie. when he wrote this 100 years
ago approx) one should wear a hat during tefillah as he would when walking
in the street and not just wear a kippa as this would not be respectable to
stand in such a manner (ie - without a hat) before an Adam Chashuv
(important person). The reason given is not because this is the respectable
way to stand before G-d. The reason is because this is the respectable way
to stand before an important person - IN THOSE TIMES. If nowadays the
custom is not necessarily to wear a hat in the presence of important
people, I would presume there would be no need to wear a hat during prayer.
Those of us who do wear hats, I would assume do it more out of habit and
dress code. It seems the yeshivishe world has kept this custom alive and
has adopted it as its dress code. BY NO MEANS does this fact make it a
halacha that one MUST wear a hat during tefilla (Prayer - ie. shemona
esrai). Correct me if I am wrong.
As an aside, I'd also like to remind Michael that there is
<<strength in diversity -- not just strife. Hashem divided us into twelve
tribes for a reason!>>
Agreed. Again, if I remember correctly R' Wolbe says in his book, Alei
Shor, a definitive work of mussar written in the modern day, that it is a
terrible thing when people just go along doing what everybody else does
without thought and understanding. People need to be individuals and have
their own niche specifically in frumkeit issues (the name of the chapter he
wrote this in is called "Frumkeit").
Rafi
gldmeier@actcom.co.il