Rabbi Raymond Apple

BLACK HATS & BEING UNKEMPT

Q. Why do some Chassidim wear black and look untidy?

A. Looking untidy does not go with the territory. The rule in halachah is that a “talmid chacham” must be neat and clean without a speck on his clothes.

Whatever colour a person’s clothes are, an orthodox Jew must not bring the Torah into disrepute by looking dishevelled. Some Chassidim are scrupulous with their appearance; others are not.

But the same applies to non-Chassidim too. Even the long black coats, which are often viewed as a Chassidic practice, with or without a shtreimel, are not limited to Chassidim, nor are they intrinsically Jewish.

The long coats are probably part of a dress code in the colder parts of Europe; the black colour may derive from the black clothes imposed by the Caliph Omar in the 7th century and by Pope Innocent III in 1215.

The problem is not whether one wears a particular colour but whether one is scruffy and unkempt. The orthodox may sometimes need reminding of this rule, but so do the non-orthodox. The latter also need to be reminded of the rules against immodest dress, especially amongst women.

RE-CONVERSION

Q. My mother was born Jewish but married a gentile, and I was baptised and, as a child, was brought up as a Christian. I now want to be recognised as a Jew out of conviction. Do I need to re-convert?A. Because of your maternal background you are Jewish according to Jewish law.

But the matter is complicated by the fact that you were officially received into Christianity and practised it (though you do not tell me whether you have followed the Christian faith in the years since your childhood).

Therefore your acceptance of Judaism needs to be confirmed by means of immersion in a mikvah and a declaration of acceptance of the Torah.

In the first instance, you should consult an orthodox rabbi and follow his advice. It is unlikely that any obstacles will be placed in your way.

In fact, the return to Judaism that you seek is bringing an increasing number of people back to the Jewish fold.

If all or even most of the people in your situation re-asserted their Judaism, both they and we would be immensely strengthened.

Rabbi Raymond Apple served for 32 years as the chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia’s oldest and most prestigious congregation. He is now retired and lives in Jerusalem where he answers interesting questions.