Kittel - Jewish Ritual Wear

Kittel - Jewish Ritual Wear

Kittel with Lace - Jewish Ritual Wear

Kittel with Lace - Jewish Ritual Wear

Tallism, Kittels, Silver Atarah, Gatels, Blacks Hats and Jewish Ritual Wear

Kittels for Yom Kippur

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Kittels can be worn on Passover

On Passover, it is traditional for the man leading the Seder (Passover meal) to wear a kittel. In this context, the kittel represents release from bondage to a life of freedom.

Jewish Ritual Wear: Kittel

Wearing White

Many have a custom of wearing white clothing on Yom Kippur in emulation of the ministering angels. Some people wear a kittel, a white robe worn over the clothing. Because it is similar to the burial shroud, it serves to remind us of man's mortality and the need for teshuvah. The kittel should not be decorated with gold, for gold recalls the sin of the golden calf and that which was a source of prosecution for the Jew cannot be transformed into a defender. It is permissible, however, to decorate the kittel with silver, for silver is close to white, symbolizing purity and mercy.

It is a tradition in all Jewish communities to wear a large tallit on Yom Kippur evening. The white of the tallit also serves to suggest purity and mercy.

The story is told of a great righteous man who stood before the congregation one Yom Kippur eve, and addressed his fellow Jews, who were all clad in white garments and wrapped in their white tallitot.

My brothers and sisters, children of Israel! Take to heart that it is in white garments like these we are wearing now, that we shall ascend to the World to Come to be judged and give our accounting before the King of all kings, the Holy One, blessed is He.

Let us then imagine that we are standing in this clothing before the Throne of Glory to be judged and give our final accounting. We should have true remorse, for one who stands before the Throne of Glory is truly remorseful. But, my brothers and sisters, repentance does not avail after death-only now does it avail! Let us truly regret all our sins and accept upon ourselves that we shall sin no more, and let us ask the King who grants forgiveness that He grant us orgiveness and atonement.

Kittel

A kittel (Yiddish: קיטל;, robe) is a white robe worn on special occasions by Ashkenazi Jews. In western Europe this garment is called a Sargenes. The word Sargenes is related to the Old french Serge as well as Latin Serica. The term has mainly fallen out of use in modern times.

The kittel, or sargenes, is worn on the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is also used as a burial shroud, providing simple dress that assures equality for all in death.

The wearing of a kittel on the High Holidays is symbolically linked to its use as a burial shroud, and, to the verse "our sins shall be made as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18)

According to many traditions a bridegroom wears a kittel on his wedding day. Many Jews also wear a kittel when leading the Passover Seder. In some communities, the cantor wears it during certain special services during the year, such as the first night of Selichot, the seventh day of the Holiday of Sukkot (also known as Hoshanah Rabbah), the Musaf prayers of Shemini Atzeret and the first day of Passover, where the prayers for rain (Tefilat HaGeshem) and dew (Tefilat HaTal) are respectively recited.

The white color is said to symbolize purity, which partly explains its use during weddings. It is also felt to signify unity with the bride (who also wears white) and the beginning of a new life together.