abigail havener asked:
what is the Jewish belief about headcoverings for women during prayer and also during the regular day to day avtivities? where did this belief come from and would you consider it to be more cultural or religious in nature?
abigail havener, New York USA
The Kollel replies:
The sages derived from a verse in the Torah that it is considered immodest for married women to reveal their hair in public places (Bamidbar 5:18, Kesuvos 72a). Revealing hair in public is thus forbidden by Torah ordinance, according to our Halachic authorities. It is also forbidden for anyone to recite a blessing in the presence of revealed hair, according to the Code of Jewish Law (Berachos 24a).
Best wishes,
M. Kornfeld