What’s the Truth about . . . Wearing Leather on Yom Kippur?
Misconception: It is prohibited to wear leather items, such as a leather belt or yarmulke, on Yom Kippur and Tishah B’Av.
Fact: Only leather shoes are prohibited on Yom Kippur and Tishah B’Av. One is permitted to wear belts, yarmulkes, jackets, or other items made from leather. Some authorities prohibit all “protective footwear,” even if there is no leather component.
Background: A cursory search of the web reveals that several websites feature this misconception. In fact, there are five innuyim (self-inflicted discomforts due to abstinence) that must be observed on Yom Kippur (see Vayikra 16:29, 31; 23:27, 29; Bamidbar 29:7) and on Tishah B’Av, as enumerated in the Mishnah (Yoma 73b and Taanit 30a) and Codes (SA, OC 554, 612–615). One of these innuyim is ne’ilat ha’sandal—the prohibition of wearing “shoes” (OC 554:16; 614:2).1
Certain individuals are exempt from this prohibition, such as postpartum women (Mishnah Yoma 8:1), those who are ill or have wounds on their feet (OC 614:3), and midwives (Ohr Someach, Hilchot Shevitat Asor 3:8), among others (OC 614:4, based on Yoma 78b). Parents should initiate children to this innu’i from a young age (Yoma 78b; OC 616:1; Rambam, Hilchot Shevitat Asor 3:7; Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Shraya Duvlitzki, cited in Rabbi Moshe Harari’s Mikra’ei Kodesh, Chanukah, pp. 136–141; see the dissenting opinion of Rabbi Shalom Messas, ibid., p. 147).2
Three different halachic definitions of “shoes” are offered (cited by Ran in Yoma 78b)3 with respect to this prohibition: The Ba’al Hama’or opines that any “protective footwear,” even those not made of leather, are regarded as “shoes”; Rashi limits the definition to footwear made of leather or wood.4 The Rif and Rosh rule that footwear made of material other than leather are not considered “shoes.” These opinions are based in large part on the Talmudic discussion (Yevamot 101-102) of how to define a shoe for the purpose of chalitzah and on various Talmudic stories involving shoes (Yevamot 102b). The Gemara notes that several Amoraim wore non-leather shoes on Yom Kippur (Yoma 78a–b), and rules per the Mishnah (Yevamot 101a) that cloth shoes are not halachically considered shoes.
Normative halachah maintains that “shoes” refer to footwear that includes leather, even a small amount.5 Accordingly, footwear made only of cloth (e.g., sneakers) or any other material may be worn on Yom Kippur.6 But, as noted, there is an opinion that any “protective” footwear is prohibited. According to the Rambam (Hilchot Shevitat Asor 3:7), innu’i implies that one must feel the ground and sense that he is barefoot.7 The Bach (OC 614) testifies that several of his teachers would walk completely barefoot on Yom Kippur, and he ruled accordingly. However, the Magen Avraham and Taz write that the generally accepted custom is to permit non-leather shoes. The opinion that prohibits any protective footwear is also cited by the Sha’arei Teshuvah (OC 554: 11) and the Kaf Hachaim (OC 554:72). The Sha’ar HaTziyun quotes the Chatam Sofer that when walking in the street on Yom Kippur one should wear thin shoes so as to feel the ground and sense that he is barefoot. The Mishnah Berurah (614:5) concludes that if possible, one should follow the strict opinion in this regard and not wear protective shoes.
Contemporary authorities such as Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (Shoneh Halachot 614:3) and Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch (Moadim u’Zemanim 6:28), following the lead of the Gra (Moadim u’Zemanim, vol. 8, addendum to 6:28),8 recommend following the strict opinion when possible.9 Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, the chief rabbi of Ramat Gan, similarly rules that one should not wear plastic shoes that resemble wood in their protective nature.10 He observes that permission to wear sneakers was due to the fact that they were not as comfortable as leather (a factor for the Rif) and that one can sense the ground when wearing them (a factor for the Rambam). However, Rabbi Ariel prohibits wearing on Yom Kippur a non-leather shoe that one wears all year long, which is as comfortable and protective as leather shoes (as evidenced by the fact that one chooses to wear it regularly). He recommends wearing non-leather slippers, or similar footwear, through which one feels the ground beneath his feet. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo, Moadim, 5:17) disagrees, noting that our custom is to permit all non-leather shoes, even if they are comfortable, as today we are “istinisim” (fastidious).11
In the Torah, shoes often symbolize one’s material essence, his physical connection to the terrestrial. In striving for a purer state of spirituality on Yom Kippur, one removes his shoes similar to Moshe’s doing so at the burning bush (Shemot 3:5, see Kli Yakar), Yehoshua outside of Yericho, the kohanim in the Temple,12 and anyone ascending Har Habayit (Mishnah Berachot 9:5) today.
Clearly, there is no general prohibition against wearing leather on Yom Kippur. The five basic prohibitions do not even specify a prohibition against wearing leather shoes. They do include a proscription on wearing “shoes,” which according to the normative halachah is defined as leather shoes.
Notes
1. The early authorities debate whether the innuyim other than eating and drinking are of Biblical or rabbinic origin (e.g., Ran; Smag [Aseh 32]; Rambam [on Mishnah; Shevitat Asor 1:4–5 and Maggid Mishnah]; Tosafot; Tur [OC 611]). The Talmud (Yoma 77a) derives from the statement about King David in II Samuel 15:30, and the meaning of yachaif in Jeremiah 2:25 that going barefoot is an innu’i.
2. Regarding these laws, Tishah B’Av is usually similar to Yom Kippur. However, see Iggerot Moshe, YD 1:224 that a child of chinuch age, i.e., one who understands the Churban, may not wear leather shoes, but younger children may. The Chachmat Adam 152:17 rules that even older children who understand the Churban may wear leather shoes. Many though take the stringent position and maintain that even very young children shouldn’t wear leather shoes (Sha’ar HaTziyun 551:91).
3. See also Aruch Hashulchan (OC 614:2–4) for an overview of the opinions.
4. Rashi elsewhere states that a na’al (shoe) is “something that protects” (Yevamot 101a).
5. Shulchan Aruch, OC 554:16 and 614:2 following the Rif, Rosh, and Tur. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef (Yalkut Yosef, Moadim [5748] p. 90) permits wooden clogs with a leather strap.
Although in this regard the accepted halachah is that “shoe” is synonymous with “leather shoe,” that may not be true for all halachot. For example, the SA (OC 4:18) requires one to wash hands after removing one’s shoe, and Rabbi Yitzchak Nissim, a former Israeli chief rabbi (1896–1981; Yein Ha’tov 1:13), discusses whether washing is required also for merely touching one’s shoe and whether the halachah applies to all shoes.
6. One must be careful not to mistakenly wear sneakers with leather sides.
7. Yalkut Yosef (ibid.) permits non-leather shoes because the ground can be felt through them.
8. There are divergent opinions with regard to the Morning Blessing “She’asah li kol tzarki” as it relates to thanking G-d for shoes (Tur, OC 46). Many Ashkenazim have the custom to recite the berachah on Yom Kippur (MB 554:31 and Sha’ar haTziyun 554:39), while many Sephardim (Kaf Hachaim 554:78; 613:10; Kaf Hachaim Pilagi 46:17) and the Gra (Ma’aseh Rav) maintain that the berachah should not be said on Tishah B’Av or Yom Kippur. Among those Ashkenazim who do not say the berachah, many say it Motzaei Yom Kippur and Motzaei Tishah B’Av when they put on leather shoes.
9. See Torah Lodaas, vol. 3, pp. 50-53. For those who argue that non-leather shoes are not halachically considered shoes, there is the possibility of violating the prohibition of carrying on Shabbat. The Ramban (commenting on Shabbat 66a) raises this question. The Ran (Yoma 2b, s.v. u’mihu) justifies the standard practice of wearing non-leather shoes publicly on Yom Kippur by asserting that since they are standard attire on Yom Kippur, they are not a “burden” and may be “carried” on one’s feet.
10. Shu”t B’ohala Shel Torah 2 (5760), 291–293.
11. He does say (ibid. 5:16) that non-leather shoes that look like leather shoes should be avoided because of marit ayin.
12. Kohanim not wearing shoes during Birkat Kohanim is an unrelated matter (see Aruch Hashulchan, OC 128:11-12).
Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky is a professor of neuroscience at Bar-Ilan University in Israel.