To the non-discerning secular eyes, one sees only hats. But a religious man will make deductions that a secular person cannot. He will notice that the scribe, the man with the glasses, is from Jerusalem. Only Yerushalmi, Rabbis, religious men and young boys from Jerusalem, wear hats like these, where the brim is stiff and is designed to stay up, where the edge is unbendable. In the 7th Generation, Chabad men began to wear the brim down and now, because of the Rebbe, all Chabad men wear their brims down, as seen in the other two hats. An article of clothing, like these hats, speaks volumes to those in the know. It communicates sect, place of origin, destination, and religious observance. These hats seem to move in unison, down through the centuries and into the streets, offering a familiar comfort and admiration to a tradition that cleaves so closely to rules, order and faith. It matters not from what country, religious order, ethnic group, race, sex or age we belong. Each of us wears clothing and accessories that define who we are and where we belong. Yet, the harshest judgment falls upon religious Jews who cling to a dress code, for reasons known only to them.
