David Schoen unwittingly gave Twitter a lesson in orthodox Jewish customs during former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial on Tuesday.
Schoen, Trump’s attorney, rested his hand on top of his head each time he took a sip of water while making his opening argument that the case is unconstitutional.
Several viewers noted Schoen’s seemingly unusual drinking habit, with some even suggesting he was trying to keep a toupee from falling.
“Is anybody going to acknowledge the way David Schoen is drinking water?” one user wrote.
But the lawyer was likely making the ritual move because he is religiously observant.
Rabbi Menchem Genack, CEO of the kosher division of the Orthodox Union, explained that since Schoen is an observant Jew, he must cover his head and say a blessing whenever he eats or drinks.
Read more at NY Post.
{Matzav.com}
According to the halacha, putting your hand over your head is insufficient, especially when making a beracha. Your head must be covered with a material (ie the sleeve of your shirt). What a lost opportunity of making a Kiddush Hashem by putting on a yarmulke. People respect us when we stand up for yiddishkeit, not when we take actions to avoid doing what we know is right.
שו”ת מהרש”ל סימן עב
די לו במה שמכסה את ראשו בידיו
Yes. But covering skin with skin is not a chatzitza. Can one make a bracha while in a mikva by putting his hand across his waist?
actually the water is considered a chatzizah.
Why not just wear a yarmulka?
According to the Shulkan Aruch you cannot cover your head with your hand which is part of your body only with an other object like a garment
You are right. The humor is that you do it. It signifies that God is hitting you.
Where are the brave lads who know that Hashem is our King? We do not seem to think they want this era.
At least he remembers he’s Jewish.
Yes, yes, of course we expected some of you (creamer and rosens) to point out the halachah about using your hand. You completely missed the point in this story.
Okay.
He should have worn a MAGA hat and perhaps it would have saved the day for him and from all the gossip on Twitter …
Unfortunately there seems to be some ignorance in these comments. Indoors you may use your hands. Check it up.
Sleeves, not bare hands.
Cool creator. Where is the kippah? Guys like Kushner forget we pray.
Nebulous generation.
To all the critics: the same halacha that forbids using a hand (not so poshut, by the way), definitely forbids loshon hora. A Jew is trying to serve Eibeshter, makes a bracha and shines light in a place that doesn’t see much light on a regular basis. And what do jerks do – jerks judge other Yiden, jerks speak loshon hora, and jerks chutzpahdikally “justify” their evil with misinterpreted halacha. A chumra is for me, and I have no right to force chumros onto you! Prohibitions of sinas chinom and loshon hora are not chumros.
Wow. And YOU just spoke lashon horah on well meaning commentators. You were mamesh motzie laz and even shown some anger in your response. Not good. It seems that you have an eyen rah. Work on yourself.
Dear 11:39 Opinionated Am Haaretz, apparently you did not get high SAT scores in English comprehension, to say the least. Otherwise you wouldn’t post your gibberish about the 9:52 post. Remember, you should keep quiet if you have nothing intelligent to say. Just take your meds and resist your impulses, my friend. Also, stay away from keyboards.