Kittel Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Encyclop?dia Britannica
3. Size
4. Length
5. Notes
6. Why do some grooms wear a white "kittel" under the chupah?

Encyclop?dia Britannica: Kittel

plural kittel, in Judaism, a white robe worn in the synagogue on such major festivals as Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The rabbi wears it, as does the cantor, the blower of the Shofar (ritual ram's horn), and male members of Ashkenazi (German-rite) congregations. Before a Seder dinner, the leader of the Passover (Pesach) service dons a kittel, and in Orthodox communities the bridegroom wears it…

Introduction

A kittel (Yiddish: קיטל;, robe) is a white robe worn on special occasions by religious Jews. According to many traditions a groom wears a Kittel for the first time on his wedding day. It is worn on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in keeping with the Biblical "our sins shall be made as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). Many Jews also wear a Kittel when leading the Passover Seder. The cantor also wears it during a few 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.

In addition to this usage, the dead are also buried in a kittel, providing simple dress that assures equality for all in death.

Size

The size is determined by the following chart:

Length

The length is determined by the following chart:

Notes

The size is determined by the size chart. However, you may want to take into consideration that jacket factor.

The Jacket Factor

Most people wear a jacket, Beketche, or tuxedo underneath the Kittel, during the Chuppah. This makes the shoulder-width larger. You also would consider that a jacket is usually used together with the Kittel only under the Chuppah, not later on (i.e. Passover, Yom Kippur, etc.), so you would moderate to accommodate both fits.

Why do some grooms wear a white "kittel" under the chupah?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

Indeed, it is customary in Ashkenazi communities for the groom to wear a kittel during the Chupah ceremony.1 There are several reasons for this custom, the following are two of them:

1. King Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 9:8) "at all times your clothing should be white." This means that one should endeavor to remain pure and not become dirtied and sullied by falling victim to the various temptations of the world. When the groom and bride are getting married they wear white in order to remind them that although they are currently entering the big world -- remember to keep your clothing white and pure!
2. A kittel is normally worn on Yom Kippur. Our sages tell us that the wedding day is considered a minor "Yom Kippur" for the bride and groom; all their sins are forgiven. The white clothing symbolizes the purity that comes from the absence of sin.