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Shpitzel


A shpitzel is a head covering worn by some married Hasidic women. It is a partial wig that only has hair in the front, the rest typically covered by a small pillbox hat or a headscarf. The hairpiece may actually be silk or lace, or else made of synthetic fibers, to avoid too closely resembling real hair.

The Yiddish word "Shpitzel" is related to the grammatical diminutive of the high-German word 'Spitze' which can either mean 'point' or 'lace'; the latter translation is most likely the right one in the context of this article. (It must not be confused with the high-German 'Spitzel' which is a spy or a snitch.)

According to Jewish law (halacha) concerning modesty (tzniut), a woman must cover her hair after marriage. The shpitzel was popular among Hungarian Hasidim in the 19th century, and it is worn by some contemporary women who follow the customs of that community.

The term shpitzel may also be used to refer to the ends of a loaf of bread in some dialects.: in this case the above-mentioned translation 'Spitze' = (end)point/peak is applicable, with its high-German grammtical diminutive 'Spitzchen'.



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