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Well, all Orthodox Jews (and many non-Orthodox Jews) take the "keep the sacred texts on your mind" thing totally literally. They wear tefillin (phylacteries) during the Morning Service every day. It's a black leather box with 4 different texts written on scrolls in it. (There's also one you wear on your upper-arm, to keep it close to your heart.) Some people, mostly in Israel, do so all day long. That isn't really the custom in the rest of the world, tho. Generally it's just a prayer thing - you wear them while you are praying.

Regarding hats, what is the difference between the regular, run of the mill top-hats and the big round ones that are cylindrical in shape?

Different traditions generally depending on where your sect of Judaism originally comes from. The bigger round fur hats come from Hungary and Poland. The normal hats come from a variety of places (parts of Ukraine, Lithuania, etc).

Incidentally I read somewhere recently that the fur hats are usually purchased for grooms by the bride's family, as a wedding gift. So when I see men wearing them now I think "LOL U MARRIED!"

Also re tefillin, is it "Orthodox Jews" who wear them, or Orthodox men in particular? Don't think I have ever heard of women wearing them normally? But then my info is strictly anecdotal.

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Oh yeah, it's mostly Orthodox men who wear tefillin. Some Jewish women wear tefillin (mostly not Orthodox) but that is fairly rare. The tradition for women to wear tefillin comes from the daughters of the 11th century French Rabbi Rashi - who tradition says wore tefillin. So some women rely upon that.

According to the letter of the law, tho, only men are obligated to wear tefillin. Women, according to the Torah, aren't obligated in commandments that must be performed in a specific time frame. (And like I said above, tefillin are supposed to be worn in the mornings.) Sorry if this is getting overly complex.

I don't know... Scarlet Johansson is pretty hot.

No, actually, Mordy, thanks. I don't think that's overly complex at all. I was just curious about how quickly DV saying "I saw some fellows" became "all Orthodox Jews" since I had never heard of the women's tradition via Rashi. But I like to know that stuff!

scarlet johansson is jewish!?

alison brie too!

well that i guessed!