Aspodik (or spodek;Yiddish:ספּאָדיקspodik, from Polishspodek "saucer") is a tall,[1] black fur hat worn by someHasidic Jews, particularly by members of sects in 19th-centuryCongress Poland.[2] The origins of the spodik and theshtreimel are unclear, but it is often thought that the Jews living in Europe adopted wearing fur hats from the Eastern European culture,[1] and perhaps from the nobility.[3]
Spodiks are to be distinguished fromkolpiks, and fromshtreimels, which are a similar types of fur hat worn by Hasidim.[4] Shtreimels are shorter in height, wider, and donut-shaped, while spodiks are taller, thinner in bulk, and of cylindrical shape.[4] Kolpiks and spodiks have the same shape, but the former are brown, while the latter are black.[4] Such hats are typically worn only on special occasions, such as theSabbath, holidays, and weddings.[5]
Spodiks used to be made fromfisher tails in North America. Nowadays they are made also from fox fur.[citation needed]
Ger Hasidim, being the largest Hasidic community of Polish origin, are the most famous for wearing spodiks. Virtually all married men among the Gerer Hasidim wear a spodik. Due to an edict by the Grand Rabbi of Ger designed to stop the extravagance of the hats, Gerrer Hasidim are only allowed to purchase fake fur spodiks that cost less than $600.[6]
Other groups that wear Spodiks includeAlexander,Amshinov,Ashlag,Kotzk,Modzitz,Ozharov,Radzin andSochatchov.
Media related toSpodiks at Wikimedia Commons