September 18, 2026 Categories: In Print / Halacha & Hashkafa
Is It Proper To Wear Flip Flops To Shul On Yom Kippur?
First of all, our frame of reference for Yom Kippur is based on the pesukim (Vayikra 16:29-31): “And this shall be statute forever to you; that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and no labor shall you do, neither the Jew nor the stranger who sojourns among you. For on that day [He] will atone you to cleanse you, from all your sins, before Hashem you shall be cleansed.”
Interesting is that this Day of Atonement is introduced here to a fledgling nation, the Children of Israel, even before they sin. The understanding is that Hashem, in His infinite mercy, wishes that his beloved and chosen people have a means of resetting the clock, so to say, and returning to their Creator. Thus, such a day is an unusual opportunity that no one wishes to waste. Even should we be a bit more casual in our attire the rest of the year, on this day we are more meticulous in our approach.
In order to afflict our souls, we are required, among the other inuyim – abstentions of the day – to abstain from wearing shoes fashioned of leather. And indeed people wear all sorts of non-leather shoes. In theory, wearing flip-flops would be fine, but due to the construction and style of such a shoe (if we might call it that), it has a flat bottom and a single strap between the two end toes on either foot. Making it would be impossible to wear socks, which would be quite inappropriate.
– Rabbi Yaakov Klass, rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu, Flatbush, Brooklyn; is Torah Editor of The Jewish Press; he also serves as chairman of the Presidium of the Rabbinical Alliance of America. He can be contacted at yklass@jewishpress.com and Rabbi@igud.us.
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There is a debate among the Rishonim as to whether the prohibition of wearing shoes on Yom Kippur is limited to leather shoes or whether it extends to shoes made from non-leather substances. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 614:2) rules that we may not wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur. The Mishna Berura (614:5) rules that even though we technically can wear all non-leather shoes, it preferable to be stringent and only wear shoes in which one feels the ground.
Therefore, according to the strict letter of the law, flip-flops should be permitted because they are not made of leather. Additionally, if the flip-flops are flimsy such that one could feel the ground, it might even be preferable to wear those types of footwear on Yom Kippur.
– Rabbi Jonathan Muskat is the rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside, a rebbe at Shulamith High School, and a pastoral health care liaison at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
