Excerpt from The Jewish Quarterly Review, Vol. 6
Even the shoe has its history, its significance. Many a custom in connexion with the shoe which we practise blindly to this very day becomes of interest to the student of the history of civilization so soon as we set out to trace it to its beginnings. Then much that was unintelligible becomes clear, and new light is thrown upon many a popular custom. The following is intended as a modest contribution on the subject of the symbolism of the shoe.
Our first source of information concerning the shoe is the Bible. Here the shoe partakes of the character of the profane, symbolizing the Earthly in contrast with the Holy. Removing the shoes signifies putting off something profane, obligatory upon those who approach the Holy. 'Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground', is the command to Moses (Exod. 3. 5). The Levites, whose function it was to carry the vessels of the Tabernacle, were required to take off their shoes while performing this holy service.
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