The position of HaGaon Rav Ovadia Yosef zt’l, author of the Yabia Omer, concerning shaving machines, evolved over the years.
In a shiur delivered on Motzoei Shabbos Nasso 5768 (later published in Yom l’Yom issue 1002, dated 25 Cheshvan and in sefer Lo Sakifu, Holon, 5772, p. 217 and also in sefer HaNoy V’Hanetzach, Yerushalayim 5778, p. 156), Rav Ovadia Yosef stated categorically that all electric shavers are forbidden and involve a Torah prohibition:
“??????? ???? ?? ????, ?? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????”. ?? ???? ????? ‘????’, ??? ???? ??? ?????’, ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ????. ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?? ??????? ???, ?????? ?? ????? ?????, ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??, ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ‘?? ????? ??? ????’, ??? ??? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ????, ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ????, ???? ?????? ??? ???? ???, ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????, ???? ???? ?????. ??? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??????, ‘?? ??? ??? ?????’, ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ?????, ?? ??? ???, ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?????, ??? ???? ???? ???? ???, ?? ??? ???? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????, ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ????, ??? ?? ?????, ???? ?????, ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???, ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???, ???????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???”.
Rav Ovadia Yosef’s son, the current Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rav Yitzchok Yosef (author of the popular halachah sefarim Yalkut Yosef), published a widely disseminated kriah kedoshah (reproduced in the sefer Lo Sakifu, Holon, 5772, p. 217) quoting his father as maintaining that no Jew should use shaving machines and promising good shidduchim to those who grow their beards.
“???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??????, ????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ????… ????? ???’ ??? ???? ???, ???? ????? ???? ?????, ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?????… ???? ???? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ????, ?????? ????? ???’ ???? ????… .??????? ???? ?????????, ?? ??? ??? ????”? ??’ ????? . . ?????? ?? ???? ??????, ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ?????”.
In the 6/21/04 issue of the Hebrew periodicals Yahadus and HaTenuah, it was reported that Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef had revised his position regarding shaving machines and prohibited all of them. In response, an official from the Shas party who did not yet have a beard declared that he would now grow one to comply with Maran Rav Yosef’s ruling.
In addition, Maran Rav Yosef’s grandson, Rav Ovadia Yosef Tolidano (author of the responsa Meishiv Mishpat), wrote a teshuvah explaining that according to his grandfather, heterim to use shaving machines should no longer be relied upon.