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None2.0:
No fear mongering was posted- maybe reread the posts.
Just educational info and some interesting historical facts, anyone who thinks can recognize that the current wigs are illogical and immodest.Throughout history the wig was always used as a hair replacement to enhance and beautify one’s appearance. Originating in ancient Egypt until today wigs were worn to display status and wealth, to make a fashion statement, and to transform one’s looks. They were used as hair replacements NOT head coverings worn for religious reasons.
Interesting historical facts about wigs (which demonstrate how they were never used as a modest head covering and should not be today):
– Wigs first originated in ancient Egypt (Mitzraim).
– Egyptian men and women shaved their heads bald (because of the high heat and the infestation of lice) and replaced their natural hair with wigs.
– The Egyptians invented the concept of a wig so they could have the look of hair and experiment with different hair styles (as opposed to using a cloth
head covering).
– Wigs became a status symbol. The wealthier Egyptians wore wigs made out of human hair, the lower classes wore wigs made out of animal and
vegetable fiber.
– Wigs were used for fashion and beauty and many times were decorated with braids, curls, plaits, and all sorts of ornaments.
– Both wig making specialists and barbers made the wigs and wig making was considered to be a respectable profession in ancient Egypt. It was one of
the jobs available to women (like the modern day sheitel macher…).
– Wigs were scented with fragrant oils and petals or pieces of wood chips such as cinnamon.
– When wigs were not used, they were kept in special boxes on a stand or in special chests.
– Wig boxes were found in tombs and the remnants of ancient wig factories have been located.
– The Egyptians were buried with their wigs because they wanted to appear with beautiful hair in the afterlife.
– Some of the most famous Egyptian queens were well known for their great beauty (ex: Cleopatra) partly because of their impressive wigs.
– Wigs were also worn in ancient times in Mesopotamia, Crete, Greece, and Persia.
– Wigs fell out of fashion and then reappeared in England and France in the 17th century when wigs were worn by men and women (particularly the
nobility) for status, fashion, and beauty.
– Today, wigs of all lengths and styles are worn by many celebrities (actresses, singers, models etc…) and they have become a symbol of
glamour and fashion. They are the ultimate beauty accessory.The Jews in ancient Egypt did not copy the dress and hairstyles of the Egyptians and that is one of the reasons why we were redeemed… yet here we are today wearing wigs for “modesty”, the very item that the Egyptians invented for pritzus, and an even nicer and more natural version than they wore! The wigs are angering Hashem and causing the shechina to leave our midst, it is certainly an area that women should be focusing on improving to help us merit a yeshuah from this long and difficult Galus.
The Gadol HaDor Rav Elyashiv zt’l” spoke very harshly against today’s sheitels.
These are the words of the Rav translated into English (there is a recording of this speech):
“Even though there’s a dispute among the Poskim whether it’s mutar or ossur to wear a sheitel, if they walk as if their hair is revealed, the way those that are not covering their hair walk, they are violating an issur gamur, it’s mamish, it’s emes like ervah. (the term used in gemara to describe parts of the body that must be covered according to halacha) The issur is as follows: If they walk with a sheitel like the times 100 years ago, then of course this is allowed, even a drop nicer. But, it should not be the way they walk today. All those that walk today, it looks like hair for sure and this is definitely assur, this nobody was mattir.…A woman with the hair of today the way she walks, it’s mamish ervah, it looks like hair, there is no difference, regarding this there is
no heter…”A woman’s hair becomes ervah after marriage, and just like any other body part that is considered ervah, it must be covered and concealed. Wearing someone else’s “ervah” to cover one’s own ervah is making a mockery of this commandment. A wig today is an exact replica of the ervah that is being covered (usually nicer looking), it’s equivalent to a woman wearing a skintight dress with images on it of the body parts that are being covered.
Some interesting historical facts- the origin of this commandment really comes from Chava. After she sinned because of the snake, she hid her head in shame from doing this sin, and one of her punishments was hair covering (from the Maom Loez). The Torah source from the Sotah having her hair uncovered after she sinned was also an act of shame. The head covering is not meant to be a source of pride and vanity. It is solely meant to increase a married woman’s modesty level in front of other men, which none of the wigs accomplish today.
It is also very important to understand the while most women do have a natural inclination to want to look pretty and receive compliments on their appearance, a married woman’s main beauty is meant for her home and husband only. The excuse- “I need to dress like this outside and wear this sheitel in public for my husband…” does not hold any weight in the next world and a woman will be held accountable if she is dressing inappropriately out of the house and causing other men to notice her- even if that is how her husband wants her to dress. There is no excuse to cause other men to stumble (and destroy other people’s marriages).
As the Chofetz Chaim zt”l wrote in his sefer Geder Olam (Exact English translation- beginning of Chapter 4):
“The Yetzer Hora should not mislead her that she will be saved from the punishment of Strict/Unmerciful law in thinking that she had to make herself pretty for the sake of her husband so that he wouldn’t dislike her, because truthfully this rationalization is a big mistake, since this excuse (beautifying herself to please her husband) is relevant only to the confines of her house but not a public environment….”Today everything is upside down- women look terrible in the house for their husbands, and they put on nice wigs when going out where other men see them. It should be the opposite; the wigs should be worn at home and cloth head coverings outside. That is real tznius.
Wigs have always been a machlokas haposkim and tichels are considered “Glatt” both halachically and hashkafically.
The heter was only given on short, stiff wiggy looking wigs.As stated in The Unique Princess by Rabbi Yirmiyohu and Tehilla Abramov, “The halachic opinions that permit the wearing of wigs were talking about wigs that were short, unnatural looking, and “wiggy”. Such wigs were in use a century ago, explains Maran HaGaon Rav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, shlita. They were short and stiff, and the hairs did not move from their place.” (page 103) Further on it says, “Rav Elyashiv also clearly stated that in his opinion it is preferable for a woman to cover her hair with a kerchief rather than a wig. He constantly expressed his concern about the use of wigs that are not modest- a practice which, he says, has made inroads even into the families of pious men and roshei Yeshivah. Maran Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l,
expressed the same concern. As he once put it to Rav Dan Segal, shlita: “They cover their hair, and then make every effort to make it look uncovered. Therefore, in my opinion this is a loathsome thing. But who can we talk to?” He also said that, when Mashiach comes, the first thing he’ll do is abolish the use of wigs (as quoted by his son-in-law, shlita). Many halachic authorities and Torah scholars in our time agree with this approach.” (page 105)
In a letter written by Rav Moshe Mordechai Karp it says, “Many times, we heard from Rav Elyashiv zt”l, how pained he was by this great breach (immodest wigs), and how much he encouraged Jewish women to go with a mitpachat, which he considered “Glatt”, because even
the old wigs, were a matter of controversy among the poskim…”To clarify:
Unless a woman is showing a lot of hair while wearing a tichel, a wig is NEVER going to be modest than a tichel, even a big tichel. There is no issue at all in standing out by being more modest, there is an issue with a woman attracting inappropriate attention from men with her head covering (which is what almost all the wigs do today as they beautify women and give an unmarried appearance). A married woman should look like she has a noticeable head covering on her head, that’s the point of the mitzvah! Wearing a cloth head covering accomplishes that perfectly, no matter the size of the scarf. It is a kiddush Hashem to look like a modestly dressed religious woman with an obvious head covering.Please read:
“A woman may worry needlessly that there could be something immodest in her standing out as the only woman wearing a kerchief in a crowd of others in wigs. This is absolutely not a concern. Such a woman would be no different than someone modestly dressed, in a crowd of people who are not modestly dressed. Certainly both of these women are sanctifying G-d’s name with their appearance, despite their standing out
by being different from the others.” (The Unique Princess by Rabbi Yirmiyohu and Tehilla Abramov, page 105)
Standing out by dressing in a way that is provocative and attracts male attention is forbidden. Standing out by dressing modestly is not an issue at all. We must remember that conducting ourselves in a more proper manner- even though it is different from most people in society – does not attract attention in a forbidden manner and will not cause forbidden thoughts.
Imagine if everyone in the community would be wearing short sleeves. Would it be wrong to wear long sleeves because it would attract attention? Certainly not. Quite the contrary. This is a noble deed, since through this we are preventing men from violating the serious sin of gazing at forbidden sights.
We know that Boaz was impressed with Rus because she conducted herself in a more modest manner than the other women (she bent down in a modest way, didn’t speak to other men, etc.). Would anyone claim that Rus was not behaving properly since she was acting differently than the people around her and attracting attention? Quite the contrary is true. Rus was praised for her exemplary tznius, and in this zchus she merited that Moshiach will descend from her.” (Adorned with Dignity by Mrs. C. T. Friedman, pg. 142)This is part of an essay that a Rav wrote (who teaches the topic):
“Have we lost all sense of why the Torah (as explained in Kesubos 72a-b) forbids women to expose their hair to other men after marriage? Do our bnos Yisrael have no idea that exposed hair after marriage is a tznius violation because her hair is attractive to men? Do they think hair covering is a Chok like shaatnez?! Do they realize that the Gemara gives as the consequence of appearing in public view (not at home!) with uncovered hair divorce without a Kesubah–due to the gravity of how pritzusdik it is to allow other men to see her hair? Do they know that even a kalta (a basket) that does cover the hair, but does so improperly, also has the same consequence? Can they explain why wigs that make them look more glamorous than their own hair does are perfectly fine?!”
The entire reason for the head covering is to prevent men from noticing and being attracted to a married woman, which is a very grave sin. The wigs today do the very opposite and are making a massive Chillul Hashem.
Redleg:
No, that is not accurate at all.
Please read this educational sourced information:
The reason that the Torah prohibits a married woman to reveal her hair is the following:
As explained in the Trumat Hadeshen:
”אסור גלוי הראש אינו אלא משום פריצות דגברי“
The prohibition of uncovered hair is because it is pritzus (immodest) to men
And in the Maalos Hamiddos:
”שערות האשה הן פריצות וערוה ומרגילין את האדם להרהור ותאווה“
The hair of a married woman is considered immodest and ervah and incites a person to forbidden thoughts and desiresThe prohibition of revealing one’s hair is because hair is Pritzus. Since the hair of a married woman is attractive to another man and can cause him to sin, it must be covered. All the Rishonim and Achronim have said that this is the reason that a woman must cover her hair in public. (For many sources on this Divrei Shalom is a great resource.)
Rav Falk writes in his pamphlet Mitzvos Kisui Saaros that “The Torah requires a married women to conceal her hair from the eyes of the public in order to lessen attraction to herself.” (page 7) He continues: “An unmarried maiden may attract attention to herself (within the boundaries of
tznius) so that she is sought after and eventually marries (Ta’anis 13a and Kesubos 52b).
Similarly, a man may look at a girl and take an interest in her appearance, chein, mannerisms etc. if he is considering her for marriage for himself or someone else. A married woman may, however, neither attract attention to herself (Kesubos 73a Rashi v.s. Sahara. See also Rosh and
Ritvo) nor may a man take an interest in the appearance of an eishes ish, as she is unavailable to everyone but her husband.
For this reason the hair of a girl may be seen, whilst the hair of a married woman, which is naturally a major source of attraction to her, must be covered and hidden from the eye of the public. Accordingly, for a married woman to wear a head covering that easily passes as her own hair, defeats the very function of this mitzvah, since a man seeing her can think that he is seeing her own hair and be attracted by it, especially when he does not know who she is and whether she is married or not.A similar but different reason why just a married woman must cover her hair is based on the verse “stolen waters are sweet” (Mishlei 9:17). Due to this phenomenon there is a special yetzer hora towards a married woman since she is an eishes ish (see Sanhedrin 75a and Avoda Zarah 20a). The mitzvah of kisui sa’aros was given to lessen attraction to such a person and safeguard Kedushas Yisroel. See Oz Vehadar Levusha, page 265 that in numerous places in the Torah hair is highlighted as a major source of attraction. Accordingly, by commanding the married woman to withhold from the public how she looks in her true hair, there is far less danger of a person being drawn to her and Kedushas Yisroel is guaranteed.
As it says in Rabbi Falk’s sefer Oz vehadar levusha: “Hair was given the status of ervah by Chazal because when part of a female that should be covered is uncovered it can affect a man who sees it and cause him to feel attracted to it.” (page 228)Hair is one of the most beautifying aspects of a woman, wigs and extensions are considered beauty and fashion accessories and are a billion-dollar industry for a reason. A married woman was commanded to cover and conceal her hair after marriage precisely because hair is so beautifying, this beauty is meant for her husband only- not for other men. The sin of man looking at a married woman is very great, and her head covering is supposed to create a barrier between her and other men, to prevent men from noticing her and having any thoughts. The wigs today do the complete OPPOSITE of the reason for the commandment of hair covering (which is not a chok), they beautify the married woman causing her to look more attractive to men. We have just become so desensitized to this major issue, because wigs have gotten more and more natural looking and beautifying slowly over time and we are just so used to seeing frum married women with gorgeous “hair” everywhere we go. Wigs have become a major money-making industry in the frum world too, and there are ads for wigs in every frum publication and women are obsessed with their wigs (which makes sense as wigs are a major item of vanity and women love how they are transformed in their sheitels- one of the biggest yetzer horas today for woman).
For centuries Jewish married woman wore cloth head coverings which is the real mesorah, wigs started to be worn by Jewish women about 200 years ago as breach from this mesorah (wigs were allowed by some Rabbanim to save the mitzvah of kisui rosh because Jewish women started walking around bareheaded due to the haskala movement). Before that wigs were only worn in the house, even the “peah nachris” mentioned in the Gemara was referring to a piece of hair that women would add to their own hair to better their appearance for their husbands in the home. Many Gedolim asured the wigs at that time (and those were stiff, short and ugly wigs), but the wigs took off. And here we are today, the same frum sheitel companies that are selling wigs to Hollywood actresses and celebrities (wigs are all the rage in Hollywood right now) for glamour and pritzus, are selling wigs to Jewish women for “modesty”.
Do people really not see the glaring hypocrisy and sheker of the modern wigs?This letter should be read by every Rav and Rebbetzin!
I thought the article was excellent, so well written and accurate.
How could anyone not notice how ridiculous the wigs have become, and what a mockery they are making of this commandment. Bh there are many women that have become aware of this great breach of modesty and have recently upgraded to only cloth head coverings.
In their merit we will surely be zoche to see great yeshuos!