Amazing how dismissive we are of the Chofetz Chaim and other Poskim I mentioned – I think my points are very well sourced. The books that I studied have tremendous haskamos- from Rav Elyashiv himself and many other Gedolim. My Rebbetzin wrote her book under the guidance of Rav Elyashiv- he read the entire book as did his son in law Rav Zilberstein. This is first hand information.
It says, “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.” (The Unique Princess, page 103)
Gaon said- “Attractive and beautifying is NOT what the issue is, as quoted by many above.
The issue in concern are the wigs that attract attention either by length or other methods, not by the fact of it’s “natural look”
Attractive and beautifying is exactly what the issue is about- do you realize that you’re totally contradicting yourself? The wigs that are long and have “other methods” are attracting and beautifying as are wigs with a “natural look”. They are one and the same. Wiggy looking wigs are only allowed precisely because they don’t beautify and attract.
What their daughters and granddaughters wear on their heads is not relevant. Many Gedolims children don’t follow what their father and grandfather paskened (I’m not chas vashalom disparaging Rav Elyashivs children and grandchildren, I have no idea what they wear on their heads. I do know that his Rebbetzin only wore a tichel)
You can hear Rav Elyashiv saying the following words- they were recorded for all to hear (I have the recording):
These are the words of the Rav Shlita exactly as recorded in a shiur he gave in his bais midrash translated into English:
Rav: 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 issur is as follows-
If they go 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 go today. All those that go today, it looks like hair for sure and this is definitely assur, this nobody was mattir.
…A woman with the wig of today the way she goes, it’s mamish ervah, it looks like hair, there is no difference, regarding this there is no heter, what they were mattir then was the peah nochris.
the questioner: She is violating das yehudis, she should go out without a kesubah?
Rav: yes!
questioner: yes?
Rav: the answer is, that the husband is acting the way he is supposed to. But if he is also like her…
questioner: Does an ehrlich yid (a kosher Jew, a true Jew) must divorce his wife if she wears a sheitel like this?
Rav: He doesn’t have to divorce her, he must tell her that it’s assur!
Clearly Rav Elyashiv did not endorse natural looking wigs- please don’t misquote him
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (whom my Rebbetzin also knew personally) had the same views as Rav Elyashiv
It says, “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?”