HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita gives many people a bracha and advice when they visit with him seeking just that. The rav also frequently requests that they accept upon themselves something to uplift themselves spiritually, such as growing a beard and peyos. It appears that of late, Rav Kanievsky has also instructed people seeking his bracha not to wear a wristwatch to avoid “לא ילבש”. He points out that the Chazon Ish and his father, the Steipler, did not wear wristwatches because of the prohibition.
Longtime talmidim of Rav Chaim are quoted as saying this is not news, explaining they have been familiar with the rav’s position regarding a wristwatch.
Kikar Shabbat adds that last week, Rav Kanievsky was shown photos in which Rav Shach ZT”L and Rav Elyashiv ZT”L were wearing watches. Rav Kanievsky reportedly responded explaining that he too used to wear one until he received reliable eidus from Maran Chazon Ish that it is prohibited.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
Also, cell phones tell time just fine.
what is assur about wearing a wristwatch? Please fill me in on לא ילבש
this does not make any sense to my dull mind. Clue me in…
Sorry to be so out of it, but ‘lo yilbosh…what’? What issur could this possibly be? Shatnes? Beged isha? What am I missing here?
why is wearing a wristwatch prohibited??
YWN – Who are you talking to?!
If anyone would come to Reb Chaim and say, “I read on the internet that you’re against wearing watches,” he would say, “Internet?!, yai’hareg v’al ya’avor, it’s better to be covered in watches from head to toe than to look at the internet.”
Who were you trying to write this article to, because you got the wrong audience.
And just because the page says on it the word “Yeshiva” doesn’t mean you get the same schar as if you are actually sitting in Yeshiva.
One might say, “It’s almost a year now, I’ve been coming here on a daily basis, usually a couple of times a day, I even installed the app on my iphone and android tablet, I think it’s about time I take upon myself some extra kabalos, how about not wearing a wristwatch?”
Nothing personal, it’s a great website, but after-all it’s a website, not exactly the place I would look to to get ideas of new chumros to take upon myself.
IF THIS IS “LO SILBASH GEVER” , THEN WHAT ABOUT CURLING AND PLAYING WITH PAYOS (ONES HAIR) , SOMETIMES EVEN PUTTING BOBBY PINS TO HOLD CURLS? SOME ADULTS EVEN MACHMIR TO PASHKE WITH THEIR PAYOS DURING TEFILLA?
I am not in any way capable of arguing with the Rav Shlit”a. But I don’t understand how a wristwatch is a Beged Isha.
Now we generally have a rule that we do not challenge the Takanos Chachamim even if what we think is the basis for the Takana seems to no longer apply. So if a situation existed in their times, we keep to it even if we think ‘the times have changed.’ For example, today most people don’t grind spices to make medicine, or repair musical instruments themselves. Nevertheless, the Issurim of taking medicine or playing music on Shabbos still stand.
But if a situation DID NOT exist back then, we have no reason to be machmir. So since wristwatches did not exist 2000 years ago (maybe they had wrist sundials?) they surely did not declare them unilaterally “beged isha.” Nevertheless, if at any point in time they would temporarily be used primarily by women, in that time it would become Assur for a man to wear them. Should that change in another era, that Issar would also change.
Furthermore, since their invention, it is my understanding that they were always used by more men than women. Even if the numbers would tilt slightly in favor of women, that should not make it Assur unless they are the overwhelming majority and it became not usual for a man to wear them. When was that ever the case?
Unless the men with watches in the case he was referring to were wearing bejeweled watches? That is unlikely, because the Rav allegedly said that he used wear one himself, and I doubt he ever wore a woman’s watch!!
R’ schach and rav elyahsiv did it, how can it possibly be prohibited?
it would seem from this p’sak that men wear watches for style more than for telling time. this should be a wake up call for other things we do subconsciously, for other reasons than for reasons that we may think. this is why we must study mussar, to become in touch with our real motivations for the things we do.
instead of this little tease, it would be worth hearing the whole thing. nowadays everyone wears a watch unless you dont because of your cell phone etc.
AM IN NO POSITION TO DISPUTE , BUT PERHAPS DURING THE TIMES OF THE CHAZON ISH AND STEIPLER MOST MEN HAD WATCHES ON CHAINS AND MOSTLY WOMEN WORE IT SO THEREFORE THEY FELT THAT IT”S “LO SILBASH”. HOWEVER TODAY THAT HARDLY ANT MEN WEAR ON CHAIN AND MOSTLY WEAR IT (ALSO DIF STYLES THAN WOMEN)–PERHAPS TODAY THEY WOULDN’T HAVE HELD THAT PSAK??
Time to move on.
They had only analogue watches. Why would anyone think that digital watches are the same?
whomever wrote this article made it up that rav chaim said you shouldnt wear watches. i asked my father who is a nephew of the chazon ish and a cousin of rav chaim and he said its not true and rav chaim never said such a thing!!!