Kosher shaver? Phillips One Blade

I would suggest calling a store like “The Buzz”. They probably have up to date information. The Star-K has an old article about shavers so you may want to call them.

It’s really a trimmer

I heard rabbi forscheimer says it’s not kosher, I don’t know why though. Does anyone know what the problem could be? (It says on the website it doesn’t cut as close as a razor)

: “f. In all the electric shavers, the cutting process is one of contact between a moving blade and the head (a metal screen). Thus, from the point of view of the action performed, these machines are scissors. And this is the basis of our current position.” FROM “zomet. org.il, certifications and guidelines, electric shavers” . Just copy this and google it, the top most result at the top of the page will give you the above information, amongst other information. Just click on the picture of the shaver when you get there!

I read on another website some time ago that the saver should be dismantled in the “cutting section” and the
B\blades” should be blunted with a metal object and then reassembled, but could not find that website today!

As is often the case, this conversation is becoming too subjective. I WANT FACTS. Therefore i am requesting that someone kindly send me the citation in the Igros Moshe where this very subject matter is discussed. Thank you.

Therefore i am requesting that someone kindly send me the citation in the Igros Moshe where this very subject matter is discussed.

There is no teshuvah which discusses which shavers are muttar. Various talmidim of R’ Moshe’s have different opinions about which are muttar, probably based on which shavers they observed him approving and their interpretations of how it would apply to today’s shavers.

See “Why Electric Shavers Are Permitted” at: http://www.koshershaver.info/Kuntris_Magazine_Teves_%205776.pdf

See also Meged Givos Olam (vol. 1, p. 96) where Rav Shurkin writes that he heard that the reason why Rav Moshe did not want to write this teshuvah permitting shaving machines in Igros Moshe is because while
(according to the Igros Moshe) it is technically permitted to shave, the tzurah of a Yid is with a beard.This attestation why Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’l did not publish his heter regarding shaving machines is also recorded in the popular publication Daf Yomi Digest, a daily resource for thousands of Daf Yomi learners
worldwide, compiled by the Ruben Shas Kollel and published by Chicago Center for Torah & Chesed, under the leadership of HaRav Yehoshua Eichenstein shlita and HaRav Pinchas Eichenstein shlita, Rosh Kollel. In their issue on Nazir daf 40, the following is documented as clarification of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’l’s position:
“It is well known that Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, did permit the use of certain electric shavers. Someone once approached him and asked why he didn’t write a teshuvah outlining the parameters of which shavers are permitted and which are not. ‘After all, your teshuvos cover every subject under the sun!’ Rav Moshe explained, ‘Although I permit this practice halachically, I don’t want to write a teshuvah formally
permitting this since the proper way is for a Jew to have a beard. Although this is not halachically prohibited, a Jew ought to grow a beard!’”

In the most recently published volume of responsa Shevet HaLevi (vol. 11, Y.D. section 198), Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner zt’l (referred to by many as the Posek Hador) wrote: “With regard to shaving machines…it was agreed by all the Geonim…that there is no difference between [using] them and [using] a razor… The Gaon R. Moshe Feinstein sought to make a distinction between today’s [shaving machines] and a razor
and advanced a theory [in justification]…. That theory is not correct and has not been accepted ( אינה נכונה ולא נתקבלה aynah nechonah v’lo niskablah).”

In addition, in the 5778 issue of Agudas Yisroel of America’s Am HaTorah journal (5:9), Rav Pesach Eliyahu Falk (Rov in Gateshead and author of responsa Machzeh Eliyahu and many other halachic works)
testified that he personally heard from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt’l how he rejected the reported reasoning of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’l to be lenient regarding electric shavers.

To clarify the position of Rav Moshe Heinemann shlita regarding this issue:

In a Hebrew language letter dated 19 Menachem Av 5769 which was widely publicized at the time (and posted in many shuls and yeshivos), Rav Heinemann wrote that since there is a dispute between the poskim whether any shaving machines are permissible and those who prohibit their use consider them Osur Min HaTorah, therefore those who do not want to grow their beards should instead use a trimmer such as the Outliner which does not remove the hair entirely and leaves stubble. The letter is co-signed by the Roshei Yeshiva of BMG in Lakewood (Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Yeruchim Olshin, Rav Dovid Tzvi Shustal and Rav Yisroel Tzvi Newman) who add that regular shavers involved a “sefeika d’oraysa.”

It seems clear from this letter that Rav Heinemann does NOT take the position that, based on the Igros Moshe being Posek Hador, the opinions of the Poskim who prohibit shavers should be dismissed or discounted. On the contrary, he advises that l’maasah, practically speaking, one who wants to shave should instead use a trimming machine (and not a regular shaver).

In another Hebrew language letter dated Parshas Re’eh, 5736, Rav Heinemann confirms that “emes nachon hadavar” that his Rebbe Rav Aharon Kotler zt’l did not permit the use of shaving machines. Rav Heinemann added that Rav Aharon Kotler did not want to issue a heter even for the Outliner trimmer, out of deference for the Chofetz Chaim.

Firstly it is a trimmer. Secondly, I asked one of the Poskiem in BMG and he said it’s fine. So, it would essentially be better alternative than the peanut for “non shavers” as it’s a cleaner shave.

Rabbi Blumenkrantz’s 2019 Pesach Sefer page 415 has an updated list of permissible Norelco triple head Shavers. He also quotes the psakim from Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal earlier in the same chapter 27.
It states the following:
Based on a conversation with Hora Dovid Feinstein Shlita, he has advised that, in his opinion, Norelco now produces shavers without lifts that are Kosher to use straight out of the box. The following shavers are considered the best shavers available on the market as off this time: Phillips Norelco 6945XL, 6948XL, 6955XL, 1100, 2100, 2300, 3100, 3500, 3600 with Closecut or Comfortcut blade system and all other Norelco Shavers which say Closecut or Comfortcut on the blade heads.

Both Rabbi Heineman and Rabbi Forcheimer hold each Norelco has to be checked by am expert in the field. Until they are checked, they are prohibited. And they seem to be basing this on Reb Moshe zt”l.

Rabbi Heineman says one blades are prohibited, and Rabbi Forcheimer said it is a “taar mamash’.

Rabbi Blumenkrantz is no longer alive to ask, and the children who put out the sefer never spoke to Reb Moshe ztl.

@anonymous how can you say R Heineken holds its prohibited? The star Ks response is posted above from “shekerhachain”. In that email it explicitly says he did not determine if it was problematic or not.

I don’t understand what is accomplished by dulling the cutting blade. If the issue with the shaver is tarr, than all you have is a dull tarr, Maye nafke mina? For that matter, what is the specific issur of tarr? Is it the blade against the skin? Is it the closeness of the shave? If the latter, why was samm (depilitory powder) ok? How about a razor cut haircut? The razor is just used to trim the hair, not shave the head. The blade never touches the scalp. In fact, the action of the razor against the comb is not unlike the action of an electric shaver. How about a trimmer (Note 2) with a guard. A #2 would give you that stubble look I mentioned above.
It seems to me that all psak, especially psak that dealing with technology, needs a detailed explanation . Just saying “assur” is insufficient.
Note 1: If the specific issur is removal of the beard, then all of the questions above about shaving are moot.
Note 2: A trimmer works exactly like a scissors, blade against blade.