(VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
A campaign has sprung up in the extremist Charedi community against women wearing wigs of the hair of non-Jewish women. One of the most recent protest events against this type of hair covering, took place in Charedi neighborhoods in Jerusalem on Thursday night.
On a very large stage set up on Yechezkel and Shmuel HaNavi Streets, ten wigs on Styrofoam heads were burned to accompanying simcha music and dancing.
The event, which coincided with Rosh Chodesh Adar, held an extra element of defamation for the wigs, as the heads were hung from a beam and each was attributed the name of one of Haman’s ten sons to symbolize the vile characteristics of the wigs.
Charedi extremist elements who were behind the event claim that these wigs violate the laws of Tzniyus.
The self-proclaimed Rabbi who was holding the pole to which the heads were hung, recited in a loud voice the passages of “L’Shem Yichud…” and then stepped forward to perform the “Mitzvah” of burning the wigs amid jubilation of the crowd.
He then encourages the crowd to “daven now for this is an ‘Eis Ratzon’, as an American yeshiva student can be heard yelling “Allah Akbar” as he mocks the entire event.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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35 Responses
Did the women walk away bare-headed instead?
There is much to MOCK
Ywn calls forbiding women to wear wigs extremist and a trend. However in In yalkut yosef kitzur shulchan aruch even haezer chapter 21 law ten it says “אין להתיר לאשה נשואה לצאת בפאה נכרית לרשות הרבים, ויש לאסור בזה בכל תוקף. ובפרט בדורות שלנו שעושים את הפאות במומחיות רבה עד שלא ניכר כלל אם אלו שערות טבעיות או פאה נכרית, ולא לכיסוי כזה נתכוונו חז”ל שהצריכו כיסוי הראש באשת איש. ומכל שכן שיש לאסור בזה לספרדים ובני עדות המזרח, מאחר שכל גאוני ספרד המפורסמים פסקו לאסור בזה, והעידו שבמקומותינו לא נשמע מעולם מנהג כזה. ורק לאחרונה החלו נשים ספרדיות ללבוש פאה נכרית בהשפעת המורות והחברות שלהן. וצריך להבהיר להן, שכל גדולי התורה מעדות המזרח לא התירו לנהוג כן, ואין לשנות מהמנהג. ולמה שלא יחושו להחמיר בדבר כזה חמור. ואף בפאה וכובע ראוי להחמיר. וכל בעל ישפיע על אשתו רק בדרכי נועם ושלום, ויבאר לה חומר הענין. [אוצר דינים מהדו”ק עמ’ שסב. יביע אומר חלק ה’ חלק אבן העזר סימן ה. והיאך הדין באלמנה צעירה, ראה בחלק ד’ אהע”ז סימן ג]“
Is yalkut yosef “extremist” or a “trend”?
Ywn please use google translate to understand what is written in yalkut Yosef and advise.
Thanks.
my rebbe once told me (in a class) that it is the teva of women to want to look beautiful and if a women tries to be too tznuis, you must check into to her for something is wrong. It is a gemora, he showed us, and I remember seeing it but I do not remember if it was in Yevamos, Gittin or where?
Does anyone remember seeing this gemora? and where is it?
But the outcome is the same: men have to deal with religious women wanting to look nice….
This is partially why people are going off the derech.
@ilovetora – Rav Ovadia also holds that women may wear pants.
I’m sure you agree to that Psak as well. Right?
Not.
By the way, maybe it’s YOU who needs the Google translate. He clearly writes that this Psak is directed mainly towards Sefardim.
Not sure why the need to twist words.
Harav Ovadiah Yosef’s position against shaitels is known.
Let’s not forget, however, the opinion of many gedolei Yisroel, who permitted shaitels when they were worn in a modest manner. Amongst them the Chazon Ish (as related by Rav Azriel Auerbach), Rav Eliashiv (his daughters wore); this has been the minhag yisroel for generations amongst Ashkenazim. Even amongst the Gedolei Sefarad – Rav Mordechai Eliyahu saw no issue with a modest shaitel (his wife wears one to this day), also Rav Yaakov Hillel.
It is crucial to have one’s own competent Orthodox posek, who can rule according to their own standard. One should not underestimate the potential kilkul that could result by attempting to portray wearing shaitels as an issur – many women just wouldn’t cover their hair at all (Rav Yaakov Hillel, as cited in Yated Ne’eman).
Ultimately we have gedolei yisroel to guide us on delicate issues such as these.
I wish they would have used my wigs, then perhaps I could buy the one I looked at yesterday.
Hey concerned citizen and citizens, NONO E IS GOING OFF FOR THIS…. And I repeat NO ONE!!
People are going off far faster because they are exposed to nisyoinis and desires that are easier then fighting to stand as a Ben melach with moral values I. The world around…. Not saying that that’s the only reason and the main reason. But it’s definitely not because of a few funny fanatics that everyone loves watching and laughs at it…. There is not one respected man or person that people thought they respect or a person with a decent name or position standing there or backing it. I would go off faster from all the so called normal people with don’t stop blaming every stupid story and every single retard for all the wrong in the world…. Stop hating and start laughing, you’ll be way more secure and way better off in general! With much bracha and hatzlacha, your non judgmental brothers to either sides of the spectrum……
Ilovetorah: do you? Are you really unable to see the difference between a legitimate machlokes haposkim vs a ridiculous spectacle like this?
Don’t misrepresent the story. the reason for the burning was because of the Indian Hair issue. The halacha requires Tikrovos Avoda Zara to be burned. Many rabbis have ruled that most wigs today originate from India. You can disagree, but don’t make it sound like they were doing it for modesty reasons.
see here: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1366978/forbidden-sheitels-2-0-natural-hair-wigs-banned.html
“It is a gemora, he showed us,”
There is a Meam Loez, that discusses this idea. I believe it is in Parshas Vayetze, but may be mistaken. There, the story centers around a male who exhibited “extreme piety” and it led to his downfall.
Kol hakavod to all the women who changed their wigs for tichelach and gave the wigs to be burned. (I happen to have a bit more knowledge of this event than the other know-it-all commenters).
Yes, we should publicly acknowledge their mesirus nefesh, because yes, women do want to look beautiful, and yes, they are required by Torah to curtain that wish!
It’s a shame they focus so much time and effort on such stupid and non important things. There are so many worse things going on, and things which need to be worked on. Let me ask like this: Do these people truly feel that by the world seeing these demonstrations, women who wear these sheitels will stop wearing them, or if anything turn them off (not off the derech) but in disgust and a negative view on these people? I believe the answer is clear, that not only does it not lead to anything productive, but has the potential to make matters across the board worse, bridging the gap further between the intense charaidim and the not as intense, let alone the non religious. The same thing can be said about how will throwing rocks at soldiers bring them closer to Yiddishkeit, or leave a disgust and hatred towards them, when in their minds all these soldiers do is protect and lay down their lives for them (doesn’t matter that they were drafted), and this is what they get from these “religious people who are learned and pride themselves in being religious, who show so much hatred at them?
I really think this article should be removed as it is a complete distortion of the truth and a perpetuation of sinas chinam-
Ah, yes…. Eh, just a few meshugayim, just extremists.. Yesterday assaulting a religious IDF soldier, today mocking wigs that millions of women wear and hold dear… Tomorrow ?… Who knows…. Maybe dumping tons of sushi into the Yam Hamelach ’cause some eat it at Friday night seudah… Last years, throwing smartphones into chametz burning fires, …. with the proper Yehi Ratzon…. Eh, just a few meshugoyim causing mayhen…
Nope… more than a few, more and more , more than a few…..
BUT…. Lich’oyreh, so and so paskens that wigs…. Lemeiseh, this rav says it’s ok, but some teisch oiys it means bedavka that….. Toirelech, pshetlach… poskim, Shulchan Aruch….. M’heiche teiseh ??
Meanwhile the laughter, hoopla and degradation of a minhag,…… assaulting of humans, of Yidden continue…. Nobody to speak out… no asifas to condemn… No, no, no…
Let’m be…. They’re just a few….
So many examples in the Torah that just a few, just even one , caused damage to Klall Yisroel… who cares??
Back to pilpul….. Psak that no sheitels permit…….. but wait…!!! Aye, the….. holds punkt farkert.???
Yup, keep the toilelach going…
JOjo and aprager,
The initial article was written to state that anyone who forbids wigs is an extremist and a trend. It was only after I complained that they reworded the article. YWN does this all the time. Very poor journalism.
@yehuda26 #IdiotAlert
I took the videos, and I was at this event, and I think the Gedolei HaPoskim – who know more then you ever will – have ruled long before you came to be about this issue.
You likely have a brain the size of a pea compared to Rav Dovid Feinstein.
“….. it is a complete distortion of the truth and a perpetuation of sinas chinam-….”
Well, There are at least 3 videos of this event.
So, tell us, please, where the truth really lies??
It’s tiring to read comments about these wild events that we, the common folk, we the zhlubbs, don’t get the whole truth.
Aderaba….. Tell us the unvarnished truth.
DM,
“it is a complete distortion of the truth and a perpetuation of sinas chinam-”
Something tells me that the ones that are claiming “A”Z!” are really with an agenda of Assuring ALL Sheitlach…
And somewhat I think, some comments here are from the same person as well…
Link below:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/natural-hair-sheitels-are-assur/page/6
ilove,
It says there:
“וכל בעל ישפיע על אשתו רק בדרכי נועם ושלום”
Do you think this event is דרכי נועם ושלום….?
ilovetora,
Rav Ovadia is a Da’as Yochid on this matter. Period. And many Sephardic poskim argued against his psak as well, like The ישכיל עבדי, Rav BZ Aba Shaul, הגאון הרב שלום משאש ZTL.
ilove,
Here is part of a lengthy Teshuva written by haRav Moshe Sternbuch of the Bedatz Eda Hachredis regarding Chacham haRav Ovadia’s psak:
– נכתב בשנת תש”ל –
. הנה לפני כמה חדשים פורסם מהגאון רבי עובדיה יוסף שליט”א, מחבר
ספר “יביע אומר”, בקונטרס מיוחד ובעיתונים וכן בספרו, שפאה נכרית אסור מדינא, וכמעט כל בית
ישראל עוברים ח”ו באיסור, ועיתונים שמפרסמים על זה מודעות מכשילין את הרבים. ובמחילת
כבודו, מטיל בכך מום בקדשים על רובא דרובא של בית ישראל.
אמנם אם אין בדבריו אלא חומרא תבוא עליו הברכה, אבל בעוונותינו הרבים אלו הצעירות
שמסירות הפאה נכרית לובשות מטפחת שאינה מכסה כל שערות הראש ממש, והבאנו שבזה האיסור
לכ”ע חמור טפי אלף פעמים מאיסור פאה נכרית,
Gaon,
An event where hair is burned on heads with the names of haman sons while people pray is laughable and worthy of reporting on YWN. The problem is with the way the accompanying article was first published. It originally suggested that anyone who believes that wearing a wig is forbidden is an extremist and that it’s a “trend”. The article has since been amended. Whether it is a “Das yochid” or only for those that follow r ovadia is irrelevant. It is not the opinion of solely extremists who burn wigs nor is it a trend. The overal problem with YWN is that in an effort to push out a story quickly, the rushed article is poorly written and needs to be drastically edited after is released to the public.This problem is compounded by the fact that the editors seemingly have a poor command of the English language.
ilovetora – “The overal problem with YWN is that in an effort to push out a story quickly, the rushed article is poorly written and needs to be drastically edited after is released to the public.This problem is compounded by the fact that the editors seemingly have a poor command of the English language.”
You mean like yourself?
Quickly posting a Teshuva from Chacham Ovadia and claiming that is the halacha, when clearly he is a daas yochid?
Or do you mean that your have a very poor command of a language (Hebrew) as you distorted the daas yochid words of Rav Ovadia?
What a joke.
Para, their Hebrew is worse than their English. I did not suggest it was the halacha. I merely pointed out that it is not the opinion of ONLY extremists nor is it a trend. They must have agreed because they amended the article.
It really is a joke. I wish I could write in a way that even YWN readers could understand but unfortunately I cannot.
Yehuda,
” (I happen to have a bit more knowledge of this event than the other know-it-all commenters).”
Would you mind sharing your “knowledge” with us? You can post it on the above link, wherein we have seen the true “knowledge” of the ones behind :
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/natural-hair-sheitels-are-assur/page/7
I pashut don’t chap. let us say it is a daas yochid, than why does it bother everyone that the people that follow a daas yachid decided to burn it?
there were signs all over yerushlayim on the burning of tikrovos avoda zara. that is what they were doing, and there are some very choshuva rabbonim who strongly hold [in year 5778] that there is huge chshash of avoda zara in wigs.
amongst them, Rav Ezrael Auerbach, Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Rav Moshe Mordechai Karp and others. Rav Moshe Shternbuch wrote a letter recently on the subject, and it is a mistake to accuse him of wanting to assur all wigs, as you quoted above.
There are Rabbanim in America that also hold that the Indian hair is a problem (including many Chassidish Rabbanim)
Rav Elyashiv zt”l instructed people to burn wigs that contain a trace of indian hair, he absolutely forbade this hair- there are people that hold by this ruling.
Someone needs to remind these people that tznius is a matter of behaviour as well as a matter of dress
I’ve heard that Rav Abuhatzeira said that the sheitel a woman wears will be included in the fire that burns her in Gehinnom. According to certain posters, Rav Elyashiv can be heard (via telephone) saying in a shiur that the whole question as to whether sheitlach are allowed is going only on the sheitlach of a hundred years ago but everyone holds that modern ones which (as the Yalkut Yosef points out) are at least as attractive as the woman’s real hair have no heter whatsoever. This is not a light thing and I wouldn’t advise any woman to take any chances about it.
Chachom,
What exactly did Rav Sternbach say is אסור? Did he say Indian? then there is nothing new here. Did he say all Sheitlach are ?
Por,
There are other sources quoting differently. Rav Elyashiv was only against Pritzus looking Sheitlach i.e. long and eye-catching etc.
To say Natural looking is Asur, is sort of ignoramus and going against all that were Matir in the first place. The very poskim all Klal Yisrael relies on. The רמ”א , שלטי גבורים, מגן אברהם, לבוש, פרי מגדים, א”ר , מחצית השקל,
All permitted covering with NATURAL looking hair. I.e. your very own hair.
The only issue is Pritzus as with all clothing, it needs to be corrected.
If the behavior itself is something you would see in Rakka on a Tuesday or in Baltimore during a riot or in Mecca during their Yom tov, it’s not something we should see by frum people representing the One True G-d (regardless of your position on the wig issue).