Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi, the chief rabbi of the Kfar Chabad village in Israel, has warned against the “phenomenon of long wigs” as an acceptable form of hair covering for religious married women.
He stated his opinion in a letter to the dean of the Beis Rivkah Teachers’ Seminary in Kfar Chabad, Israel National News reports.
In his missive, Rabbi Ashkenazi said long wigs are not appropriate for the purposes of covering one’s hair according to halacha.
“Wigs with long, loose hair are not permissible as hair coverings, even more so when they are made of human hair that is meant to look like the woman’s own hair,” Rabbi Ashkenazi wrote.
The letter instructed the dean to urge students and teachers on the school premises to wear wigs which only come to their shoulders, with hair that is “tied back and not scattered.”
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Women Promote Wig Wearing
With scarves the “Payos” show out and alot of times also more hair than you want. But Shaitlach cover completely.
Dear “145”, Avodah zoro sheitels – you mean the Indian hair sheitels – are 100% forbidden? I think you are not aware of the Rabbonim – very prominent ones – that all but did away with that entire issue. See the teshuva from the Mishna Halachos to start, where he says it is better not but that they are not “100%” avodah zorah and assur. http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~spotter/sheitel/Mishne_Halachos_-_Tshuva_Sheitel.pdf But even those that did come out with a P’sak were never “100%” sure that they are forbidden, or were matir outright, as you can see from the following links of Lubavitch Rabbonim: http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~spotter/sheitel/chabad.jpg… Read more »
why do women want to wear hair that looks and moves like like a horses tail???
Scary!!
kol hakavod to the rabanim who care enough to say something. i would like to hear more guidance and leadership coming from them, but honestly what bothers me more than long sheitels are fliplops and short skirts way above th knee with really long sheitels which looks trully stupid to me. i was recently in crown heights and i feel hurt by the grub way of dressing that some women have. i have worked my whole life on my tznuyus, as it is not my easiest mitsvah. it has come to a point that i dont want my children exposed… Read more »
this is tottally unexceptable is will make women go off the derech
or it will have much more negative affect
in canada women already started wearing burkas and the whole uniform you want more women to
quote me in BLACK & WHITE where it says A WOMAN SHOULD NOT WEAR LONG SHEITALS
what’s next only BLACK KIPPA
huh, who’s blaming men again?
Hebrew – http://www.tefillos.com/igeres_haramban.asp
English – http://www.pirchei.co.il/specials/ramban/printabl.htm
Read it every day, and not less than once a week…
The subject matter here in one relating to women, and trying to get away with deflecting to issues relating to men is simply an immature means to avoid responsibility.
I’ll say it again:
Don’t point at men EVERY TIME it’s pointed out what you need to improve on.
Women, use some intellect instead of being entirely ruled by emotion and address your evils.
Note: The quote above is from Igeres Haramban
Hebrew – http://www.tefillos.com/igeres_haramban.asp
English – http://www.pirchei.co.il/specials/ramban/printabl.htm
“No matter what is going on in our community, the women must address their evils,”
How much blame does one gender have to take.
I am absolutely horrified at the chutzpa and disrespect directed at a learned Rabbi. So most of you women don’t like to be told to tighten up on your Tznius. Out of 142 posts are a few with any sense and maturity including a 10 year old. I would suggest you obtain and read “Modesty – An Adornment for Life” by Rabbi Falk. No doubt you would have complaints with his book too as it states the Halachos concerning Tznius of dress & conduct. Boy do you all need to read it. There is a paragraph concerning long sheitals and… Read more »
#134-5: You are totally missing the point with all your focus on the Rebbe’s support of sheitels. The Rebbe did not issue a caveat with regards to the “avoda zara” sheitels either, nonetheless they are 100% halachically forbidden. This demonstrates how fundamentally flawed your logic is. 136 (and others): The line “it’s ok to look attractive but not attracting” was made up by a beis yaakov teacher who had no idea what she was saying. It is not ok to try to look ‘attractive’ when going out in public, and it’s also the ‘exact same’ as attracting. Check your dictionary.… Read more »
Those who rant against a rov,on the basis that he should be taking care of other issues are demonstrating that their responses are based on emotion rather than logic.They try to deflect from the validity of the psak of a respected rov.As a woman I am resentful of the hysteria which marks the tone of many of these letters.,,because the only thing it can prove is the writers of those letters were using their emotion.Only the Rebbe can speak for himself,and I find it presumptious
a) Clearly there are styles of sheitels that while they cover ALL of the woman’s natural hair, still the style is provocative and ‘prust’ – thereby making it unbefitting for a tziniusdike woman. – Just like there are items of clothing that may completely cover all the parts than must be concealed – yet at the same time, it may be provocative, and therefore un-tzniuskdik. b) My question is: is there anything halachicly wrong with a shaitel that looks very natural? A sheital thay may even look better than her own natural hair? I was referred to the sefer כבודה… Read more »
Hello!?!?
This is a rav!
Have some respect!
It’s not right to bash the rav.
This is something we should all at least strive to do!!!
And if you disagree with what the rav says then keep your feelings and your comments to yourself!!!
a shlucha once told me that a women in her community saw her shaitel and how nice it looked that it inspired her to wear a shaitel.
I think the Rabbi’s have more serious issues on their hands right now – let’s stop blaming the women, and demand that the men/Rabbi’s start behaving and be more tznius.
While I get your overall point, your head just sounded a lot less holy as it spat out its little racist missive. (“I could never understand how a Jewish Woman could place on her holy head a bunch of dead hair from some Ukrainian or Chinese peasant.”) Is it really necessary to dismiss people of other ethnicites (all G-d’s creations, mind you) as “peasants” or denigrate anyone born into poverty or the working class?
This is the exact opposite of what the Rebbe said when he began his sheitel campaign in the 1950s. One of the main reasons that the Rebbe preferred sheitels over hats or kerchiefs (aside from the halachic reason that they cover the hair more completely) is that women will feel better about themselves in a wig, feel that they are more beautiful and attractive than with other types of head coverings, not feel out of place and marginalized in society, and be more inclined to cover their hair. To the Rebbe, this was the most important thing–that more married women… Read more »
a rov can be wrong too the rebbe himself argued with other rabbonim about this subject
another rov should come out against this
The most important aspect of tzniyus ,I believe, is to have the sensitivity to appreciate the difference between looking attractive, versus looking attracting.
S.B.W
…and my personal pinon: The hairstyles have come much too far. There was nothing like what is going on today when the Rebbe was alive. Nothing close. Look at all the old videos and you will see. It is unfair and not with derech eretz to the Rebbe to say that the Rebbe meant every type of sheitel that will be designed in the future is wonderful. There obviously no absolutes with regard to sheitels. So I agree that a shift is needed to get back with mainstream folk. The men have to be the ones to support their wives… Read more »
The women of ancient Israel – perhaps – looked beautiful in their head coverings because that was the prevalent custom throughout most of the world then. Covering hair, to whatever extent, is what the women, AND men did. For a woman of any affiliation to wear her head uncovered would not be with the social mores of most if not all society then. In our current times where the uncovered head of a woman is – to paraphrase the Talmud – as common as “white hens” (a reference to them being plentiful and all around in those days) then the… Read more »
what’s the big deal–so you wear a lovely shaitel to the shoulder or chin length, there are many styles, easier to manage, less costly, are attractive not alluring . the rav could have said scarves on top of shaitels or only short synthetic variations..priorities please, writing from jerusalem, where many wear scarves and many of those scarves are near the eyebrows..so get a grip and chill!!!
Tznius is almost always translated in English as “modesty”, but I think a better word would be “dignity”. If a woman’s criterion for purchasing clothing or a sheitel is whether she will look dignified in it, and she only makes the purchase if the answer is yes, then she will be tzniusdik. A sheitel that comes down to the waist is not dignified, even if it covers every strand of a woman’s own hair. Neither is a skin-tight leopard-skin print dress, even if the collarbone, elbows and knees are covered. And neither are shoes with stiletto heels. What does “dignified”… Read more »
The cost of a borsalino hat cannot be compared to the cost of a long sheitel. Furthermore, there is not much distinction between an expensive hat and an inexpensive hat, on the contrary with regard to a sheitel, where the length clearly and plainly distinguishes it before all from lesser costly varieties. As you mentioned streimels, it could be reasoned that this is a reason the Rebbe initiated the custom of wearing a simple borsalino. Either way, you clearly have no conception of the cumulative cost of long sheitel wearing, as even expensive streimels do not come close. It’s noteworthy… Read more »
to all comments:since when laides know so much halacha that they have the cutzpue to argue with a rav to #20 i wonder if u shold shut up (just some advice) aand abot men miksing in .when the rebbe said somthing wold u also ask y are men miksing in hmmmm…. he jost hapend to be a rav and has the full right to mix in just like all oter rabbonim troghout the ages .(u remind me of the reform ) and b.t.w. u just lost ur world to come u just embaresd a rav espeshly in publik .and to… Read more »
You wrote: “long sheitels are prohibitively expensive for many if not most, and therefore are not modest, just as an overly lavish wedding is not modest.” Let me ask you, would someone dare prohibit men from wearing the prohibitively expensive Borsolino hats? And what about the super expensive fur shtreimels? Reality check! Is it only women who are prohibited from spending – but it is okay for men to have immodest spending on their exterior garments all in the name of holiness and chassidus? This type of gender inequality disgusts me! As they say in Kfar Chabad: f it is… Read more »
My dear sister, You wrote that you now see no point in getting a sheitel to cover your hair. Listen, there will always be rabbis who issue stringency upon stringencies, but it isn’t an “all or nothing”! There are many levels of ztnius but if you don’t fully comply with the highest standard is the alternative to go naked?! I don’t know if this rov is right or wrong – let others decide. I don’t know if his ruling is for local consumption or for global Jewry, but I do know that we need to try our best and if… Read more »
he can be wrong about it not being a covering, and about human hair… but there is a point about the extra long wild looking styles that’s so prust… then again, don’t think it can be mistaken for real hair…it’s just too wacky and unreal
The comments here seriously sound like they are from immature and ditsy women and girls. Who are you fooling? I have a long beautiful wavy sheitel and yet i understand this psak. Very long sheitels is not in the spirit of tznius just like a skirt that covers the knee but is too tight. The rebbe said to wear beautiful sheitels, dont be so ignorant and chutzpadik and use it as a license to wear super long untznius styles. The rebbe also told us to dress beautifully, does that mean in a goyish and prust style? Who are you fooling?… Read more »
The Rebbe has said numerous times in sichos: Lashon Hara leads to disrespecting Rabbonim which leads to loss of Emunah entirely! This is similar to a story of when the Chassidim lunged for the meat that was brought into the farbrengen, and one Chossid realizing that therefore there must be something wrong with the meat, immediately swept up the tray and threw it away shortly before a reportt came that the meat was not kosher. Those who pursue and support long sheitels with disrespect to a Rav show that those sheitels are treif. Those who try to cite the Rebbe’s… Read more »
I figured it was time to start covering my hair. I was gonna get a sheitel. I thought that would be the “right: thing to do. Now I won’t. WHy spend a couple of thousand bucks on a wig that is forbidden when I can wear my hair uncovered which is equally forbidden?!
Freeda wigs are long and natural human hair –and they claim to have the Rebbe’s blessing. Does this rabbi think they are forbidden ??? This is sooo CONFUSING!!!
No sheitel for me!!
If it was sent to an Israeli site, I would imagine that it had fewer disrespectful comments than it has had on American sites. The family member that I spoke to was in America and knew of the p’sak but not the American publicity. This rabbi sees a tznius issue and is trying to put a stop to it. From what I have seen, anyone who tries to complain about the lack of tznius in Lubavitch is considered to be intolerant. After awhile, everyone ignores the lack of tznius. After all, why bother? Who wants to fight about it so… Read more »
This is not halacha, it’s not even chassidus, it’s totally arbitrary and subjective, and is more inline with cults and the Taliban than authentic Jewish values.
Stop worrying about the length of shaitels and instead worry about actual real halacha, like not cheating on taxes, or Section 8 fraud, or pure cash businesses, or making sure mosdos and businesses pay their employees on time, or actually educating our kids, or …
Or, I guess you could continue trying to control people as if that were a real issue.
Finally Rabbonim are taking a stand about this pritzus. Bischar noshim tzidkoniyos Moshiach will come!
y do most frum women focus on being the hottest one (for competition or attention) only when they go out ? y not at home?????????
Yes i ttly agree its crazy i mean OK maybe it could be hard to be 100% tznius, but even THAT has a limit. Its shocking. What kind of girls do they want to grow? A mother should defenitly be an example for the daughter, even if she thinks that the daughter doesn’t look at her.. Its not true! And i’m not a man who (with all due respect) doesn’t fully understand what it means for a woman to dress completely tznius. I am a 17 ear old girl and i totally know what it means, and how hard it… Read more »
I myself dont follow tznius to the T but am shocked how far people go. I litterally see mini-as in MINI skirts around kingston and sheitels that you only know is a sheitel because the person is married. They take out half there hair in front so doesnt look like a sheitel at all. Its basically just hair extensions
I’m a 10 year old girl and even I act more mature than you people! Just stop arguing. But it is actually kind of funny!! 🙂
always sumthing else to upset ppl!
I think it’s great how there are comments that say things like it’s hard for men to focus when women’s hair is so long. As if it’s the women’s fault that men can’t do the things they do. Stop being so selfish, we don’t wear sheitlach just for you guys.
It is very important to listen to rabanim.
Rabanim have the powern and right to make gedarim.
If this helps anyone, here’s a litmus test that helps me deal with new ideas that may sound extreme at first:
If a woman told you that she had made a hachlata to wear shorter sheitlach as per the rav’s words, would you tell her that her decision was worthless and had no value? If not, what you are actually saying is, “There is value in this psak, but I’m not presently at the level of being able to take this upon myself.” That’s very different from the comments I’ve been reading here.
I think the Rebbe would want that too.
This issue is discussed in sefer Kvuda Bas Melech, in the Kovetz Miluyim (pgs. 51-52) which is available at Judaica World.
Would you not be embarressed to stand in line for dollars and get a dollar from the Rebbe wearing a long, loose, provactative sheitel? or a short mini skirt? or leggings? or a tight shirt that shows every curve?!
We daven and hope for moshiach every day, let’s be ready to greet him in a way that we won’t be embarressed when he comes, may it be NOW!
There are plenty of gorgeous, natural looking sheitels out there that can be cut to shoulder length. That’s long. Rabbi Ashkenazi is talking about the va va voom, stop & stare types, super-provocative styles. This trend of needing to wear provocative sheitels goes with the super tight skirts, most of which are above the knee, tight, bright tops where the neckline is too exposed and the sleeves if there are any are just-just if that. STOP SELLING THESE SUPER LONG SHEITELS! Most of them don’t suit the faces anyway even if they are gorgeous pieces. But we all know a… Read more »
come on!! You can all have your own opinions , BUT RESPECT FOR A ROV COMES FIRST!! its just shocking how low the level of respect is.Everyone can have their opinion but as long they have respect for the other opinions
An example of religion trying to quash and not liberate the eishes chayil
An unmarried girl is cautioned against wearing her hair long and loose – have you ever seen a frum high school which allows it ?! so why should that suddenly change once it becomes a sheitel?
No! It is not just you. I agree 100%.
my motto
THE PASK IS THAT EVERY WOMAN HAS TO BE IN STLYE AND WEAR A BOB!!
Funny you say that, because I heard directly from an editor of one of the Israeli Chabad websites that the letter want sent to them by email from Rabbi Ashkenazi’s household….
And for all the excuses you found for his actions, denouncing people have never worked and as not been the custom of Chabad.
Blaming the people for the wrongs of the world is the easiest thing one can do, you don’t need to be a talmid chacham to do that.
yes to beautiful sheitels
they must first meet appropriate standards of tznius
it can’t simply be beautful
it needs to be
BEAUTIFUL
AND
TZNIUS
but not PROVOCATIVE. There’s a difference. A
sheitel reminds the wearer that she is only available
to her husband.
it took forty one comments to finally read the one that made most sense about this issue. most of these comments are really / you just don’t get it!! we all agree allowing our teenagers with loose long hair is aagainst tznius so why is long loose shaitlech not against tznius
Hahahahh you rock guy!! :):)
or do long sheitels not even look good? the longer and more extravagant they are, the faker they look. modest, normal sheitels are much more attractive, than these clearly fake ultra long uber styled wigs that even hollywood celebrities wouldn’t be caught dead in.
states that it is obvious that the sheitel must look like its not real hair. on this point, all human hair, esp. custom made sheitels, short too, would be breaking his rule #2 and that is the first time i know of such a psak being stated in lubavitch, which means, that the silence until now on this points is a loud and clear statement that rabbonim who were silent all these years do not agree with the revered and respected rabbi, Also, the rebbe is not known to have been concerned with his point 2. his third point, which… Read more »
Yup! You said it. You’re teenage
For those looking for a source see magen Avraham 75:3 who writes that going out with hair untied is ossur even for single girls. This is ossur miderabonon.
A woman should wear beautiful clothing and shaitel. Unfortunately we have confused the difference between looking beautiful and looking enticing. Beautiful is refined elegant and dignified. Enticing is cheap and provocative.
rabbis can no longer take for granted the ppls respect, they MUST earn it. The congregations are way to informed today and too many leading figures have been caught with their pants down ( literally and figuritively ) they have been caught compromising the torahs basic ethics and principles when they stood to gain. Hence no talk regarding honesty, but Tznius being a subject not applicable to this rabbi is simple AS IT APPLIES TO SOMEONE ELSE.
There is nothing more comical & unflattering than a woman of 61 years parading around in a Beyonce weave
If you want to keep as many lubavitchers as you can to remain frum at all then stop this nonsense … its common sense! our young are drifting away day by day…they are not going for what the system is offering…they need inspiration not commands …and especially not ridiculous ones… Just look at how many beards are coming off…how many skirts are getting shorter ..how many drop outs from our mosdos….how many of our intelligent young are questioning the fundamental belief in god!! and we have to focus on the length of the shaitel!!!!? Thats how smart the rebbe was…he… Read more »
good question
answer= No hair 🙂
Let the sheitel Machers stop selling such sheitlach or at least advise women against them.
Don’t blame Rabbi Ashkenazi that his letter was published online. His own family did not know that it was online (I spoke with them this evening). His letter may have been posted on some sites without his knowledge or participation. I don’t think that he is obligated to make a whole campaign with every rov and organization involved. I don’t think the fact that he didn’t contact every American organization makes him less worthy of respect. Most rabbonim are reluctant to take a stand on tznius because few women are willing today to improve their standards.
I live in ch. I a m a woman tha t enjoys fashion and i try very hard to make sure that I am tznius. I totally agree with the Rav. There are some woman that walk around our streets looking so prust and provacative. I am seriously embarrssed to call them chabad. I also have come to realize that many Isreali women have come to ch and totally dress in a real provocative way. Some of them bri ng their kids to school and its embarrasing For the rebeim to see them. So I see wha t r ashkenazi… Read more »
When the snake wanted to convince Chava to eat from the tree, she said I’M NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE TREE. so the snake pushed her into the tree and showed her that nothing happened from touching the tree. Then he said the same way nothing happened to you from touching the tree nothing will happen if you eat from the tree. This way the Snake got her andAdam kicked out of the good life permanently. That is what happens when we try to add on to Hashems Mitzvos, we end up sinning. LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE. UNTIL MOSHIACH COMES… Read more »
Lets first see if – at least – ONE lady in Kfar Chabad will change her Shaitel due to this letter….!
This seams pointless to me.we have bigger problems then the length of some married Womans hair.
I’m disgusted at all these comments. Doesn’t anyone have a shred of bittul & kovod for Rabbonim? You don’t need to like what a Rov says & you don’t need to love & understand every mitzva. Have a bit of bittul & do something which you may not like- cut your sheitel. Rabbi Ashkenazi is not making up anything. Long flowing attracting wigs are pas nisht & not tznius because they attract attention. Anything that attracts attention is not tznius, look it up ladies. And a sheitel can be beautiful without being attracting. If covering your hair is so difficult… Read more »
Why is it that you only hear from Lubavitcher women “Men! If you had to wear a shaitel, then you could talk!” Such comments are nothing more than a cop-out. There are tens of thousands of girls and women in other frum communities that do dress accordingly (sheitels, skirts, you name it)! These excuses are so cheap and ultimately convince no one else but the one making the comment. Men have their struggles, women have their struggles, enough of these shallow and baseless excuses. Live up to the fact that you have challenges (that, no ones denying) and take them… Read more »
Rabbi Gafni once in yechidus heard from the Rebbe, that al pi halacha there can be a bigger issue with tightness of clothing than with proper length of sleeves and skirts
can anyone confirm the details?
To all those worried about the seemingly dishonor to Rabbi Ashkenazi, I would like to remind you that a rov has an obligation to respect himself as well (like the shulchan aruch said about removing a stain from his clothing). When a rov comes out so drastically against a long-held custom among Jewish women, he ought to think twice before releasing such a letter denouncing what almost half of Lubavitch women wear in rain and shine. Need I remind you of this rov’s ludicrous suggestion to operate a paparazzi photographer to catch women not dressed modestly? If this rov or… Read more »
There is a big difference between a nice natural looking sheitel and some long shiny curled up number with fantastic highlights. Most people in the world do not have such beautiful hair! No one ( including the Rabbi) is saying to look ugly. There is NOTHING tznius about the long gorgeous wigs. They scream ‘look at me everybody!’ Plus they are not comfortable either. If you want to wear one , fine and do it in good health but please don’t say you are doing it for Tznius reasons. Who are you trying to fool?
that’s it, tight skirt, shirt, bright colors, there’s no definitive line. it depends on your sensitivity. shaitel also, in schools in many frum communities girls are asked to hold their hair in more aidel ways. this is the way of the Jewish people. Tznius
whether you agree or not, there is something called RESPECT for others- especially a rav.
long hair was never tzanua- so althought he Rebbe said to get a beautiful sheitel stop fooling yourselves that it was a license for something inappropriate.
if you choose not to follow, you should be embarassed- instead of announcing it to the world- and dont expect your kids to listen to you, their teachers, or any rav when they hear how you talk about rabbanim.
Rabbi Ashkenazi said:
Long and wild sheitlach.
I’m 52 years old. I understand exactly what he means.
He means sensational and goyish looking.
Unfortunatly the next generation “Dor HaGeulah” doesn’t get it.Too bad. So he has to say KeRachel Bitcha HaKetanah, in clear and explicit words.
Rabbi Ashkenazi is a Daas Yochid on this matter, and he cites no source for his ruling. Every other rabbi would tell you that any sheitel, as nice, as long as fancy, it is still considered hair covering. He can talk about the spirit of modesty, similair to woman wearing bright colored clothes, but it is considered covering the hair.
I think long sheitels are beautiful and own one myself but I definitely it’s attracts too much attention and is not tzneus. Tzneus means modest it definitely opposite of modest
It is better to say that you are not ready to listen to him rather than to say that he is wrong or should address other issues first. He didn’t say that all human hair wigs were problematic, only those that were long and loose. He is not obligated to win a popularity contest. When the Rebbe encouraged the wearing of shaitlach, I don’t think that seductive custom wigs were being sold yet. It is hard to imagine the Rebbe approving of those either and the Rebbe always held by following the poskening of rabbonim. I doubt that the Rebbe… Read more »
Read #34 and #65
i agree………. eidel shaitels & eidel dress is the right way
woa! let’s separate the issues here. what does child abuse or anything have to do with the topic at hand? fact is, i love looking and feeling great in a long sheitel just like anybody else, but i’ll be the first to admit that it is seductive. is it ok by the exact letter of the law? maybe. but it’s still seductive. and that’s unfair to men. i’m not going to fool myself.
If I’m not mistaken the reason a woman wears a wig is to let it be known that she belongs to someone and is “taken”
Ok we all know that today that in itself is meaningless to many,but my question is what is the mark or the sign that a man is taken and off limits??????
Woman are covering their hair Today, better than ever! !When the Rebbitzen of her community wears a gorgeous Shaitel all her community memeber want the same. When Mothers have problems with their daughter’s Tznius, the only problem she doesn’t have is to wear a shaitel(if she can afford what the girl wants) When a non lubavitcher that moved from Israel, and was very fasion conscience, came to me and asked me about the halochos of a gorgeous shaitel, I told her what the Rebbe said but she should ask Her rav. Her Rav of a very misnagdish community told her… Read more »
No one said not to wear a beautiful shaitel. Just to wear one that is tzniusdik. That’s all. Seriously people, loosen up and thank the Rabbi for doing his job and guiding his community in a clear way.
Does this rabbi not think a Jewish woman has the ability to tell whether her sheitel is tzanua or not? It’s the same thing with shoes, there are heels which are tzanua and heels which aren’t. You can’t make it a rule in halacha because there’s no source, so it is up to the women to decide what will make them look like a bas melech and what won’t. It also depends on the woman, some women can wear longer sheitels and be tzanua because of how they carry themselves. Others could wear only black turbans and still not look… Read more »
I think R’ Ashkenazi should first work on the lengths of the skirts in Kfar Chabad, and only then, go onto the subject of shaitels; this way all that is being accomplished is total lack of respect to his statement, thereby bringing on rebellious and angry sentiments . . . again! SO much more needs to be rectified and solved first, far more important issues, than shaitel lengths etc, as mentioned several times above
Agree with #42! I’m struggling to understand what is going on here! In every other community around the world it totally goes without saying that very long shaitlach are not as tznius as shorter ones! In many European communities that I personally am aware of, the guidelines of tznius are definitely that long shaytels are not acceptable! The only community that is outraged/stunned and horrified is my own beloved Lubavitch one…. I can’t get over the shock and surprise … Hasent anyone heard of this before? Look around you. The really real ehrlicher chassidishe women do not wear long flowing… Read more »
i could understand if rav ashkenazi felt that certain shaitels are not tzniusdik. but what he wrote in the letter that it is not considered covering your hair , since it looks so real , is absolutely rediculuos and wrong according to halacha, and is completely against the rebbes shitah about shaitels. I am sure that other chabad robonim will publicly attack him for this
He is the rav of Kfar chabad!!!!!
Several posted about the Rabbonim and respect.
Above was also a comment about slits —
Yes, Rav Shusterman said that the slits are opposite of Tznius;
however, he was a respected Rav that answered and directed all people across the world with caring and honest advice.
He directed people to go to true authority if there would be a molester, a predator, or anyone harming anybody else.
Standing up for what is hallachically correct and required gives a posek the ability and respect to declare what it appropriate for Chabad standards.
Dumbest thing I have ever heard!! Kol hakavod to anyone who wears a shitel! Mamash misiras nefesh and if having it longer makes it easier to the mitzvah than b bi gezunt! Why is Chabad getting so snagy?? I’m going Satmar!! Where do I pick up my Lexus and food stamps?
shame on you. you talk like a reform, and I completely understand why, ” derech eretz kadma latorah”, you can’t possibly accept any mitzvos if you dare talk like that to any adult even more so to a rov. no matter how much you may disagree.
I don’t agree with the psak that doesn’t mean I can say whatever I want. same goes for you. good luck raising your kids.
I wish collive didn’t post comments as such, it teaches our kids that torah is a “free country” you can voice any opinion you want. SO WRONG!
The Rebbe wanted women to wear sheitels, NOT teichels or other head covering. If you wear a scarf, one may come to take it off, whereas it is very embarrassing to remove a sheitel in public. He made a very big deal of this, you can’t change that fact now.
maybe he needs to wear a sheitel to understand. men, in general, dont realize how hard it is for a women to cover her hair. but we do it anyway, y, b/c its halacha.so its bad enough we have to cover, you want to take away our wigs for the smaSHED-HELMET STYLE? ssrry 4 sounding so harsh, but its true.long wigs are ok, theyre are ment to cover your hair and i dont seee it anywere in the shulchan arouch debateing about styles. if he dosent like long wigs, tell his wife not to wear one, but to impose ones… Read more »
Our hair or Wig reminds us woman that we are beautiful and feminine. Each and every woman gets to decide how they want to express their feminity!! No matter how gorgeous a wig looks, it’s simply not the same feeling having hair from your roots blowing in the wind.
Seriously, do you think people are gonna go out and buy new shaitels b/c of this letter? There is no such halacha not wear long shaitels. And even if there was, nobody is going to change because of it. Why not work on fixing real issues rather than writing pointless letters about shaitels that are not going to change anything?
any one with a bit of sensitivity knows that these long,wild shaitels are prust. unfortunately this hergesh for tzneeus is lost on the present generation to agreat extent.
There seems to be 2 different issues. The rebbe instructed whoever would listen to him that they should wear a sheital and only a full shaitel. He further encouraged people to get beautiful sheitels. There is another issue which is Tznius. As with clothing, there can be clothing that conceals all the parts that Halacha mandates that must be covered. But at the same time, this item of clothing can be either eidel/tziniusdik looking or very un-tzniusdik/prust (not because it exposes parts of the body, but rather because of the look that it gives off.) I don’t think there are… Read more »
it depends how the shaitel looks, you can look beautiful for your husband, thats the main thing, sholom bayis is the iker,
in this generation we live in a open society….a rav needs to understand that….merely making up ideas without a real makor….will attract a big response,,,rabbonim dont voice opinions on child abuse,,,or on radicals defacing yiddishkeit or the rebbe (i.e. tzatim) but this to discourage our youth with neagtivity whom if the boat rocks will give it up altogether….
I just want to know how long is to long before your shoulders or down your back, the rabbi needs to look at other issues that is hurting the frum community, like the molestation problem the women wearing short skirts, etc. etc.
Question I heard an anthropologist talking about shaitels (wigs). He said how ironic it is that observant Jewish women wear wigs. In biblical Judaism, the rule was that married women should cover their hair in order to be modest and unattractive. In more recent times, women wear wigs, which are sometimes more attractive than natural hair. So wearing a wig actually defeats the whole purpose of covering the hair! He was giving this as an example of how cultures forget the reasons behind their ancient traditions, and customs can evolve in a way that contradicts their original intent. Do you… Read more »
I’m losing respect for these Rabbis – making “halachos” – more and more with each “psak”
it sounds like its against the rebbe, what do you expect from everyone?
i think so far everyone has been relativly too respectful
the psack is for kfar chabad only
In sefer Kol Kvuda Bas Melech written by Rabbi Moshe Weiner and available in english he brings up exactly this issue. He also has a clear and decisive answer from the Rebbe. Question: Can a woman wear a sheitel which looks like real hair or even better than her own hair? The Rebbe answered yes she can and the reason the Rebbe gave was that in the end it is still not her hair. It is a kiddush Hashem for a frum woman to look good. (But still IMHO some of the wedding dresses that show every curve is not… Read more »
So now it’s not enough that we cover our hair from the moment we get married every single day for the rest of our lives! We cover it when it’s freezing and hats on top of a shait are uncomfortable and or frizz it up. We cover it when it’s 100degrees outside and it itches and makes us sweaty and hot, we cover it at work and in the park with our kids it limits the way our hairstyles can be if we had hair, it costs a freakin fortune and doesn’t last forever, it hurts, pulls gives us headaches… Read more »
Beautiful doesnt mean you now have an invitation to disregaurd the laws of tznius! The rebbe wants the women to feel beautiful but not to compromise on tznius, it doesnt mean to get a long flowly shaitel, one that should a young girl walk around with that length of hair, it would be considered not tznius and would either need to be somehow pulled back or trimmed. Dont use the rebbe horaos for women to feel beautiful as an invitation to lower the standards of tznius. Im not saying i agree with rabbi ashkenazi im just commenting on those women… Read more »
Mrs. Zelda Nemes told: I was born in Russia, moved to Eretz Yisroel, where I married, and then traveled to America. At that point, I was wearing a hat and a half sheitel to cover my hair. At the end of my first Yechidus, the Rebbe asked my husband to leave the room, and then told me that one should wear a sheitel. I stipulated that my hair is completely covered, as I wear a half sheitel in the back and a hat which completely covers my hair in the front. The Rebbe said that wearing a half sheitel is… Read more »
I think it is so important that we listen to the Rabonim instead of constantly questioning them and knowing better than them.
I’m going into what the Rebbe meant with Shaitelach (beautiful, human hair etc) because who am I to decide what the Rebbe meant.
I know one thing for sure that the Rebbe wants us to listen to Rabonim. What is the message that we are giving our children if we are constantly fighting the Rabbinical authorities?
I am not a Rov, just a simple Jew who aspires to be a Chosid.
Hahahahahaha makes me laugh hard!:-) 🙂
My already started burning her shietels, we will have a shietel burning ceremony posted on youtube shortly.
When did it become expectable to write on a open form, that what a Rov says is wrong?
If you don’t agree is one thing, but to openly say it is against Shulchan Aruch. Period
In Likutei Sichos Vol 13 pp188-9 the Rebbe talks strongly about the importance for a woman to wear a full sheitel. During the talk, the rebbe says: “In the past the custom was to cut off (all) the hair . Later on the custom spread of wearing a sheitel. Wearing a sheitel is especially appropriate now, when one can obtain a sheitel in various shades, which looks even nicer than one’s own hair”.
Is there a problem with a woman wearing a sheitel that looks better than her natural hair?
Many people ask : “well, in many cases, the shaitel looks even better than the natural hair! Its much less tznius so whats the point??” I am sure there are many explenations, but i’ll say one that i really liked, and would like to share it; A shaitel is not only to ‘hide’ your hair, and for sure its not something that is supposed to make you look bad. A shaitel is something for the woman herself : so she always remembers that she is married (not that people forget, but you know what i mean). No one can never… Read more »
There is another issue that dulls boys and mens minds making them less alert and productive – at best.
There is unanimous agreement in Poskim about this and there is a clear letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe that “skirts are to cover the knees even when sitting.”
To a mans subconscious mind thighs are a direct highway to birth… therefor when exposed a mans brain produces powerful, out of place feelings…slowing them down (at best). Any caring woman who understands this, would for sure be careful to keep the Din.
In the recent Israeli election Rabbi Ashkenazi and other Rabonim and Mashpiim said that you should vote for Gimmel. Kfar Chabad showed very clearly what they think of their Rabonim when less than 30 percent of the village actually voted for Gimmel!
I wonder why…
I have one thing to say to you. Look up a special Halacha and Mitzvah called Honoring your Elders and Rabbonim (Horim veMorim-falls under Kibud Av Vaem in the 10 dibros we read this past week). You can give your opinion but you can absolutely not tell a Rav to “SHUT UP” who do you think you are? Would you tell the Queen of England to shut up if she said every person should carry a kerchief in their breast pocket? Respect for authority is a major problem here and I think you are a prime candidate for seeing a… Read more »
Yes, this is the most important issue in Lubavitch today!
Who cares about affordable education or the Shiduchim issues, never mind all the young kids going off the Derech, oh, and forget the molestation issue, it’s the long Shaitels that is destroying our community, Rachmono Litzlan!
Kudos Rabbi Ashkenazi!
We have what the Rebbe said/wrote/answered about Shaitlach. All of these kinds of Shaitlach were around with all different styles throughout the years. As far as I know, the Rebbe never commented on limiting what the Shaitel should look like. The opposite is true. The Rebbe encouraged that women should wear nice shatilach and did not encourage women to wear hats over the shaitlach etc. as other chassidim do. If he is trying to get women to be more tzniusdik, Kol HaKovod. Write about the pritzus in dress that needs improvement al pi Halacha. That is more worthwhile than possibly… Read more »
As upset and enraged one may be from this letter, whether it be because they take personal offence, or feel that this is not the Rebbe’s opinion on the matter – one thing is for sure:
A website which is allowing commentators to write in such a disrepectfull way of a Rov and the Halacha he represents, if quite a large problem of its own. Shame on you.
are we just getting to tied down on rules rules and rules…..
Again i think we re losing much of what jewish is .
To many rules …in times of Solomon for eg who wore black !!!!
i dont mean this to embarras you, but come on.
the rebbe knows what he said and he always said he doesnt need someone to clarify it.
he said they should were the most beautiful sheitel .
its like the people saying now. that the rebbe would hold to give back the land of israel
, cuz its different now(come on)
I just wish my daughters and daughters in law would listen to him, they don’t listen to me.
reading these insulting comments to a seasoned Rabbi like Harav Ashkenazie. How about this? Twenty years ago I called a senior Rabbi in the Mid West, Rabbi Tzvi Shusterman Z”L and asked him to give me guidlines for a Dress Code for Frum/Chassidish teachers. He wrote among others that slits are a total disregard to Tznius. If he would write it today, he would be attacked just like Rabbi Ashkenazie is attacked today. Sad to see an attack against a Rav for having the “Chutzpa” to disagree with some women. Sad.
Hope I don’t burn in h-ll, but I would like to give my opinion. ‘I think’ that the Rebbe first told women to wear wigs about 60 years ago. Why ?? Because at that time there were not many religious women in America, & it was very embarrassing to be waliking around New York or Chicago with a “schmatta’ on your head. I heard stories of religious women who simply stopped covering their hair. So… ‘I think’ the Rebbe said a fancy wig is better than no head covering at all. I live in Eretz Yisroel. Many, many, many women… Read more »
The halachah tells us what is right and wrong. There’s nothing wrong with looking beautiful. There is something wrong with not being tniusdik. Unfortunately people are confusing the two more and more thanks to these “edicts”
this is not the rebbes shita!!!….new minhagim in lubavitch!!!
as far as i heard from zalman shimon sheitel is to cover ones erveh….nothing to do how a sheitles looks…
thank you!
the shaitels people wear today…..
the most beautiful shaitels are the ones that are modest and come not longer than the shoulders.
yechi hamelech!
moshiach now
first I love the way some “man” decides he knows better than G-d. and in “his” opinion we mere woman can no longer do something. (in this case wear long sheitels). excuse me let him wear a sheitel a whole day, day in and out. then make it out like a woman is wearing a mini skirt. its a major sacrifice to wear a sheitel and cover your hair. stop putting conditions on it. and mr I am sorry but shut up!
so will the rabbi be happy if a wear a mop on my head?
The Rebbe says that we should look beautiful!!!!!
Rav Askenazi needs to bring a makor for this
It is so nice to see this letter come out from the Rabbi, especially as it comes on the heels of all his numerous letters in which he tries to make it easier for yidden, letter such as ones to the schools to lower the tuition, and letters asking fellow lubavitchers to assist lubavitchers with finding jobs..
Oh, I was mistaken, he did not issue any such letters, he only found time to ban something which no one will listen to and thus diminishing the respect of his office (which is basically already at zilch)
Seems to me this is great way to get women to stop wearing sheitlach.
When we become examples for our daughters, then they may listen when we tell them to tie back their long hair .
give me a break …….i dont even think Miriam wore a sheitel .
Again really bending the law (if it is one ?) to extreme !!
And looking like someone standing on a street corner.
Unfortunately many frum ladies have no idea who they resemble when they walk around, it’s so embarassing when not frum people or goyim see them.
The Rebbe was always very against chilul hashem and this is a big one.
now the residents will have to choices
either leave or just not listen, which will make the rov look like a fool
the rebbe wanted the women to wear the most beautiful sheitel
if long is beautiful , then that fits the criteria
every few years , theres always a fight about wearing sheitels, and its to fight the rebbe
now its being done by a lubavitcher rov, unreal!!!
its a shame!!!!!
now he is going to make all the women with long shaitels doing aveiros.
this is just unreal
1)major issue of hefsed meruba , most these shaitels cost $2k up.
2) theres no way women will listen to this
according to halacha , you cant make a psak if you know they cant listen.
…been waiting for this day, for someone to stand up and say this!
what’s next? burkas?
I remember seeing in the sefer of Rabbi Moshe Weiner a question was asked to the Rebbe.
What if a sheitel has nicer looking hair than ones own hair and can be mistaken for real hair is it still better to wear a sheitel?
The Rebbe’s answer was. It is still better to wear a sheitel because in the end it is still not ones own hair.
Check it out for yourself.
It is a mitzva for frum woman to look nice and presentable to outsiders. It is a kiddush hashem when a frum lady looks good.
I want to look beautiful. Attractive not attracting, In this case, I don’t think it’s about rules. You can have a long, beautiful Shaitel. If everything else adds up. and you are entirely tznius, hair length should not be an issue. Tznius is about a whole person, inside and outside. Why can’t we have letters about lashon hara and not using bad language? This letter is great for blind followers. Someone like me needs more information and definite reasoning for such an absolute ruling – which at the present, i have no intentions to follow.
when you decry pedophilia and lack of education in the community then maybe ill care what you have to say.
CAN THE RABBI GIVES US MAKOR IN HALACHA?
It is women dressing to impress other women,and they may not realize the ramifications and the impact on vulnerable men or boys.
-David Benveniste
Good Luck Rabbi!! The rebbe encouraged woman to wear the best and most beautiful shaitel…because he know what we were up against.