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Why do some Chassidim shave their heads?



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amother
Wheat


 

Post Sun, Oct 08 2017, 8:57 pm
This question keeps on coming up and I'm just curious what the source for this custom is?
I was told by someone it's for mikva so they don't have any possible issues with hair knotted or detached hairs but then heard this isn't true.
Also, does this go by group? Like bobov does and satmer doesn't? (Made that up no clue if any do)
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amother
Azure


 

Post Sun, Oct 08 2017, 9:14 pm
amother wrote:
This question keeps on coming up and I'm just curious what the source for this custom is?
I was told by someone it's for mikva so they don't have any possible issues with hair knotted or detached hairs but then heard this isn't true.
Also, does this go by group? Like bobov does and satmer doesn't? (Made that up no clue if any do)

It's kabbalistic. They believe that something called klippos stick to the hair and so they shave it off. Nothing to do with knotting or sticking hair during mikvah dipping.
It's more prevalent in hungarian chassidic groups and some galician (eastern poland) groups picked up on it too but I don't think chassidic groups from poland (those that consider themselves poilishe as opposed to galician) shave.
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amother
Gray


 

Post Sun, Oct 08 2017, 9:18 pm
My polish/Galicia cousins shave.
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amother
Burgundy


 

Post Sun, Oct 08 2017, 9:46 pm
Music. Bring the popcorn
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amother
Chocolate


 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 12:22 am
I thought it's because when a woman is Nidda her hub may not see her hair so it's easier just to take it off so he doesn't get to see it.
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amother
Lime


 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 12:43 am
amother wrote:
I thought it's because when a woman is Nidda her hub may not see her hair so it's easier just to take it off so he doesn't get to see it.


If that is the case, I have a question.

Is a woman's HEAD erva? IOW, if she is completely shaven, can she expose her head to her husband when she is nidda? Or by extension, to anyone, at any time?

This is a totally serious question.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 3:47 am
Sorry. My bobov ancestresses shaved. Krakow.
My Lublin area did too.
There are a couple Litvak families who shave too. And many who cut short.
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LovesHashem




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 4:15 am
I always thought it was cuz no one would ever have any chance we seeing the hair
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 5:27 am
That's their Minhag. Period. Simple as that.

For more information feel free to browse the multitude of previous threads on this topic.
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lavenderchimes




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 5:27 am
From what I have learned, it is because if the klippah. But many chasidic groups that hold that hair is klippah do not shave (by Chabad, hair is kept between 3 and 4 finger widths, and NEVER shaved, because they don't want that a woman's husband won't find her attractive). Another rason to shave is that it is easier to cover hair -- this allows them to wear a tichel without stray hairs sticking out, which is inpossible for the rest of us. I don't know if this is true, but I heard from someone last night that for some families/comunities, the custom of shaving began in a time when local lords and general claimed the right of "first night," and would take the bride and bed her before her new husband -- so some Jews began shaving the vrides head hoping that this would make them unappealing, so that they wouldn't be stolen away and raped on their wedding night.
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lavenderchimes




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 5:29 am
Also, I don't think the head is erva, but even when shaved, tiny bits of hair are still visible. Also, I don't think that most women who shave do it every day. But if all of a womans hair fell out...? This is an interesting question!
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samantha87




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:20 am
amother wrote:
That's their Minhag. Period. Simple as that.

For more information feel free to browse the multitude of previous threads on this topic.


I was going to suggest the thousands of posts on the hundreds of previous threads - from the past year - but you beat me to it.
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amother
Blue


 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:20 am
lavenderchimes wrote:
From what I have learned, it is because if the klippah. But many chasidic groups that hold that hair is klippah do not shave (by Chabad, hair is kept between 3 and 4 finger widths, and NEVER shaved, because they don't want that a woman's husband won't find her attractive). Another rason to shave is that it is easier to cover hair -- this allows them to wear a tichel without stray hairs sticking out, which is inpossible for the rest of us. I don't know if this is true, but I heard from someone last night that for some families/comunities, the custom of shaving began in a time when local lords and general claimed the right of "first night," and would take the bride and bed her before her new husband -- so some Jews began shaving the vrides head hoping that this would make them unappealing, so that they wouldn't be stolen away and raped on their wedding night.


There is some truth to the bolded especially about woman coming from Russia I believe.

The reason we shave is because it is a takkana instituted by the Gadolim of the three major Ashkenazic Kehillos.
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Cmon be nice




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:51 am
amother wrote:
It's kabbalistic. They believe that something called klippos stick to the hair and so they shave it off. Nothing to do with knotting or sticking hair during mikvah dipping.
It's more prevalent in hungarian chassidic groups and some galician (eastern poland) groups picked up on it too but I don't think chassidic groups from poland (those that consider themselves poilishe as opposed to galician) shave.


Klippos are only on a married womens hair?
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Cmon be nice




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:52 am
amother wrote:
This question keeps on coming up and I'm just curious what the source for this custom is?
I was told by someone it's for mikva so they don't have any possible issues with hair knotted or detached hairs but then heard this isn't true.
Also, does this go by group? Like bobov does and satmer doesn't? (Made that up no clue if any do)


It can't be true because otherwise they would have to shave it off before using the mikva before marriage, but they shave the day after the wedding.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:55 am
LOL. No it's not about "first night". This is mostly urban legend and even when it did happen, it was quite another time period than chassidus, and mostly not about Jews. Also you think this would stop a perv? She would just keep her wig/whatever. And once married she could stop this...
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amother
Blush


 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 6:58 am
I was recently told that the head is ervah so even parts that are completed shaved or lasered would need to remain covered.
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lavenderchimes




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 7:04 am
Cmon be nice wrote:
Klippos are only on a married womens hair?


No, as I recall, all hair and fingernails are klippah. Hair is treated differently because it grows from the head (I'm sorry, I can't remember the whole explanation at the moment,) and because hair is sensual. Men and women have different rules and responsibilities in most things, including hair/klippah. And an unmarried girl is permitted/encouraged to use her hair to attract a husband. After marriage, a woman's hair is to be covered (for several reasons, including klippah for many chassidim), and then you get into all the minhagim about how to best hande the covering.

As an aside, as someone in a community who does NOT shave, I have to say that I can see how shaving is really the BEST way to make sure that no one but your husband sees your hair. I think I would rather shave than wear a sheitl, which is the lubavitch answer to successfully covering hair.
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lavenderchimes




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Oct 09 2017, 7:10 am
Ruchel wrote:
LOL. No it's not about "first night". This is mostly urban legend and even when it did happen, it was quite another time period than chassidus, and mostly not about Jews. Also you think this would stop a perv? She would just keep her wig/whatever. And once married she could stop this...


I am inclined to agree that it is urban legend. I actually just heard of it for the first time from a man who dated a girl whose ex husband's entire family who ws of Prussian origin shaved and it was vrought down that this was the reason. I do think that it might have stopped them from being taken, though, since in that time, a shaved head would have been a sign of disease or lice, not to mention that they would be leas attractive.
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