Honestly, it quite took me by surprise when I was asked by secular Jews from Tel Aviv if every haredi woman wearing a wig (Yiddish: Sheitel) would have a bald head. I thought that people usually know that the haredi wig is "just" a way for a married woman (as well as for divorcees and widows) to cover their hair. I have never thought about that other people may get the impression that all of them must be bald. Actually there are not too many women shaving their hair after the wedding. Furthermore, the younger generation practices this custom less and less.
The shaving of the hair of a married haredi woman is an old Hungarian / Romanian custom and many women today just put on a wig without any shaving. However, there are women keeping this custom, as the Toldot Aharon, the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak (not necessarily all women) or certain followers of the Chatam Sofer. For instance, a woman from Chassidut Dushinsky once told me that she took over the shaving custom from her mother and she even explained me how she does it. Basically the shaving is taking place every second week or so and most women put on a tight head cover over their baldness. Only on top of that cover, they place the wig. Otherwise the wig would move and people could see the baldness. The Toldot Aharon, on the other hand, don't wear any wigs at all and just place a tight head cover or a Spitz.
Remark: When I say bald, it doesn't always mean "totally bald" but also "very short hair".
I was just surprised hearing such questions or prejudices and explained the secular the shaving custom etc. They, on the other hand, were very interested because they had never heard about it before. Actually one even asked me about "having sex with a sheet in the middle (between men and women).If this is true ?
Well, I don't know but I think that most people have sex in a "normal" way and that the sheet story is basically a story and doesn't have much to do with reality.
This is one of those questions that I get asked fairly often.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteI think it is just a huge prejudice. People don't know and when I explained it to the secular who asked me, the were quite amazed. No one has ever told them ...
I'm involved with chassidus, and I didn't know. I always thought that 90% of all chassdishe women shave their heads totally. Thanks for enlightening us.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteNo, Chas ve'Chalilah.
Well, maybe for some not "Chas ve'Chalilah".:-)
It very much depends on the group and, for instance, the Belzer today don't shave their hair.
I am not saying that there may be some women doing so but the vast majority: No.
Same with Boyan, Karlin, Vishnitz, Gur, etc.
I admit that there are probably quite a few women who cut their hair, more or less, short but do not shave it off. Whereas in Toldot Aharon it is a MUST !
Actually many Chassidim are gossiping about the stringency of the Toldot Aharon and say that this is just "nuts".
The secular Jews I referred to even thought that also the Litvishe shave their hair. Or in other words: "Everyone with a wig has a bald head !"
But let me tell you a secret although, now, it is not a secret anymore: I noticed that the Toldot Aharon Rebbitzen does have some hair.
Well, she didn't grow up within the group and this may be the reason. I don't know.
It isn't necessarily just for religious or spiritual reasons that women shave their heads bald.
ReplyDeleteMy wife is a more or less secular Jewish woman (actually reform congregation), and shaves her head bald for fashion reasons, like some female actresses, fashion models, and singers do.
She likes the look, and it looks good on her, she has the feminine features for it. She usually wears a headscarf or headwrap in public, but sometimes dolls herself up with long earrings, makeup, a beautiful dress, etc. and goes bald in public.
More women are keeping a shaved head for fashion reasons, a chic sleek sort of look. They need to be beautiful and feminine to make it work however.
B"H
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the Litvishe usually don't follow this custom.