B"H
The picture above shows some Satmarer women in New York. The TICHEL (headscarf) they wear on their wig (Shaitel) is mainly worn on Shabbat or holidays.
But isn't the Shaitel alone not enough ? Why should a chassidic woman additionally put a Tichel on her wig ?
I spoke to one chassidic woman in Mea Shearim and she told me her reason:
"Many times, a wig just looks like natural hair. Men from far behind may
think that you are an unmarried women and stare. If I put a Tichel on my
Shaitel, I am making sure that I do look 100 % like a married woman. Even from
very far away !"
Chassidic women covering their wigs with a Tichel:
For instance: Belz, Vishnitz, Dushinsky or Satmar.
How to cover one's hair with a Tichel:
http://www.coveryourhair.com/HowToTieTiechels.html
I've never understood the purpose of a sheitel. It beautifies a woman. It often makes her look even better than her own hair does. Isn't the whole purpose of a head covering to turn a guy's attention away? So that he doesn't lust after her? But the sheitel makes her more attractive! And now they sell the sheitels that go down the back, and then there are those that have the pony tails. I just don't get it. A tichel works in terms of tznius.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in regard to one of your posts a few weeks ago about chassidic women, in general, not shaving their heads anymore, I've gotten some conflicting information from two women. One was a Skvere woman who told me last night that women from the majority of chassidic groups still shave their heads. She's divorced, but still shaves her head. Just wondering.
B"H
ReplyDeleteI don't think that anyone really say "the majority". Actually we don't know because none of us can look under the wig / headcover.
It depends on the upringing and how modern the young woman is taday. If you have a look around, even in Mea Shearim, there is a wave of modernity. But this is happening in each generation.
I can tell you that Vishnitzer, Gur or Boyaner women don't shave their hair. In Belz or Satmar ? You may find some but I don't think that it will be the majority.
It also depends on where the Chassidut comes from. You probably find more Hungarians shaving their heads than the Polish or Lithuanian (Chabad or Karlin, for instance).
The Toldot Aharon MUST shave their hair, the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak don't take it that serious anymore. They do shave but maybe not totally. As I said, also here the younger generation is becoming more and more modern. Just look at their colourful headcovers now.
I cannot tell for sure but I heard that very strict followers of the Chatam Sofer (may) shave. However, I don't know if this is really true.
Sometimes it doesn't even matter to what group the women belong. One Mea Shearim woman told me that already her mother was shaving her hair and she picked it up from her.
I agree that a wig mostly makes a woman look more attractive. Especially in Bnei Brak you can find all these very modern wig stores. The Litvishe and Gur are very much into this and style themselves.
Vitnitz do shave my dear!
ReplyDeletewhen are you going to write a post about socking, seams and grey brown and black?
B"H
ReplyDeleteIf you knew Vishnitz so well, you would know that there is Vishnitz in Monsey and Vishnitz in Israel.
As I am reporting from Israel you should be able to figure out the answer by yourself.
do you want to see photos of my sister n law, her daughter and her daughter in law?
ReplyDeletethay are all chassidim of Vitnitz _ in israe, of the great rabbi son Yisroel!
B"H
ReplyDeleteIf you want to publish any pictures, you should contact Golda Holterman. Just a few days ago I wrote about her.
She may be intersted.
please dont even consider them as matriel fro her, she only photographs "workig women"
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteNo, she is also taking pictures of Haredim !!!
To this I was referring in my article.
But why are you saying that I should look at pictures of your relatives ?
I mean - "who would have such an idea ?"
my wife's family is 'mixed' satmar and wiznitz (monsey). none of them shave bald (so i have been told)...ironically my side (all polishers, alexandre, etc) will not wear sheitelach. my mother is very strict about only covering with a tichel or snood.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteSo, you have quite a mixed family.:-)
I thought that Alexander wears Sheitel because, today, they stick more to Gur.
I know a Vishnitzer guy (from Jerusalem) and he told me that their women don't shave. Just the opposite, he always make jokes about those groups where the women shave.
B"H
ReplyDeleteI would like to apologize to the writer of the comment claiming that the Vishnitzer women do shave their hair.
I investigated again and was told that it is true. Not all of the women shave their hair but many. In Bnei Brak as well as in Monsey !
"I thought that Alexander wears Sheitel because, today, they stick more to Gur."
ReplyDeletei had to stifle a good laugh...because i cannot count how many times i have heard that misconception. some of my family cannot even bring themselves to say the word "Ger", rather they call them the "tzionis", or even worse ;)
B"H
ReplyDeleteI know that in the past, Alexander and Gur were anything but friends.
I cannot say if it is a misconception because I hardly have anything to do with Gur. I know some Gerrer Chassidim but don't see them too often. If I do, I will ask.
However, there is a wide spread opinion (maybe a misconception) that today, Alexander is closer to Gur. This is what I many times read on the Internet or in different books about chassidic groups.
However, I will ask the Gerrer.
Secondly I would like to say that I spoke to a Vishnitzer and to a Belzer Chassid yesterday. Both confirmed that the majority of their women do shave their hair !!!
I would have never guessed so because some groups love to make fun of the Yerushalmim and especially about the Toldot Aharon.
And now look, they are all basically the same.
I mentioned to both Chassidim that maybe the younger generation may change but both rejected this opinion. "No, there is no change in society regarding the hair shaving and if a woman would not do so, it would look strange".
B"H
ReplyDelete@ To the one commentating on Gur and Alexander !
I spoke to a Gerrer yesterday, and he told me that today, there is no further social connection between Gur and Alexander. Once it used to be different and today you could compare it with the relation between Vishnitz and Gur. He also claimed that today, it is no a real Alexander group anymore.
But take into consideration that the Gerrer loves to spread propaganda about Gur (he is from that kind).
Furthermore, he told me that after the Kotzker Rebbe died, many of his followers went to Alexander and later on, when the first Gerrer Rebbe started off, they became Gur.
I cannot say if this is true because I heard many different other versions.