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Going to a Male Shaitel-Macher

I read your issue about women giving a haircut to a man. That is not so common by us in brooklyn. But it’s very common that a lady has her shaitel cut by a jewish man they are much better priced. Can I let my wife use one of them?

Answer:

Most of the sources mentioned in the previous answer (concerning a man receiving a haircut from a woman) also discuss a woman receiving a haircut from a man, and prohibit it. The reason for this is that even though we say as a general rule that a person does not come to hirhurim while “on the job”, the hairdresser, whose job involves beautifying a woman and ensuring that she looks her best, is especially liable to hirhurim, and is therefore prohibited from giving haircuts. I understand that a lady going to have her shaitel cut involves handling, styling, and beautifying, in much the same way as a haircut, and it would therefore be prohibited.

It should be mentioned that Halichos Bas Yisrael (p. 95) quotes from Harav C. P. Sheinberg that according to the strict halachah there is no prohibition, and only adds that it is certainly midas chassidus to avoid it. However, this opinion does not reflect the rulings of most poskim.

Sources: See sources cited in previous response. In particular, see Netzach Yosef no. 66, who writes at length and concludes that the practice (of men cutting a woman’s hair) is prohibited. It is interesting to note that Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, who is often lenient is many matters of halachah, wrote a long response to the above ruling of Halichos Bas Yisrael (in the name of Rav Sheinberg), stating that there is surely no permission whatsoever for a man to cut a woman’s hair, and explaining why the immunity of somebody “on the job” to hirhurim does not apply to this case.

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2 Comments

    1. It is somewhat better if the man is not Jewish. However, it remains preferable to go to a woman when a woman is available. Most of the sheitel-machers here are women, but I guess each place is different. . .
      Best wishes and much success…

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