Chapter 12: Is the Igros Moshe an adequate basis to permit electric shavers ? | 49

Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 25). Reproduced above, chapter 2, please find the unequivocal Psak Din of the greatest Poskim of our times stating that shaving machines are the halachic equivalent of a razor and that ''using any shaver that leaves the face smooth, even if it removes only a minimal two hairs, violates the prohibition of'Do not destroy the edges of your beard/” In other words, there is no such thing as a "kosher shaver,” since all contemporary shavers (including those some call “kosher”) leave the face smooth.

The Psak Din explains that this was the opinion of the Chofetz Chaim, the Chazon Ish, the Steipler Gaon and Rav Schach, and it was signed by our leading Gedolim, including Rav Elyashiv ztd (who, as mentioned there, refused to sign the Psak Din until its wording was changed to indicate a clear prohibition), Rav Aharon L. Steinman ztd, Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner ztd, Rav Michel Y. Lefkowitz ztd, Rav Nissim Karelitz shlita, Rav shlita, Rav Shmuel Auerbach ztd, Rav ztd, and another twenty-six (26) of the most prominent Litvishe Roshei Yeshiva of our times. All these Gedolim were aware of Rav ’s ztd position regarding electric shavers — and rejected it.

Included among those who disputed the heter of the Igros Moshe were his own contemporary Gedolei Hador in America^ including Rav ztd,^ Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky ztd and others (colleagues

1 Another high-profile example of a leniency of the Igros Moshe which was vehemently rejected by Rav Aharon Kotler, and regarding which the yeshivish communities follow Rav Aharon Kotler (and not the Igros Moshe), is the height of the mechitzah in shuls (see, for example, Igros Moshe O.C. 1:39; O.C. 2:43; Y.D. 2:109). How ardently Rav Aharon Kotler opposed the leniency of the Igros Moshe is evident from the following incident: “In the late fifties, while driving, the [R’ Aharon Kotler zt’l] inadvertently pushed open the car door and fell out, resulting in a fracture of his arm. ‘Chipesh Umotzo’ - he searched and found and said afterwards that he believes he should have gone further to oppose the prevailing lenient practice (albeit authorized by a great Poseik) regarding the height of a Shul’s Mechitza, and hence the punishment” (A Living Mishnas Rav Aharon, p. 440).