5778 - dbhbn ovrct [email protected] 1 sxc HALACHIC AND HASHKAFIC ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 101 - SHAVING AND SHAVERS - PART 2 OU ISRAEL CENTER - SUMMER 2018 In Part 1 we saw that the Torah prohibits men from shaving their beard with a razor. In this shiur we need to apply the principles that we learned in Part 1 to the electric shaver and understand the contemporary psak. A] THE HISTORY OF THE ELECTRIC SHAVER • 1879 - invention of the manual beard-clipping machine, mentioned by poskim at the end of the 19C. • 1898 - patents first filed for an electric razor. • 1903 - invention of the safety razor by Gillette in the US. This was marketed in Europe from 1905. • 1925 - invention of the electric safety razor and the vibro-shave. • 1931 - Jacob Schick created the first electric shaver. This was already referenced in the US poskim by 1932.1 • 1939 - Phillips began to produce the shaver with a round head. 2 • 1980s - Invention of the ‘Lift & Cut’ electric shaver. B] THE HALACHIC BACKGROUND We must briefly review the halachic framework for the mitzvah that we saw in Part 1. :Wbe z ,¬ t P ,­t ,h ºj J , t´«k u o·f Jt«r ,­ t P Up ºE , t´«k 1. zf:yh trehu In Parashat Kedoshim the Torah explicitly prohibits ‘destroying’ the corners of the beard. It does NOT specifically refer to a razor blade. , yrG U ­y r Gh t¬«k o ºrG c¸cU Uj·Kdh t«k obez ,tpU o ºJt«r C Æv j re U ³j r eh&t«k (v) 2. v:tf trehu There is a parallel prohibition in Parashat Emor for Cohanim 3 which prohibits ‘shaving’ the corners of the beard. Again, it does NOT specifically refer to a razor blade. «u Jt«r r¬ g G g r­P k¬S D vºh vh J ´«se wÆv k rh³Z h&r J3t o ¹nH v ,t¸«k n&s g «u·Jt«r&k g r´«c3g h&t«k r g­ T «u ºr zb rs´b Æh n h&kF (v) 3. v:u rcsnc The Torah DOES use the expression ‘ta’ar’ for prohibition of the shaving for the nazir. 1. Electric shavers reached Eretz Yisrael in the late 1940s and 1950s as bachurim began to arrive from the US. 2. For a detailed history of how the electric shaver was dealt with in early poskim see Machonet Giluach Behalacha by R. Aharon Pfueffer Chelek Bet Chap 1. 3. Although this is not counted by most Rishonim as a separate mitzvah. To download more source sheets and audio shiurim visit www.rabbimanning.com 5778 - dbhbn ovrct [email protected] 2 sxc :UrvYv u o­vh s dc U¬x Cf u o ºrG C&kF&k g Ær gÆ , Urh³c<gv u ,t·Y j h´n o­vhk3g v¬Z v o ºr3v y k Æo vk v³G3g ,&v «f u (z) 4. z:j rcsnc So too for the inauguration of the Levi’im, which involved shaving them, the Torah explicitly states that a razor was used. rg,c ubkyha sg chhj ubhtu /// ubez ,tp ,hjanvu //// 5. v vban d erp ,ufn vban Nevertheless, as we saw in Part 1, Mishna rules that even for the prohibition of shaving the corners of the beard, the prohibition is with a razor. Why would the Mishna rule this way if the verse never specified a razor!? tk ht /,hja, tk :k", ?chhj tvh ohrpxnc ujkd whpt kufh - Uj·Kd h t´«k o­be z ,¬t pU :r", /rg,c ubkyha sg chhj ubhtu 6. vz :rnut huv 'v,jav uc aha jukhd ?smhf tv /ujkdh tk :rnuk sunk, ?chhj tvh hbyhvru yeknc uyek ot kufh ',hja, /rg, /tf ,ufn The Gemara 4 learns a gezeira shava 5 between the two verses in Kedoshim and in Emor. The actual prohibition must include BOTH elements of the mitzvah: ‘hashchata’ - destruction of the beard; and ‘giluach’ - an act of shaving. The Gemara then indicates that the only way to do both of these is with a razor. ohhrpxnc ubez jkd ot lfhpk /v,jav uc aha jukhd lbez ,tp ,t ,hja, tku rntba rg,c ubjkdha sg chhj ubhtu 7. ruyp z vfkv ch erp vrz vsucg o"cnr The Rambam explicitly rules that the Torah prohibition is only with a razor blade. Scissors are permitted. 6 tvu /ohrpxnc tv 'rg,c tv !veuk vz hrv - vurgv ,hcu hjav ,hc rhcgnv :hch,hn /rg,c upud kf ost kehn :cr rnt 8. rg, ihgf !rnte rg,c hnb cr :jb rhzb The Gemara in Nazir, when discussing the mitzvah of lo yilbash (for a man not to engage in feminine personal grooming - see below) rules that a man may nevertheless cut his body hair (not here discussing the head or beard) for comfort. Scissors are certainly permitted for this. And although an actual razor is not allowed, something which is ‘k’ein ta’ar’ - ‘similar to a razor’, is permitted. rg, ihgf rack lunxc ohrpxnc zzda - rg, ihgf 9. oa h"ar Rashi explains that ‘k’ein ta’ar’ means the use of scissors which cut the hair very short and close to the skin. How does the category of ‘k’ein ta’ar’ apply to the issue of cutting the corners of the beard? rg, ihgf ukhpt 'r,un ohrpxnc kct /rg,c tkt iezv ,tp ,,jav kg chhj ubht h 10. h ;hgx tpe inhx vgs vruh lurg ijkua The Shulchan Aruch takes a lenient approach. Only a true razor blade is prohibited. Scissors are definitely permitted, even if they act ‘k’ein ta’ar’, and cut close to the skin. rg,f huvu iu,j,v ekj og kfv vagh ip //// ihrp,xnaf ohrvzb n"nu :vdv 11. h ;hgx tpe inhx vgs vruh lurg ijkua twnr However the Rema warns that there are some scissors which actually acts as a true razor and not just ‘like’ a razor. This will clearly be prohibited. 4. See also Sifra Kedoshim 3:6. 5. Even though the verse in Emor relates only to Cohanim, Chazal understood them to be thematically linked (they also both deal with self-mutilation). See Part 1. 6. We saw in Part 1 that, even though the Rambam uses the expression ‘patur’, the Beit Yosef understands that he permits this fully. The Sefer HaChuniuch however takes a different position - see below. To download more source sheets and audio shiurim visit www.rabbimanning.com 5778 - dbhbn ovrct [email protected] 3 sxc :rg,f rehg smc rgha ihf,uj ihta oh,hjan ibht ohrpxnu /,hja, tk k", 12. oh,hjan ihtu ihjkdn ohrpxnu uc jkdk lrs ihtu ,hjan hbyhvr kct /rg, ubhhvu ,hjanu uc jkdk lrs /v,jav uc aha jukhd (hwar ouenc) oa iwchr The Rivan takes a different approach. He explains that the key issues concerning the Torah prohibition are: (i) how close is the shave - if it cuts at the root of the hair, this is called ‘hashchata’; and (ii) how ‘normal’ is the use of this instrument for shaving. Anything normally used will be considered ‘giluach’. If electric shavers do both of these things, would they be prohibited? In summary, there are three levels of shaving for the purposes of these halachot: 1. rg, - a true razor, which is prohibited by the Torah as ‘hashchata’ - destruction7 of the hair. 2. rg, ihgf ohrpxn - scissors which act ‘like a razor’ and which cut close to the skin. The Shulchan Aruch permits these for the beard. 3. ohrpxn - scissors acting in a regular way, which do not cut close to the skin. These are permitted by all authorities. However, the Rema (based on the Terumat Hadeshen) warns that once scissors are sharp enough to cut using one blade, these will be classified as a true razor. C] HALACHIC APPROACHES TO ELECTRIC SHAVERS C1] APPROACH 1 - RESULTS MATTER! HOW CLOSE IS THE SHAVE? /// rgav oa rfhb hrva v,jav uvc ,hks r,un ohrpxnc kct /,hja, tku ch,fs /rg,c ubkyha sg 13. :d ,ufn ;xuh heunhb The Nimukei Yosef (14/15C Spain) understands that the halachic definition of a razor is something which removes hair such that the hair is no longer visible. Scissors leave visible hair and are thus permitted. /rg, ihgf ohhrpxnc ukhpt iurdv ,j, ;t kkf ujkdh tka runj abugc ivhkg ruzdku ishc ,ujnk ohchhujn if kg /// 14. iez ,,jav itf ihts rga ,me jhbn tkt hrndk rack lunxc jkdn ubhtaf hra htsu tv uvhn tpe inhx vgs vruh j"c The Bach disagrees with lenient position of the Shulchan Aruch and rules that, in order to avoid the prohibition, some hair must remain visible. Hashchata means any close shave! iasv ,nur,s tv if ot r,un ohrpxncs tn,x uc,f ohexupv kfs iuhf rehg crv ,gs b"ku //// rvzhk lhrms c,f y"x j"cvu 15. vkg ;hxuk tks ucvu thv trnuj z ewx tpe inhx vgs vruh l"a The Shach rejects this and upholds the position of the Shulchan Aruch - that a close shave using scissors is fine. Even the concern of the Terumat Hadeshen (as quoted in the Rema) is a chumrah which should not be extended. hsfc ,hrucu ohn h"g rg,c ubez rhxvk ohtpurv urntu 'racc ,prua atu ouj unf ubezc uk tca ahtv rcs kgu 16. /// hud h"g ukhptu vbfx rcsc aha ohtpurv urnth tka zwf u,uagk uk ,rxt v,tu 'irehgn ,urgav ufkha kufhu urzd tk tv hf trgm ouenc ibcrs ruxht tkt itf ihta iuhfu /// ruxt ibcrsbn fwpgas //// hud hwgu /// :vcua, uhkg thcnaf ztu 'irehgk iatr ;ufk hsf jhbh tka sg ohhrpxnc vkhj, jeha uvsnk, f"pgtu /hud h"g ,uagk /kkf jukhd vz ihta rhzbc ,uhduxc ihgnansf rgha tku vtp hure vz ihta 'ruxht sug ubht rg,v jh inhx atr ohnac ,"ua Shu’t Besamim Rosh dealt with the case of a person who had a painful skin condition that affected his face and the doctors instructed him to shave off his facial hair with a razor.