Shalom.
Please tell me if it's ok to pluck a hair strand from the peyot area if u have the general peyot. area intact ( like a grey/white hair ) . Please give me a teshuva.
Thank you. Tizke lemitzvot
Answer:
It is permitted to pluck a single hair from the peyos area.
However, it is not permitted to pluck a white or gray hair from one's black hair, and this falls under the prohibition of "lo yilbash."
Best wishes.
Sources:
There is a very broad debate among authorities concerning the prohibition against cutting hairs in the peyos area.
According to many, the prohibition applies only if one actually forms a clean-shaven "bridge" between the forehead and behind the ears - though some are stringent even for plucking out two hairs, and this is the ruling given by the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 181; Taz; Gra) because this is a matter of doubt on a Torah issue.
Furthermore, many hold that the prohibition only applies to shaving with a razor, or with scissors, and not to plucking out the hairs. See Chasam Sofer Yoreh De'ah 139 in a famous teshuvah concerning combing one's peyos.
For a single hair, there is therefore no prohibition - though one should not pull out two hairs.
However, there is a general prohibition against pulling out one's gray hairs, where this is done for beautification. See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 182:6.
