Question:
Please help me clarify these questions regarding long hair for men, as they pertain to chatzitza for tefillin. I saw a different question on the site regarding long hair for men, but these questions were still unclear to me. They are relevant for many people (I am not asking about the hashkafa of long hair or other issues, just regarding chatzitza for tefillin).
1) If someone is bald in the middle of his head and he grows the hair on the sides very long to cover it, is that hair an issue of chatzitza for the tefillin shel rosh (the hair extends far from its original root)?
2) If someone has a big “chup” (long bangs), which extend “high” above his head, is that an issue of chatzitza for tefillin? The hair is basically in its original location (by its original root), but it is longer than regular hair?
3) If someone pushes his hair all the way back, is that an issue of chatzitza for tefillin— either in front (by the box) or in back (by the knot, if the hair extends all the way there)?
4) If someone shaved most of his hair around his head very short, but his bangs were left at regular size (the same as an average person, but relatively longer than the rest of his hair), is that an issue of a chatzitza for tefillin?
5) If someone has long peyos and several strands of hair from the sides ended up under his shel rosh, is that an issue of chatzitza for tefillin?
6) If someone decided that he will get a haircut, does his hair now become a chatzitza for tefillin? Is there a difference between how badly he needs the haircut?
Thanks in advance. This website is INCREDIBLE!
Answer:
- The Aruch Hashulchan (O:CH 27-14) says that hair from the place that it grows is not considered a chatzitza, and we can’t give an exact shiur at which exact point the hair will become a chatzitza. However if he brings hair from a different place on the head then it is surely a chatzitza. Therefore hair that is grown on the side of the head and then “imported” to the idle of the head would be a chatzitza.
- If someone has a chup, according to the Aruch Hashulchan it will not be a chatzitza, however according to other poskim it would be an issue (see Piskei Teshuvos 27-10). Aside from this, the Mishnah Berurah (27-15) brings that if there is a lot of hair on the persons head it will be hard for the teffilin to stay in the correct place.
- If he pushes the hair of the front of his head back, that would not be a chatzitza for the box, but it would be a chatzitza for the knot in the back of his head.
- According to what the Aruch Hashulchan says, the fact that the rest of his hair is cut short, that will not automatically make the longer hair a chatzitza.
- If someone peyos end up underneath the shel rosh box, it would seem that that is not considered hair from this area and it would be like question 1.
- If someone decided to get a haircut, it will not make his hair a chatzitza, as the Aruch Hashulchan says, the hair is still an integral part of his body. If he needs a haircut badly tit still wouldn’t be a chatzitza, however the other problem of the tefillin not being in the right place might be problematic.
